THS

Searchlight Jan 2004

Tewkesbury Historical Society

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Searchlight on the Past

Newsletter of the Tewkesbury Historical Society

January 2004 Issue no 4

Edited by John Dixon, president

We are now emerging from the mid-season break of our Thirteenth Season.

The main developments to announce are the birth of THS Publications 1 & 2!

THS Publication No 1: Harry Workman’s Memoirs, Volume 1, 1917-1939

Has been selling like the proverbial hot cakes

And now

THS Publication no. 2 has emerged:

“Doddo Defiled” by John Dixon and Toby Clempson

Members can obtain both issues at meetings or by telephoning Bill Camp

“Doddo Defiled” is part of the Society’s policy of making available for the public historical research at a modest price. This book also seeks to place in the public domain photographs which have hitherto been seen only as ghostly copies of photocopies. There are over a 100 photos with 4 pages of colour.

It tells the story of the controversial development of the Upper High Street which swept away buildings like Doddo’s Café and replaced them by progressive architecture which we label (somewhat erroneously!) the “Kremlin”.

Toby, a Town Planner, analyses the ideas behind the development and I tell the story of the demolished buildings and those who lived in them. For your copy, telephone Bill Camp.

THS Publication No 3. may well be Harry’s Memoirs Part II which will recall the characters of the town in his business and mayoral days. His legion of fans should encourage him to dictate into his recorder this winter!

A reminder that the Social Evening on 22 January will take place as usual at the Library at 7.45pm. Cliff will tantalise us with his fiendish Quiz; members just seem always to conjure up a feast. Members are invited to bring along guests.

26 February: Member’s Evening of Research which will include Harry Butwell’s slides of Historic Tewkesbury Cliff Burd’s Lost Alleys

18 March: "Forest of Dean Convicts to Bermuda"- by Averil Kear, Archivist (Retired) of the County Archives.

22 April: Short AGM followed by Members’ 'Bring and Share Tewkesbury': aim for members to bring a historical memento, photo etc to show fellow members!

20 May: "Edward Jenner - his Life Work and Legacy", by David Mullin, Curator of the Jenner Museum.

Despite these new ventures, we are now editing Volume 13 of our Annual Bulletin to be published in the spring of 2004. Derek Benson has made an excellent start as our “typesetter”.

Articles for Vol. 13 will include:

Obituary of Lucile Bell

“Corrupt” M.P. Humphrey Brown

Eminent psychiatrist, Samuel Hitch.

The Glos. Musician & Poet Ivor Gurney

Halsey Freeman’s ‘Blighty’

Local explorer Raymond Priestley

Our Flour Mills by Anthea Jones

Small pox Inoculation Crisis of c1900.

Local author & ironworker, John Rogers

The Prestons: Tailors of Tewkesbury

Abbey Boys in the Terriers in WWI

If any other members are undertaking research please let John know.

January is also the traditional month when the Society thanks materially those who support the Society with their skills yet who do so quietly in the background.

Mary Hartland who now has dispensed the cup that cheers for so many years

June Camp who assists her & who distributes posters

Lyn Judd who designs them

Penny Last who types up the Indexes for the Tewkesbury Register

John Pocock who word processes research material

Rose Hogan who deals with event publicity

Derek Benson, bulletin typesetting.

Without such help the Society could not function so efficiently.

Tewkesbury Register Indexing project

This has been progressing successfully for many years. David Willavoys is delighted to announce that 1858-1899 is complete and now we need still more volunteers to tackle the 20th C. We meet monthly on a Wednesday mornings any time between 9-1 pm in the Mayor’s Parlour, at the Town Hall – and we offer refreshments. Do join us if you can spare the odd hour. Dates:

28 January, 25 February, 24 March, 28 April, 26 May & 23 June 2004.

Your Committee: Bill Rennison, founder member, feels he must retire at the AGM so we need an assistant treasurer to work with Bill Camp until he retires on rotation. There is always space for other committee members. Do help run your Society – we only meet three times a year!

Membership for this season now due - still only £5 for individuals and £8 for couples - Let's hope it is lucky 13 for us all!

A Happy New Year to all our members!

for next issue:

Please let John know your research interests so that other members might be able to offer assistance; the beauty of the database is that those who learn information often offer more!

Stop Press

Thanks to the Library Service we hope to be able to upgrade the database service to include photographs after February!

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