Members of The Shaftesbury & District Historical Society were treated to a diverse range of local insights at their annual Tea and Talks on Tuesday 04 April. The cakes baked by Elaine Barratt were excellent too. Ray Simpson unfolded the tangled story of Pasqualino Fuoco, the Italian proprietor of the Edwardian lodging house in Sun and Moon Cottage. Business was booming at the time of the 1911 Census, when there were 19 pedlars and hawkers staying at No.1 Gold Hill, but there were later court cases and marital disputes. Jo Rutter (centre) looked at some of the occupants of Maudlin / Magdalene Lane in 1851, while Matthew Tagney (right) took as his starting point a flyer for the Sale of the Liberty of Alcester in 1809. The revenues from this Liberty to the south-west of Shaftesbury supported the Abbey of the original Alcester in Warwickshire. By judicious comparison of maps Matthew was able to identify many of the convenient buildings and exceeding rich meadowland for sale in 1809. The eagle-eyed Richard Clarke (left) pointed out differences between published versions of the 1615 Map of Shaftesbury. Members departed amused, informed and refreshed.

A photograph recently acquired by the Heritage Lottery Funded Shaftesbury and the Great War Community Project shows a group of local men, possibly at the Wimborne St Giles camp, who had enlisted in the Dorset Yeomanry. On the left (seated) is Frank Pickford from Melbury Abbas, and behind him is Ernest Foot from Compton Abbas. But who are the others, and what happened to them? Ann Symons and Claire Ryley will be delighted to hear from anyone who can help identify these soldiers of the First World War. Ann and Claire will be reporting on the progress of the Project to members of The Shaftesbury & District Historical Society, and anyone else interested, at Gold Hill Museum on Tuesday 07 March at 2.30p.m. If you can’t make it to their presentation, they can be contacted by phoning 01747 852157 or emailing education@goldhillmuseum.org.uk

A few winter weeks have seen the passing of three strong supporters of The Shaftesbury & District Historical Society. The death of Rachel Caldwell was followed on 28 December by that of Trustee and Treasurer Marjory Kellett (above).  A graduate of Glasgow University, Marjory taught A Level Maths in Hamilton, Carlisle, Sherborne and Shaftesbury, and began to apply her facility with numbers to the finances of Gold Hill Museum in 2014. Always calm, good-humoured and friendly, Marjory could also be found stewarding at Museum Reception and helping husband Ian in the Museum garden. A talented pianist blessed with a fine singing voice, Marjory became the long-serving organist at Bell Street United Church, Shaftesbury, where a Service of Thanksgiving for her life starts at 2p.m. on Friday 20 January.

In January another Museum stalwart to fall was former Trustee, Secretary and fellow Scot Alex Selbie. Alex did sterling work organising the Museum library and answering queries, while dealing with floods in the basement and then the upheaval of redevelopment.  The S&DHS, and indeed the town, are the poorer for the passing of these three.

At the AGM of the Dorset Museums Association held on 24 November Chris Stupples of Shaftesbury was honoured as one of the Dorset Museums Volunteers of the Year. Chris was nominated by both Shaftesbury Abbey and Gold Hill Museums, and received his award at the newly-opened Steve Etches Collection, a remarkable display of marine fossils at Kimmeridge. Chris has been a prime contributor to Gold Hill Museum’s Heritage Lottery Funded Shaftesbury and the Great War Community Project. From 22 War Memorials in the Shaftesbury area he has researched the backgrounds of 377 named individuals, 111 of whom have no known grave – 7 still remain elusive, perhaps because of discrepancies in military records. Claire Ryley (left) and Ann Symons gave a well-received presentation to their Dorset Museums colleagues on the growth of the volunteer-driven Project, which currently involves 190 local people and plans to make its findings generally accessible through the launch of a website in the spring of 2017.

Chris Jones of Smith and Jones Design Consultants popped into Gold Hill Museum to position the graphic panels for the North Dorset Museums’ Cabinet of Curiosities publicity campaign at half-term. Pride of place on the front page of the campaign leaflet goes to Gold Hill Museum’s medieval carved alabaster panel showing the entombment of St Catherine – or is it Edward the Martyr? This art treasure was discovered in the 1920’s concealed in the wall of a house in Shaftesbury High Street. St Edward features in Shaftesbury Abbey’s display, while Blandford Museum, Sturminster Newton Museum and Sturminster Newton Mill also contribute to the Cabinet of Curiosities. As the leaflet proclaims: visit them all! Further details at www.visit-dorset.com