Hello to all, I am looking for a STAPLES marriage that could have been in COMPTON ABBAS or any of the ABBAS areas. Sylvanus STAPLES was born at Compton Abbas 1830/31 and is believed to have migrated to Canada with one of his brothers. He married a MARY O'DELL there in 1865. Had a son (Sylvanus). Nothing more is known of him. BUT in the 1881 census there is a Sylvanus STAPLES with his wife, "SUSANNAH" and family living at MELBURY ABBAS. Age wise it could be the same Sylvanus. Any STAPLES researchers out there who might have a record of the marriage of the MELBURY ABBAS family? Any marriage details could throw some light on this one. In the 1881 census the eldest child at MELBURY ABBAS is 13 years old which puts the possible marriage date at around 1867/68. John In beautiful Canberra. Capitol of OZ

I am trying to locate the Meaker Family Bible. It was sold at Wimborne Market in the 50's or 60's. Any help would be appreciated. Christine in Calgary.

Branksome is a place. Check out http://www.thedorsetpage.com/locations/Place/B280.htm All the best, Davy Cannon, Dorchester, Dorset > In a 1901 census extract for Wiltshire I have a James Weeks (Nos. 3631789 > and 147096) born Handley Dorset. > The only other info. is :- Branksome Contractors. Carter. > > In the extract I have there is no town or area noted. > > Can anyone tell me if Branksome means the name of a contractor, a town or > something? > > Please excuse my ignorance. Maybe this is just not my day. > > John > In beautiful Canberra. > Capitol of OZ

In a 1901 census extract for Wiltshire I have a James Weeks (Nos. 3631789 and 147096) born Handley Dorset. The only other info. is :- Branksome Contractors. Carter. In the extract I have there is no town or area noted. Can anyone tell me if Branksome means the name of a contractor, a town or something? Please excuse my ignorance. Maybe this is just not my day. John In beautiful Canberra. Capitol of OZ

Hi Listers, Check out the website at http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/index.php. Fascinating census/demographical information, searchable by Local Authority area. The site is still embryonic, but click the "What's coming next" button - it looks to be quite exciting. All the best, Davy Cannon, List Admin, Dorset-Life

Hello List! My brother just wrote to me to tell me that I could buy a fisherman's hut on Portland Bill for GBP30000, or another one on Chesil Beach for GBP50000. I'm not sure about the Portland Bill one, but the Chesil Bill hut appeared in what I think was Telegraph article. It is only accessible from the sea, has no running water and a chemical loo. I can forward off list a copy of the article in question, if of any interest. In both cases you are not allowed to sleep in them, because that would change the legal status, and who knows, make them even more expensive!! When I think that that estate agent in question was an old schoolbuddy, playing bass guitar in a group imitating the Shadows! Actually my brother is a bit peeved because only a few years ago he sold an all mod cons flat just opposite what was the cinema for mere 25 grand. HHe still has a square meter of land in northern France for sale by the way, if anyone's interested. He bought it for environmental-friendly reasons to try and stop ths TGV (high speed train) going through. He is now one of their best customers.....sic transit gloria. Geoff

hmmm, so potential buyers get to view it by a trip out in the estate agent's boat? Has it got a For Sale board so that passers by know of it and is it leasehold or freehold? A chemical loo with no access by land, hmmm - is that en suite? I've got a garden shed if anyone is interested - has an electric socket and is painted inside. No sea views from it hence the ridiculously low asking price of £25,000. Any takers? The madness of money in this crazy world never ceases to amaze me. Debby ----- Original Message ----- My brother just wrote to me to tell me that I could buy a fisherman's > hut on Portland Bill for GBP30000, or another one on Chesil Beach for > GBP50000. I'm not sure about the Portland Bill one, but the Chesil Bill hut > appeared in what I think was Telegraph article. It is only accessible from > the sea, has no running water and a chemical loo. --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.734 / Virus Database: 488 - Release Date: 04/08/2004

The name does not appear in "A Gazetteer of Dorset Placenames" which lists locations as small as farms and small woods. Alan A J Brown Living in Bournemouth, England http://www.ajbrown.eu.com -----Original Message----- From: Michael Cheeseman [mailto:forever_fossicking@bigpond.com] Sent: 12 August 2004 01:57 To: ENG-DORSET-LIFE-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [DOR-LIFE] Doddyngbyre in Dorset? Where is Doddyngbyre in Dorset? regards Michael Cheeseman --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.733 / Virus Database: 487 - Release Date: 2/08/04 ==== ENG-DORSET-LIFE Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from ENG-DORSET-LIFE List mode send a message to ENG-DORSET-LIFE-L-REQUEST@rootsweb.com with just the word unsubscribe in the subject line and message body. ============================== Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237

Where is Doddyngbyre in Dorset? regards Michael Cheeseman --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.733 / Virus Database: 487 - Release Date: 2/08/04

Me again! Now that's what I call a polite, constructive answer! I have answered thanking and congratuling Ann Crutwell. Of course it doesn't solve the problem, but at least we know what's happening! Geoff ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ann Crutwell" <AnnCrutwell@weymouth.gov.uk> To: <geoffrey.everest@free.fr> Cc: "Mark Sampson" <MarkSampson@weymouth.gov.uk> Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2004 4:57 PM Subject: Weymouth & Portland Borough Council - Complaint 92 Dear Mr Everest Webcams I note you sent this to our customer care department. I would like to explain why we are having difficulty with our present webcam set up. As a small web development team we have to concentrate on many areas of internet technology at once. Our webcam target is to have a minimum of 4 static cams with one roving cam for events. We have had to develop from scratch a strategy for broadband whilst retaining a facility for users without this option. We have purchased 4 cams and as well as negotiating for siting permissions and arranging installations we have had to arrange networking back from remote sites. Our technical advisors believed we would be able to stream multi cameras over our current IP address. This has proved not to be the case. Slowly we are overcoming each technological obstruction. Your interested is appreciated and we are sorry that you cannot currently view the full range of options that we have planned. But please be assured that we will get there as soon as we can. Regards Ann Crutwell Web Developer The contents of this e-mail are intended for the named addressee only. It contains information which may be confidential and which may also be privileged. Unless you are the named addressee you may not copy or use it, act in reliance upon it, or disclose it to anyone else. Unauthorised use or disclosure may result in legal proceedings. If you have received it in error please notify us immediately on +44 (0)1305 838000 and then destroy it. We make every effort to keep our network secure and free from viruses. However you do need to check this e-mail and any attachments to it for viruses and accuracy as we can take no responsibility for any viruses, errors or omissions which are transferred or arise as a result of the transmission of this e-mail. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender, except where the sender specifically states them to be the views of Weymouth & Portland Borough Council.

Hello listers! Just to keep you up to date. Very nasty reply to a very impolite person. Geoff > Dear Sir, > > Your webcams are not on line, and the latest supposedly live image dates > back to April. You clearly did not understand, or did not want to understand > my question. > > If the W & P Borough Council site is not a tourism site then why on > earth say that live webcams are available? If they are not a desperate issue > then forget it. As a Weymouthian, born and bred, I like to have a look at > what's happening and see what the weather's like. You don't have to treat me > as a tourist - I come "home" quite often. > > I won't ask you any more questions because you seem to have trouble in > understanding them! > > I have had a very polite and constructive reply to my 'complaint' from > Ann Crutwell, so I don't think we need to correspond further. > > Regards > > Geoff Everest > >

For the trembling Geoff: Live webcam in Weymouth - go to www.weymouth-weather.co.uk There on the home page (scroll down a bit and wait for it to load) is a live webcam beaming from Preston towards the Nothe and Portland. I have inside knowledge that this is a normal webcam (home use one) with a pair of binoculars attached. :-) You can also find out about the weather for Weymouth. Debby --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.729 / Virus Database: 484 - Release Date: 27/07/2004

I originally sent this reply the other day but it disappeared! Still holds though :-) Ah but Geoff, they have no need. From their main menu on the left if you go to History (and follow it through) or to Websites, you will see why. They link to a site that surpasses their own for information and gives them all the publicity they need. Indeed that site comes out top of the search results above their own site. What is this site? Well, mine of course! hehehe On the subject of the Webcams: they seem to have taken the beach/Pavillion one down as that used to work, albeit not very well. The harbour one was working, went down, came back again a couple of months ago, but I see it is not working again. Neither were really worth the effort before, so perhaps they are working on improvements. You will be pleased to know that the council do have some "live" facilities working - you can pay your council tax online! hehehe Have fun in the sun Debby in sunny Weymouth :-) - well it was when I wrote this originally Subject: [DOR-LIFE] Weymouth > Try it folks, and you will see like that some people are not afraid of > being ridiculous or losing face. Excellent publicity for a town that even on > the web seems to be quite happy at giving a poor image of itself. Just type > in Weymouth and Portland and have a good sour laugh. --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.729 / Virus Database: 484 - Release Date: 27/07/2004

The BBC site has lots of webcams at different places - but none in Dorset! The nearest thing is news at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/3943521.stm This page shows Clavell Tower looking out over Kimmeridge Bay, and in need of drastic measures. Viv vivpritchard@ntlworld.com Rugby, England DYSTONIA SOCIETY M00226 www.dystonia.org.uk SDFHS 9551 U Looking for LANE, Holnest 1729+/-, Hermitage 1765+/-, Leigh 1808+, Longfleet 1881+/-, Kinson 1884+, all in Dorset HEINRICH, musicians, from Kemberg, Pretzsch and Torgau, all in Saxony --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.732 / Virus Database: 486 - Release Date: 29/07/2004

Hello listers! I promised to keep in touch. Here is a real pearl of bad faith - or perhaps he didn't quite understand the question....? I rather like the capitals which make me tremble! I will of course copy you in on my answer, because I AM ABLE to respond, but I will have to think it over for a while just to cool down and stay polite as far as possible! Geoff ----- Original Message ----- From: "Derek Johnson" <DerekJohnson@weymouth.gov.uk> To: <geoffrey.everest@free.fr> Sent: Monday, August 02, 2004 3:06 PM Subject: Re complaint Dear Mr Everest, Your complain doesn't contain any substance. Web cams that are available are online with more to come so WHY are they NOT available until April? How do you know we ARE NOT doing our best? Why is it a poor presentation of the town? What performance would you like? Why are we a Tourism Economy region? For your reference: Weymouth and Portland Borough Council is a LOCAL AUTHORITY and NOT a tourism site. The services we deliver are for the Borough although we do attract visitors from further abroad and you as one are most welcome. Sorry to say that our Web Cams are simply not a desperate issue as there are other more important issues to deal with. If you are able to respond to my questions 'I will try' answer them. Thank you Details: No webcams since april Complaints page just lists 'we will try' to do our best, but not very convincingly. Very poor web presentation of the town, not very encouraging for foreign visitors who expect a much better performance from a supposedly tourist economy-based region. Internet/Intranet Coordinator 01305 838307 http://www.weymouth.gov.uk webmaster@weymouth.gov.uk The contents of this e-mail are intended for the named addressee only. It contains information which may be confidential and which may also be privileged. Unless you are the named addressee you may not copy or use it, act in reliance upon it, or disclose it to anyone else. Unauthorised use or disclosure may result in legal proceedings. If you have received it in error please notify us immediately on +44 (0)1305 838000 and then destroy it. We make every effort to keep our network secure and free from viruses. However you do need to check this e-mail and any attachments to it for viruses and accuracy as we can take no responsibility for any viruses, errors or omissions which are transferred or arise as a result of the transmission of this e-mail. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender, except where the sender specifically states them to be the views of Weymouth & Portland Borough Council.

Thanks Geoff...please do keep us informed. DiDi I just got a message back from them - see below..... I promise to keep you informed! Geoff QUOTE Complaint: Customer Care Details: No webcams since april Complaints page just lists 'we will try' to do our best, but not very convincingly. Very poor web presentation of the town, not very encouraging for foreign visitors who expect a much better performance from a supposedly tourist economy-based region. If you need to contact us about this call please quote complaint No 91 and contact Mark Sampson Thank you Peter Gilmour Information Services manager UNQUOTE ==== ENG-DORSET-LIFE Mailing List ==== This site is all about the Fanily Record Centre in London where you can look census returns, some registers and the GRO indexes: http://www.pro.gov.uk/about/frc/ ============================== Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237

Good on ya Geoff....as I used to live and my family still do in Weymouth it would be nice to see what is going on there....I miss the place. DiDi.....now living in NZ th 'Evening listers! I know Weymouth isn't Dorset, but back in the old days the town was the tourist attraction for the whole county. With the 'adoption' of Bournemouth times have changed, but no hard feelings. I would just like to know how those who are responsible for these things can explain why there are no up-to-date webcams, the latest' LIVE' view of the harbour being dated april ( this year though, I must admit), although there are promises on the site that in a very short time there will be live webcams in most strategic sites of the town. So I try to get into the complaints section, and there I get a whole long list of what they are trying to do to improve lots of things, but seemingly not getting very far. I did manage to send a message, but I get the feeling that they will be 'trying' very hard to reply for the next six months or so. Try it folks, and you will see like that some people are not afraid of being ridiculous or losing face. Excellent publicity for a town that even on the web seems to be quite happy at giving a poor image of itself. Just type in Weymouth and Portland and have a good sour laugh. Sorry non-Weymouthians, but I had to get that off my chest. Geoff ==== ENG-DORSET-LIFE Mailing List ==== For Looks Up in Dorset resources by list members, http://www.melcombe.freeserve.co.uk/dorset/lookups.htm ============================== Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237

Good to read a few messages about Weymouth. Brian

I just got a message back from them - see below..... I promise to keep you informed! Geoff QUOTE Complaint: Customer Care Details: No webcams since april Complaints page just lists 'we will try' to do our best, but not very convincingly. Very poor web presentation of the town, not very encouraging for foreign visitors who expect a much better performance from a supposedly tourist economy-based region. If you need to contact us about this call please quote complaint No 91 and contact Mark Sampson Thank you Peter Gilmour Information Services manager UNQUOTE

'Evening listers! I know Weymouth isn't Dorset, but back in the old days the town was the tourist attraction for the whole county. With the 'adoption' of Bournemouth times have changed, but no hard feelings. I would just like to know how those who are responsible for these things can explain why there are no up-to-date webcams, the latest' LIVE' view of the harbour being dated april ( this year though, I must admit), although there are promises on the site that in a very short time there will be live webcams in most strategic sites of the town. So I try to get into the complaints section, and there I get a whole long list of what they are trying to do to improve lots of things, but seemingly not getting very far. I did manage to send a message, but I get the feeling that they will be 'trying' very hard to reply for the next six months or so. Try it folks, and you will see like that some people are not afraid of being ridiculous or losing face. Excellent publicity for a town that even on the web seems to be quite happy at giving a poor image of itself. Just type in Weymouth and Portland and have a good sour laugh. Sorry non-Weymouthians, but I had to get that off my chest. Geoff