Category Archives: social history
Wool Stealers of Milton Abbas
The following are a huge cast of interrelated characters named by Clive Barnes in his research on the Wool stealers gang of 1836. Why not find out more about these people and what life, poverty and justice was like in the … Continue reading
The Wool Stealers of Milton Abbas
Our member Clive Barnes recently gave a presentation on the wool stealers gang. From Milton Abbas James Drake, James Cox, Philip Arnold, James Vatcher and Thomas Cox were charged in 1838 with stealing and receiving wool, wool sacks and sheepskins. … Continue reading
Justice and Milton Abbas
Following a recent talk on Dorset Justice of the 17th century a number of questions were raised. The Dorset Record Society book volume 14 ‘Dorset Quarter Session 1625 – 1638’ is a transcription of the earliest surviving Order Book for … Continue reading
Court Roll of a manor of Milton Abbey
This is a snippet from a court roll for the manor of Sydling St Nicholas which was then held by Milton Abbey. This one is dated 11 Jul in the 8th year of the reign of Richard II which can … Continue reading
Milton Abbas First School 1985 – 1991
Former headmaster Ron Karley has written up the school diary. He has very kindly donated a copy of this 280 A4 page, lavishly colour illustrated tome to the Milton Abbas Local History Group. This has been added to our Records … Continue reading
BALH The British Association for Local History
The Milton Abbas Local History Group has been a member of BALH since January 2022. The link to their website together with the member’s discount code has been at the head of all 10 issues of the member Newsletter this … Continue reading
Six Little Girls Dressed in Blue: Lady Caroline’s “Spinning School”
Clive Barnes writes: On September 7 1789, six village girls walked up to Milton Abbey mansion house to meet King George III and his wife, Queen Charlotte. When the queen returned to Weymouth with “the K”, as she referred to … Continue reading
The name of GERRARD
Whilst searching our transcriptions of Milton Abbas documents for GERRARD it is surprising just how many different spellings of this name there are. The Oxford Names Companion gives: GARRATT, GARRIT, GARRED, GARRAD, GERRETT, GERATT, GERRAD, JARRETT, JARRATT, JERRITT, JARRED, JARAD, … Continue reading
Combination Acts 1799 and 1800
The Combination Act of 1799 was an extraordinarily oppressive piece of legislation. After the French revolution it is extraordinary that the Houses of Commons and Lords would risk such an unjust act. There had been acts before against workers in … Continue reading
Vestry Minute Book
One of our amazing transcribers, Shirley Chick, has just completed the Milton Abbas Vestry Minute Book 1863 – 1924. The original book is in our possession. The resulting 65 page document is now available for our members to research. The … Continue reading