Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Milton Abbas Local History group are excited to announce that we have today, 14 May 2018, completed our transcription of the Overseers of the Poor Account Book 1771 – 1798, that is 275 double pages, and we now have … Continue reading →

Living in Britain through Napoleon’s Wars 1793 – 1815. To quote the dust-jacket ” we know the thrilling, terrible stories of the battles of the Napoleonic wars – but what of those left behind? The people on a Norfolk farm, … Continue reading →

This paper cutter has a handle of part of of a deer’s leg and is inscribed”Shot at Milton Abbas 1884″. We have never seen anything like it before. Rather a long blade for a practical letter opener, so probably a … Continue reading →

James Downs has shared his research on Aelred Carlyle at The Retreat, Milton Abbas around 1900. We are hoping that this excellent research will be published in due course. Father Aelred was born Benjamin Fearnley Carlyle (1874–1955), and was a Benedictine … Continue reading →

We are finding many entries which are baffling. For example in 1781 To Barbara Wife of Saml Fiander (Elop’d) – 6 – Mary Ridout Wife of Thos. (Elop’d) – 2 – Martha Vacher Spinster – 4 – Mary Lillington Wd … Continue reading →

We are transcribing the Overseers of the Poor Book  1771 – 1798. Thanks to John Quinn who transcribed these entries for 1777: 12 October Paid for one Pint of gine for Ann Seager 9 Nov Pd. Dockter Mock help taping Ann Seager … Continue reading →

In order to understand our Overseers of the Poor records we would like to know what the weather was like in Dorset say 1770 – 1830. In particular winter temperatures because these may be the cause of the expenditure on … Continue reading →

In the Overseers of the Poor books, once again we find the term “Paid the Gail money” £7 5s 0d, this time on 20 Jun 1779. Sometimes it is spelled “Gale”. Since one entry said “Paid the Gale money to … Continue reading →

Thanks to one of our correspondents we have found the Prison Admission Register which shows that Robert Fiander was committed for 3 months at the age of 15 from April to July 1819, for poaching. He was jailed the following … Continue reading →

This entry is mystifying us. It seems to say “Paid the Expences of Crovining and Buring Burgundeys Child she had by John Hobbes £0 16s 7d” There is no such word as “Crovining” in the full Oxford English Dictionary. If … Continue reading →