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SDFHS

Somerset in Historic Photographs

Posted on 22nd May 2014

The SDFHS Chairman, Ann-Marie Wilkinson, summarises a fascinating new photographic exhibition at the Museum of Somerset On Friday evening (16 May), Steve (right) and I along with Patrick Williams (a previous Chairman of the Society) and his wife Joan went to the Museum of Somerset to a preview of their new exhibition In the Frame – Somerset in Historic Photographs The exhibition displayed many photographs from Somerset, the earliest being a picture of workman renovating Mells Church in the... more

The Royal Tombs of Great Britain

Posted on 11th May 2014

We had a real treat yesterday when Dr Aidan Dodson of Bristol University came to our Research Centre at Sherborne and gave two fascinating and informative talks under the heading of The King is Dead: the royal tombs of Great Britain Aidan’s first talk started with the Saxon kings of Wessex and included, of course, Sherborne Abbey’s own burials of Ethelbald (died 860) and Ethelbert (died 866), older brothers of Alfred the Great Many of the pre-Reformation royal tombs were destroyed during... more

The Greenwood Tree May 2014

Posted on 26th April 2014

Bob Barber gives a preview of the next edition of the Greenwood Tree We start the May edition of The Greenwood Tree in seasonal mode with an account by Maureen Bowler of the social history of the celebrations of May Day This brings back grim memories for me of having to learn country dances at school, but the folk customs surrounding May Day spread much wider Bob Evered has unearthed a very nice etching of St George’s church Dunster by Elizabeth Piper, an etcher and painter... more

Upcoming Events in Sherborne

Posted on 12th March 2014

In addition to the (usually monthly) talks organized by our 10 Groups throughout Somerset and Dorset (see http://wwwsdfhsorg/groups/) we now have a very full programme of Members' events at our Research Centre in Sherborne Full details of all these events (and others later in the year) and a downloadable booking form are on our website: http://wwwsdfhsorg/events/sdfhs-events/ but here are those upcoming between March and the end of May Starting on Wednesday 19 March (7-9pm), the SDFHS... more

Grandad and Charlie Hounsell

Posted on 4th March 2014

In 2013 Barbara Elsmore arranged an exhibition on Foster's School for the Sherborne Museum and recognised her grandfather on one of the Museum's photographs I found this old school photograph in Sherborne Museum and realised my grandfather, Arthur Collings, was standing on the far left with his hands on the back of the chair of the boy in front of him The photo was taken in 1898 at Foster's School in Sherborne and is of the boys in forms IV, V and VI It was published in the SDFHS journal The... more