Hello everyone I have a couple of newspaper articles from about 1858 concerning the annual dinner of the Wareham and Purbeck Labourers and Servants friend Society. I have seen other mentions of Labourers Friend Societies on the web but still haven't worked out exactly what they are. Are they the same as a "Friendly Society" or different? They appear to have annual dinners where the gentry give a speech consisting of "words of encouragement" etc to the labourers and then give prizes. regards Caroline Western Australia -- I use Archive CD Books to help with my research http://www.archivecdbooks.org

The parish church of Sherborne is the Abbey church of St. Mary i.e. it is Sherborne Abbey There was a cathedral church here c. AD 705 and the diocese was transferred to Old Sarum (Salisbury) in 1075. The church was rebuilt in the 12th century and a Benedictine monastery had by then been established. It became the town church after the dissolution in 1539. Debby ----- Original Message ----- From: "Davy Cannon" <davy.cannon1@btinternet.com> To: <ENG-DORSET-LIFE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2004 3:30 PM Subject: Re: [DOR-LIFE] Sherborne Parish Church > Please forgive the empty message which was sent by my over-zealous mouse! > > I seem to remember reading, when I first came to Dorset to live, that what > had originally been Sherborne Cathedral (there is still a bishop of > Sherborne) was demoted to Sherborne Abbey, and thence further demoted to the > parish church. Perhaps someone on the list can elaborate? > > Dorset is unusual in that there is not a city in the county; > Northamptonshire is the only other county I know of that has this feature. > > Davy Cannon, > Dorchester, Dorset > List Admin, Dorset-Life > > > Subject: [DOR-LIFE] Sherborne Parish Church > > > > Can anyone tell me where Sherborne Parish Church is? > > > > I have a mariage cert for August 1908 and unfortunatly does not even give > me the church name (eg.St. .......'s) > > On a recent map there are several crosses marking churches or chapels. > > I cant believe that it could have been the Abbey, could it have been > Castleton Church, St Mary Magdalen or as the Groom was an employee of > Sherborne Castle stables, could it have even been at the Castle? The Bride > was living in Horsecastles. > > Hope someone can shed some light on this for me. > > Thanks in advance. > > > > Kim White > > white@evemail.net > > > > I use Archive CD Books. > > All my incoming & outgoing mail is protected by > > Norton AntiVirus 2002. > > > > > > ==== 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 > > > > > ==== 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 > > --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.644 / Virus Database: 412 - Release Date: 26/03/2004

Please forgive the empty message which was sent by my over-zealous mouse! I seem to remember reading, when I first came to Dorset to live, that what had originally been Sherborne Cathedral (there is still a bishop of Sherborne) was demoted to Sherborne Abbey, and thence further demoted to the parish church. Perhaps someone on the list can elaborate? Dorset is unusual in that there is not a city in the county; Northamptonshire is the only other county I know of that has this feature. Davy Cannon, Dorchester, Dorset List Admin, Dorset-Life Subject: [DOR-LIFE] Sherborne Parish Church > Can anyone tell me where Sherborne Parish Church is? > > I have a mariage cert for August 1908 and unfortunatly does not even give me the church name (eg.St. .......'s) > On a recent map there are several crosses marking churches or chapels. > I cant believe that it could have been the Abbey, could it have been Castleton Church, St Mary Magdalen or as the Groom was an employee of Sherborne Castle stables, could it have even been at the Castle? The Bride was living in Horsecastles. > Hope someone can shed some light on this for me. > Thanks in advance. > > Kim White > white@evemail.net > > I use Archive CD Books. > All my incoming & outgoing mail is protected by > Norton AntiVirus 2002. > > > ==== 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 >

----- Original Message ----- From: "Kim White" <white@evemail.net> To: <ENG-DORSET-LIFE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: 27 March 2004 14:17 Subject: [DOR-LIFE] Sherborne Parish Church > Can anyone tell me where Sherborne Parish Church is? > > I have a mariage cert for August 1908 and unfortunatly does not even give me the church name (eg.St. .......'s) > On a recent map there are several crosses marking churches or chapels. > I cant believe that it could have been the Abbey, could it have been Castleton Church, St Mary Magdalen or as the Groom was an employee of Sherborne Castle stables, could it have even been at the Castle? The Bride was living in Horsecastles. > Hope someone can shed some light on this for me. > Thanks in advance. > > Kim White > white@evemail.net > > I use Archive CD Books. > All my incoming & outgoing mail is protected by > Norton AntiVirus 2002. > > > ==== 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 >

Can anyone tell me where Sherborne Parish Church is? I have a mariage cert for August 1908 and unfortunatly does not even give me the church name (eg.St. .......'s) On a recent map there are several crosses marking churches or chapels. I cant believe that it could have been the Abbey, could it have been Castleton Church, St Mary Magdalen or as the Groom was an employee of Sherborne Castle stables, could it have even been at the Castle? The Bride was living in Horsecastles. Hope someone can shed some light on this for me. Thanks in advance. Kim White white@evemail.net I use Archive CD Books. All my incoming & outgoing mail is protected by Norton AntiVirus 2002.

Hi I think most people have heard of the carved and painted nave roof in the church of St John the Baptist in Bere Regis. However when I was there I seem to remember also another section with carved angels. Is my memory serving me correctly? Perhaps this was the chancel roof? Does anybody know and do they know what colour the angels are painted? regards Caroline Ingram Western Australia

Another useless bit of info from the Navy List for May 1805: Organisation for Sea Fencibles along the Dorset coast: "For the protection of the coast, either onshore or afloat, comprising all fishermen and other persons occupied in the ports and on the coast, who from their occupations are not? made to be impressed <snip> District: Calshot Castle - St Alban's Head General Rendez-vous: Poole Captains: John Peyton, J.M. Lewis, G.J. Shirley District: St Alban's Head - Puncknole General Rendez-vous: Weymouth Captains: N. Ingram, Augustus Brine, Dan. Folliot District: Puncknole - Teignmouth General Rendez-vous: Exmouth Captains: James Carpenter, F G Bond <snip> Paul

Just noticed the following in the Navy List for May 1805: "The Mail for Guernsey and Jersey is made up every Friday Night and the Packet sails with it every Saturday Afternoon from Weymouth. The mail from Guernsey and Jersey is due once a week, every Friday. The Packets employed are the Earl of Chesterfield, S. Wood [Captain] ; and Rover, T. Quirk. [Captain]" Paul

Here's a subject for you guys - a pub! I'm trying to find out some history of the pub in Winterbourne Abbas called the Coach and Horses. In chatting with the landlady....yes, I admit I went to the pub! :-) she said that she had heard that it burnt down about 100 or so years ago, maybe more, but other than that she knows little of its history. I have managed to establish that it was there under the same name in the late 1800s and with its position being on an old coaching route coupled with there having been stables etc (not so obvious since recent alterations - and yes ok, I will admit I have been there several times before! :-)) there must be more to its history. Does anyone know anything about it? Davy, I can tell you where the Dorset Boozer is but as for the Dorset Ooser I know not! ;-) --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.609 / Virus Database: 389 - Release Date: 03/03/2004

Hi List, I'm moving house tomorrow (staying in Dorchester) and apparently it will take "about a week" for BT's high-tech people to reconnect my broadband connection! This means that I will be forced off-line for the duration, and I have asked Alan Brown, the Deputy List Administrator, to fill my shoes meanwhile. This is a friendly list and needs little in the way of moderation, but I would insist that if Alan sees a need to post an Admin message it should be heeded as any Admin should, and Alan has both the authority and the tools to moderate and unsubscribe if necessary. In anticipation of a problem, RootsWeb and its List Admins are aware of the latest virus problems, including one that specifically targets Macs. None of these is permissible subject matter for the list. Any problems, queries or even helpful additional information should be passed to Alan OFF-LIST at mail@ajbrown.eu.com. I look forward to a busy archives file when I get back online...... (Perhaps Debby can tell us where the Dorset Ooser is....?) See you soon, Davy Cannon, Dorchester, Dorset List Admin, Dorset-Life

I remember that story from my school days - given as the reason for some Portlanders having a decidely Mediterranean/Spanish swarthiness. Of course, that could just hav e been a good excuse! I do remember reading somewhere that Spanish survivors were imprisoned on Portland after the failure of the Armada. Sue

A couple of dozen issues of the Dorset magazine, fore-runner to Dorset Life, have found their way into my possession. They range from issues 61 to 114, which was the last to be edited by Rodney Legg. Although they are unlikely to prove particularly genealogically interesting, they do include a number of articles describing life in times past. If anyone would like them, they may have them for the cost of postage. Please reply off-list to avoid irritating the moderator ! Ian James, Torquay, UK THIS E-MAIL HAS BEEN SWEPT FOR VIRUSES BY NORTON ANTIVIRUS

'Evening all! There is also the fact that, in those days, if ever a Spaniard got washed up on the shore he may just have been better off if he'd drowned in the first place! I don't think the local population would have been very welcoming, let alone giving their daughters permission to marry! No Geneva Convention, Red Cross parcels or psychological assistance - the nearest tree and a short rope were more than enough - and no bother with the local authorities! Which could explain why there is no record of such happenings. Just a (barbaric) thought! Geoff

Hi Roy I've heard various rumours regarding this in respect of other Island names, such as Lano, but as far as I can see there is nothing to substantiate it in the Maritime history of the county as recorded in the Victorian County History of Dorset, where I'm sure such an event would be mentioned. There are reports that it was possible to watch the skirmishing of the two fleets from Portland, so I'm sure that if such a vessel had been taken or come ashore here or along the coast there would be far more written about, such as one finds in respect of Armada vessels which were lost on the Irish Coast, possibly resulting in the Black Irish, but that's another story ! However, perhaps more importantly, one shouldn't forget that the Chesil Beach or Chesil Bank, which runs west from Portland for about 17 miles and is on a lee shore for the prevailing South Westerly winds, ie very dangerous for any sailing vessel, which most vessels approaching and leaving the English Channel have to pass, has probably had more wrecks than most places, and it could be that a survivor or survivors from one of these hundreds, (some say well over a thousand or so) of wrecks may have come ashore at Portland. It is perhaps worth noting that despite the best efforts of the authorities and those with a conscience, it wasn't until some time into the 19th Century that any form of life-saving was introduced - prior to this it is well recorded that the locals in most parts of the country were far more interested in rescuing the contents of merchant vessels in preference to the people who sailed in them ! So if you survived a shipwreck prior to 1800 it was usually more likely that you did so through good luck or your own efforts, rather than those of the local population - there were exceptions of course, but the loss of the transports: Catherine, Venus, Piedmont, Thomas, Golden Grove and Æolus on the Chesil Beach in Nov 1795 is an example of where it is said that those capable of rescuing people chose not to........ http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/Shipwrecks/Catherine_1796/Wrecking_of_Catherine_1796.htm also covered by Edwina Boult in her recently published book "Christian's Fleet - A Dorset Shipping Tragedy," but I digress..... Regards Paul Isle of Portland On Sun, 29 Feb 2004 07:43:30 -0500, "Roy Parker" <raparker@magma.ca> wrote: >While researching my ancestors on my mother's side, I was treated to a "totally" unsupported" story that they included a survivor from the Armada, shipwrecked on the Dorset coast, who was rescued and married locally. His name may have been de Fancia, anglicised to Fancy or Fancey. ( My great-great grandmother was Jane Fancy, born in Portland in 1831, and there are many Fancy's in Dorset) > >I accept that it may be a total mare's nest, but has anyone encountered this or similar tales? The second major encounter with the Armada did take place off Portland Bill in 1588, and it is possible, I suppose, that wreck survivors were able to escape the more rigorous sorts of Tudor justice. > >Cheers > >Roy in Ottawa.

While researching my ancestors on my mother's side, I was treated to a "totally" unsupported" story that they included a survivor from the Armada, shipwrecked on the Dorset coast, who was rescued and married locally. His name may have been de Fancia, anglicised to Fancy or Fancey. ( My great-great grandmother was Jane Fancy, born in Portland in 1831, and there are many Fancy's in Dorset) I accept that it may be a total mare's nest, but has anyone encountered this or similar tales? The second major encounter with the Armada did take place off Portland Bill in 1588, and it is possible, I suppose, that wreck survivors were able to escape the more rigorous sorts of Tudor justice. Cheers Roy in Ottawa.

Just a note to say welcome to Davy as the new List Admin, and to thanks him for taking over. A suggestion for a possible topic: I don't know how the List Members break down into those of us resident in Dorset and those who don't really know the county, but there must be several of you who have questions about the area you would like answers to, rather than just searching for past family members. Davy has mentioned a search for the Dorset Oozer, but I am sure there must be other customs, traditions, folklore you've heard mentioned in your research which have mystified you. We all know how helpful Listers can be, so see if you can give some of us locals a challenge with some questions to answer! Alan A J Brown Living in Bournemouth, England http://www.ajbrown.eu.com

I now live in Calgary, Canada and remember as a child going Shroving in Durweston Nr. Blandford. Is it still done? I remember the song as we went from door to door and also the sharing of the "goodies" on returning to school. Christine

A month or so ago someone alerted us to Dorset Farm Radio. I've enjoyed a number of the interviews drawing out information about farm life in the past and also contemporary issues faced by Dorset Farmers. Although they are recording living memories some of the practices and customs people are recalling from their children I would think go back many generations as they are recording the change from farming with horses to modern machinery. See http://www.farmradio.org.uk/ Worth listening. Cheers, Cathy

The new look Dorset Life online. The website dedicated to the history, culture and people of Dorset. http://www.dorsetlife.co.uk/index/index.asp Great stories Cheers Steve

Previous link sent to list may not work........please try: http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp If this link does not work, then just go to home page http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/default.asp Click on LIBRARY Click on FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARY CATALOG To view items, enter "Dorset" and "England" in PLACES To view items, enter "Dorchester" and "England" in PLACES To view items, enter "Weymouth" and "England" in PLACES To view items, enter "Wyke-Regis" and "England" in PLACES Suzy