The spring and summer has seen rising attendances at Dorset Local
History Events and I hope that this trend will continue for our Winter
events.
Dr David Reeve
Chairman of Dorset Local History Group
Thirty-four members attended the AGM of the Dorset Local History Group. Following the business meeting Roger Peers gave a lecture on John Clavel Mansell Pleydell, the first president of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Field Club.
John Clavel Mansell was born in 1817 near Lyndhurst and educated at Hazelbury Brian. He entered St John's College Cambridge in 1839 and subsequently read at the Bar. In 1863 he inherited his family estate of Smedmore, following the death of his mother and in 1874 inherited Whatcombe House.
As a philanthropist he founded the Reformatory for Boys at Milborne in 1856 and played an active role in the Dorset Friendly Society. He stood as a Tory candidate at Bridgwater but due to a bribery scandal by the opposition candidate he failed and didn't stand again. In 1862 he became one of the promoters of the Somerset and Dorset Railway. This got into financial difficulties which also led to dire consequences for Mansel Pleydell and at one stage thought he might have to sell Whatcombe. However he managed to ride through the storm.
He had a great interest in natural history and botany and was very active in the foundation and early years of the Field Club. He published 'The Flora of Dorset' in 1874 (with a further edition in 1895), 'The Birds of Dorset' in 1888 and 'The Mollusca of Dorset' in 1898. He also wrote numerous papers including 50 that appear in the Proceedings and made 17 donations to the Museum. He died 3 May 1901 at the age of 84. In his will he left a number of gifts and funds some of which are used as an annual Mansell Pleydell award.
On a warm summer afternoon 20 members were entertained with a fine historical walk around the planned medieval borough of Newland, Sherborne led by local historian Katherine Barker. This included the comparing of the property plots described in the founding mediaeval charter with the undated mid 16th century map. From this we are able to 'map' the charter to the present Borough. Evidence was put forward to the location of the mediaeval Abbots Barn (within the Sherborne House area) and the location of the market. Jim Gibb joined the group and discussed one of the early properties in the Borough. The Group then retired to Sherborne House to enjoy a home-made cream tea.
Poverty and Rural housing in 19th
Century Dorset, by Martin Ayres.
Martin is at present studying for his PhD at Leicester University.
Poverty and Rural Housing in Dorset caused a national scandal in the
1830s. With Martin's detailed research in local and national archives
this will give us a great opportunity to hear about his up to date
research.
The Development and Growth of Settlement in Dorset.
This Saturday Day School at the Dorset County Museum, Dorchester, is
intended to provide an introduction to some of the themes in the study
of the origins and growth of settlement in Dorset. The lectures will
include recent research on a range of issues including that modern towns
can tell us about the historic past and when and why some towns expanded
during the medieval period.
Full programme here.
Wessex Girls: Thomas Hardy and the ladies of the Fox Strangways
Family by Joanna Martin.
This is an opportunity to hear about detailed research based on one of
the Dorset's important historical families.