The “Byzant” – Newsletter of The Shaftesbury & District Historical Society
Winter 2025/2026
Including:
Chairman’s Chat by Elaine Barratt – Minutes of the AGM held on 19/08/2025 – Shaftesbury & New Zealand Remember the Great War: Ann Symons shows how one of volunteer Chris Stupples’s 1647 online biographies helped descendants of Herbert Darrell King (1896-1948) solve an 80-year-old family puzzle – Dave Hardiman (DH) explains how King Cnut (Canute) came to die at Shaftesbury Abbey in November 1035 – Ian Kellett recounts how personal crises in Agatha Christie’s life in 1926 brought her to Leonard & Katharine Woolley’s archaeological dig at Ur in Iraq, where she found a second husband & inspiration for further famous crime novels; Sir Leonard claimed to have found the world’s oldest museum, before later becoming President of the S&DHS – DH tells the enterprising stories of pioneer Lady Footballers in Shaftesbury, when women’s football was still frowned on by the FA – How the wife of Scottish King Robert the Bruce was held hostage at Shaftesbury Abbey a year before his crushing victory at Bannockburn in 1314 (DH) – Celebration of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee on 21 June 1887: DH describes events in Shaftesbury – and interspersed through the 34 pages, six items of a Shaftesbury Miscellany by DH, including dialect drunkenness in 1897, the infant prodigy St Rumbold, Matthew Chubb (d.1617) charitable founder of Chubb’s House in Salisbury Street, the Dorset Clubmen meeting at Shaftesbury in August 1644, & the Abbess of Shaftesbury’s pension in 1539
Winter 2024/2025
Including:
Chairman’s Chat by Elaine Barratt – Minutes of the AGM held on 20/08/2024 – Holy Trinity Churchyard Survey (1878) – The Larmer Tree Fete 03/09/1924 – A Riot in St James (some memories of a Shaftesbury lady) by Dave Hardiman – Forced landing by fighter plane near Motcombe causes a stir 08/09/1924 – “Commanding Scenery” and “Very Fine Air for the Restoration of Health”: Ian Kellett reviews an exhibition by the Archives Team of local printed tourist guides, many stressing the merits of Shaftesbury as a mini-Switzerland for the tubercular – Heather Blake delves into archive boxes in the Brenda Innes Collection to tell the story of Hardings & Son, Plumbers in Shaftesbury High Street for 70 years from 1840 – Black Cats and the General Election of October 1924 – Dave Hardiman on The Ancient Town of Shaftesbury (before 888AD) – mixed reports for the National (Church of England) Schools in Shaftesbury 1896-97 – Mary Bastable, a buttoner of St James, and her brushes with the law 1838-40 – Forthcoming Lectures & Events 2025
Winter 2020/21
Including:
Chairperson’s Chat – Minutes of the on-line AGM held on 24/09/20 – Mr E Coxell – BBC South Today reports on Culture in Quarantine from a “smaller, quirkier museum” 13/10/20 – Beatrice King’s Recollections of Shaftesbury Life 1937-59 – Chris Stupples on his first thousand biographical entries for the Shaftesbury Remembers the Great War website – Sir John Stuttard on the project to place a Blue Plaque in recognition of John Rutter, one of Shaftesbury’s Greatest Citizens – Ian Kellett describes Life in Ruhleben Camp for British internees during World War I, including a Bristol seaman with a local connection and football legend Steve Bloomer – Claire Ryley reports on developments at Shaftesbury Abbey Museum – Dave Hardiman tells the salutary story of Shaftesbury reprobate William Sims (1808-1852)
Winter 2019/20
Including:
Chairperson’s Chat – Dorset Museums Volunteer of the Year Award – Pressures On Space – The Hovis Bike – Archivist’s Snippets from 1786: Coins Discovered at Wardour; 1842: Consecration of the New Holy Trinity Church; 1851: Boiler Explosion at Barton Hill; 1867: Marchioness of Westminster’s Benevolence to School Pupils; 1901: Tisbury Volunteers Return from the Boer War; 1933: Skeleton Unearthed at New Road – A St James Street Family History 1890-1937 – the History of Christmas Cards – Edmund Goodenhow 1611-88 Puritan Emigrant to New England from Donhead St Andrew – Shaftesbury Miller Meets Unfortunate End 1598
Winter 2023/2024
Including:
Chairman’s Chat December 2023 by Elaine Barratt – 100 years ago 1923 – Minutes of the AGM held 22/08/23 – Professor James G. Clark of Exeter University on the subject of his 2023 Teulon Porter Memorial Lecture The Dissolution of the Monasteries: Shaftesbury and the South-West – Discovering the Peach Family by Heather Blake – Rupert Tapper on the development of A New Museum Guide – A Dynasty of Shaftesbury Clockmakers, All Named Jasper Guy by Ian Kellett, with genealogical research by Linda Wilton – The Alfred Jewel by Dave Hardiman – Who Let the Bloodhounds Out? William Beckford Apparently – Lectures & Events in 2024
Winter 2022/2023
Including:
Tea & Talks, Anyone? – Chairman’s Chat – Minutes of the AGM held 23/08/22 – Guy’s Marsh Military Hospital and pioneer orthopaedic surgeon John Charnley – London and Dorset: A shared history in construction by Sir John Stuttard – The Finest in Motion Picture Entertainment at the Savoy Cinema 1933-84 by Dave Hardiman and Ian Kellett – Henry VI: England’s Worst King? by Ian Kellett – Teulon Porter Memorial Lectures: 2022 William Beckford After Fonthill by Dr Amy Frost and 2023 (forthcoming) Professor James G. Clark on The Dissolution of the Monasteries – A Tribute to Shaftesbury historian Brenda Innes, d. 20/01/2022- Mayor’s Treat to Shaftesbury Workhouse Inmates 1922 – Lectures & Events in 2023
Winter 2021/22
75th Anniversary Edition Including:
Chairperson’s Chat & Reflections on the Visitors’ Book – Minutes of the AGM held 24/08/21 – Origins of The S&DHS and Gold Hill Museum – The Unfortunate Matron of Westminster Memorial Hospital – Frank Hopton’s Recollections of the founder Noel Teulon Porter – The Beckfords of Fonthill and the Great Sales of 1822 & 1823 – Alderman William Beckford – William Beckford of Fonthill Abbey – Press Reports of the first meetings of The S&DHS in 1946 -The Unveiling of the Park Walk War Memorial in October 1921 – A Tale of Two Teulon Porter Memorial Lectures, including Professor Tony Badger on Trump, Biden and the 2020 US Presidential Election – The Art of a Salesman, a life of Merton Russell Cotes of Bournemouth – fully Illustrated including scenes of Edwardian Shaftesbury from the Tyler Photographic Collection and portraits of John and Anne Rutter drawn in 1829
Summer 2019
Including:
Chairperson’s Chat – Professor Steven Gunn and the Everyday Life and Fatal Hazard in 16th Century England Research Project: 1569 Coroner’s Report on the Accidental Death of Jane Shaxspere – William Henry Goss, Maker of Heraldic Pottery – Origins and Meanings of the Term Byzant – Archivist’s Snippets from the Past – a Temporary Shaftesbury Museum in 1861 – Sir Leonard Woolley on Misidentified Artefacts, Forgeries, and T.E. Lawrence – Gleanings from the Registers of Holy Trinity School 1870-1901 – The Lost Village of Imber – Shaftesbury Swimming Baths: Summer 1905 Regulations
Winter 2018/19
Including:
Chairperson’s Chat – Gold Hill Museum’s Oldest Object (Swiss Army Knife of the Stone Age) – Shoe-Scrapers of Shaftesbury Surveyed – Museum-Minded Tenant Sought, August 1956 – The Pender Tomb Part Two – Admiral Sir James Stirling, 1791-1865, First Governor of Western Australia – Laying the Foundation Stone of the New Town Hall, July 1826 – Poverty in Enmore Green, January 1888 – John Rutter’s Cream Top Hat Graces Launch of New Book The Turbulent Quaker of Shaftesbury
Summer 2018
Including:
Trustee Short Reports – 1500 Weekend Visitors View Mandala Making by Tibetan Monks – Hand Axe Could Be 500,000 Years Old – Full Text of The North Side of the Street Called Bimport by Jo Rutter – Doubts Over a ‘Medieval Sundial’ from Shroton – The Pender Tomb at Donhead St Andrew – Tenders Invited for a Mail Contract 1856 – S&DHS Contributes to Two New Books on Shaftesbury Subjects – Shaftesbury Entertainments Advertised in 1784, 1838 and 1941
Winter 2017/18
Including:
Chairman’s Chat – Shaftesbury Remembers the Great War Community Project: Website Launch – 2017: A Year in the Life of a Steward – Archivist’s This and That including Tisbury 1865: Daring Burglary and Capture of Thieves – The Two Beckfords of Fonthill – A Coaching Accident 1852
Spring 2017
Including:
Chairman’s Chat – Election of Trustees 2017 – Treasurer’s Report – Archive / Library: A Shaftesbury Sensation in November 1906 – Education and Events: Shaftesbury Remembers HLF Great War Project Final Report; Policing Shaftesbury during the Great War – Building Cares: The Story of a Door – Notice of Summer Outing 2017
April 2016
Including:
Acting Chairman’s Chat – Election of Trustees 2016 – Treasurer’s Report: upgrading CCTV, replacing the fire alarm – A Continuing Success Story: stewards and shop – Collection Care: storeroom audit, fans exhibition – Archive / Library: 1909 and 1919 sales catalogues, church matters 1880 – Life in Shaftesbury and Tisbury Workhouses – Lecture Programme: Julian Richards, Gallipoli 1915 – Education and Events: school visits, activity baskets, workshops, HLF Great War Project, Reminiscence and Ancestry Afternoons – Finding Pitt Rivers – Building Cares: “Shaftesbury” steam locomotive name-plate
January 2017
Including:
Marjory Kellett – Chairman’s Chat – Autumn Lectures on Fonthill, Walter Bagehot and Cnut the Great – Great War Commemoration 12 November – A Christmas Wedding Present 1883 – Fire Pump – Snippets from our Visitors – Motcombe Park P.O.W. Camp
December 2015
Including:
Christine Simpson – Acting Chairman’s Chat – Treasurer’s Report – Collection Care [ACE] – Education Events and HLF Great War Project – 1925 Rights on Semley Common – Stewards Secure Sparkford Showcase – Archive / Library / Christmases Past – 2015 Teulon Porter Lecture “Sin in Salisbury Diocese 1410-1503” – Garden Update – Great War Horse Artillery Gunner
September 2015
Including:
Chairman’s Chat – As I Seem to Remember [Early days of S&DHS by Jo Rutter] – Treasurer’s Report – Mary Pennell opening the WI Exhibition – Education and Events – Coffee Morning/HLF Great War Project – Summer Outing Welcomed by the Earl of Shaftesbury – Archive/Library Report/ Summary Justice 1712 – Collection Care/Sarah Taylor’s Wedding Dress and Sampler – Retail and Retirement – Lecture Programme…
April 2015
Including:
Signs of Spring – Treasurer’s Report – Collection Care – Annual Outing – Stewards and Shop – Education and Events – Shedding New Light on Old Subjects – Archive/Library Report/ Robbery at the Knowles Arms Inn 1923 – Now It Can Be Told [James Braxton and TV crew at Gold Hill Museum] – Heritage Lottery Fund Award for Great War Project – Trustee Vacancies – Preparations for the New Season – New Exhibitions Prove a Hit
December 2014
Including:
The Happy Museum? – Treasurer’s Report – Collection Care – Lecture Programme – Are we a Green Museum? – Education and Events – Dorset Crafts and Activity Day Photo Feature – Archive/Library Report/ Shaftesbury and the Boer War – Dorset Museums Association Volunteers of the Year – 2014 Teulon Porter Lecture review “Love, War and the News of Waterloo” – 2015 is Election Year…
The Shaftesbury & District Historical Society – Founded 1946 – Registered Charity No. 1156273
