Category Archives: social history

Exhibition 28 – 30 August 2021

Posted on June 18, 2021 by miltonabbashistorygroup

At last! Now we can hold our exhibition. We have so much to show that it will be in both St James Church, Milton Abbas and the Reading Rooms, Milton Abbas. Lots more details here. We do hope you can … Continue reading →

Posted in Damer, exhibitions, local history, Old Town of Milton Abbas, Overseers of the Poor, social history | Leave a comment

You must be interested in history or you wouldn’t be looking at our website!

Posted on June 15, 2021 by miltonabbashistorygroup

Researching history can be lonely, we know what it is like, we have been doing it a long time! But it is exciting too – the chase for that vital piece of information, that brick wall broken through, that old … Continue reading →

Posted in family history, local history, Milton Abbas, social history | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Stop Press! Latest Findings

Posted on June 10, 2021 by miltonabbashistorygroup

From a lease of nearly 250 years ago! We have recently transcribed this lease which is in the Dorset History Centre. It confirms that in 1773 the trustees of the school were active and looking after the free grammar school … Continue reading →

Posted in Damer, exhibitions, grammar school, local history, Milton Abbas, social history, transcription | 3 Comments

Poor House or Work House?

Posted on May 24, 2021 by miltonabbashistorygroup

Did you know that there was a Poor House in the new village of Milton Abbas? This was not called a work house in our records until 1804, and was built after the houses in the Street but before the … Continue reading →

Posted in family history, Milton Abbas, Old Town of Milton Abbas, Overseers of the Poor, social history | Leave a comment

Grist

Posted on May 3, 2021 by miltonabbashistorygroup

Every parish had its Overseers of the Poor who were responsible for raising the ‘poor rates’ and for the payments to the poor. The agricultural labourers (ag labs) in Dorset at this time were some of the poorest in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Dorset, family history, local history, Overseers of the Poor, social history | Leave a comment

Your family history!

Posted on December 9, 2020 by miltonabbashistorygroup

Tired of reading books about kings and queens, the rich and famous? Fed up with Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn? The lives of ordinary people are just as tragic, difficult, triumphant and revelationary. How your ancestors survived the traumas and … Continue reading →

Posted in family history, local history, Overseers of the Poor, social history | Leave a comment

Dorchester Gaol

Posted on November 25, 2020 by miltonabbashistorygroup

In the Dorset History Centre and available on Ancestry is the Criminal process register. 1782-1808, Catalogue Reference NG-PR/1/D/1/1. This gives much information, such as the prisoner’s name, the magistrate who committed them, their place of residence, their description, age, date … Continue reading →

Posted in Dorset, family history, local history, Old Town of Milton Abbas, records, social history | Leave a comment

Milton Abbas Martyrs

Posted on October 28, 2020 by miltonabbashistorygroup

Help us research these important people, they may be part of your family tree. They were pioneers, victims of oppressive laws and their story should be as well known as the Tolpuddle Martyrs. William Vatcher 1753-1818 John Bennett, alias Vatcher … Continue reading →

Posted in social history | 3 Comments

Women

Posted on September 7, 2020 by miltonabbashistorygroup

It has to be admitted that women in England have had a very poor deal since the time of William the Conqueror. It is only in the late twentieth century that they have regained the rights they had in Anglo-Saxon … Continue reading →

Posted in social history | Leave a comment

Bills and Receipts of the Overseers of the Poor of Milton Abbas 1787- 1823

Posted on August 5, 2020 by miltonabbashistorygroup

In the Dorset History Centre there are some 140 pieces of paper catalogued at PE-MIL/OV/2. These are the bills and receipts of our Overseers of the Poor. We are in the process of transcribing them. They provide further information to … Continue reading →

Posted in local history, Milton Abbas, social history | 1 Comment