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The SDFHS Blog

A Victorian Loo

Posted on 7th March 2021

In the March 2021 Greenwood Tree, which had a House History theme, John Damon recounted the history of Beaucroft House, Wimborne, Dorset He now describes one indispensable part of its furniture and fittings Beaucroft House was built in 1876 and, as I described in the latest Greenwood Tree, it played a part in both World Wars, first as a hospital and then as a billet for American troops In the 1950s, the house was divided into three residences My Damon family lived in one of... more

The Greenwood Tree – March 2021

Posted on 1st March 2021

House Histories, the theme of the March issue of The Greenwood Tree, provoked a greater response from members than any other topic in recent memory Perhaps not surprisingly, the focus was most often on the ancestors and other people who lived in the houses under review but there was a fair amount of interest in the buildings themselves Editor Paul Radford previews the edition which will be mailed to members in early March and which SDFHS members can already view or download from the Members’... more

A Century in Chancery – the legal battle between two families.

Posted on 17th February 2021

In earlier times marriages were often business arrangements between families rather than the love matches we are used to today Marriages were associated with ‘marriage portions’ (dowries), often involving land and other property Such settlements could often be disputed if circumstances changed People went to extraordinary lengths to maintain ownership of land and to keep it ‘in the family’ A case in point is the extraordinary and complicated legal battle between the FULFORD and... more

Keeping Occupied – Your Tips

Posted on 9th February 2021

Thank you for all the helpful tips that have come my way following my recent request to find out how you have been keeping yourselves occupied - my what an industrious lot you are! Barry: Barbara's Blog post reminded me of how much I am missing a trip to the pub Not just for the beer, but as a place to play some of those games she found in the charity shop If the same thought occurred to you, then a partial solution might be to find a copy of a wonderful little book by Arthur Taylor,... more

Lust and Litigation in 17th Century Dorset

Posted on 24th January 2021

Family history research can sometimes reveal the most fascinating and unexpected results This happened to me recently when I was researching my FULFORD ancestors I discovered details of a lawsuit that gave startling insight into a family member Margaret JEWELL was born in 1665 daughter of Anne Jewell (neé Fulford) The first name of her father and the marriage details of her parents are unknown (records are scarce for the Commonwealth period) On 4th August 1685 at Sydling St Nicholas she... more

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