Events

In Thomas Hardy’s novel, The Woodlanders (1887), he describes the local landscape of North Dorset as filled with orchards and the smell of apples. An iconic image depicts the hero, Giles
Winterborne, standing with his specimen apple tree in the midst of the town of Sherborne. Elisabeth explores the little-known history of cider-making in the local area, using her own research and oral histories she has collected from residents of several villages.

Speaker: Elisabeth Bletsoe

Fond memories of the bustle and activity of Monday market days at Sturminster are shared by many local families, yet far fewer people are aware of the town’s once-important Sturminster Agricultural Society cattle shows, held annually from 1832 into the 1880s. The shows were followed by prestigious dinners, usually at The Crown, attended by an impressive guest list. Reports in local and national newspapers record packed dining rooms – with over 200 guests accommodated in the room above ‘Holebrooks’ – while the town’s other inns did a roaring trade, too. This talk explores the people behind these events, compares Sturminster with other agricultural societies, and uncovers the speeches, debates and rural concerns that once placed the town firmly on the national stage.

Speaker: Jacqui Wrag

During the First World War, an estimated 60,000 volunteers served with the British Red Cross Society in auxiliary hospitals across the United Kingdom, providing much-needed care for sick and wounded servicemen returning from the Front. This talk explores the pivotal role played by the VADs in Dorset during the war and highlights how this remarkable contribution was largely sustained through the efforts of female voluntary labour.

Speaker: Luke Mouland