by admin | Dec 11, 2015 | Archive
The site of the Neston Glove factory at the corner of Rough Street was originally used as a coach house in the care of Harry May. Later, sheepskins were ‘dressed’ in preparation for glove cutting. Those employed were known as leather dressers. It is understood that a...
by admin | Dec 5, 2015 | Archive
The Smythes lived in Corsham during the reign of Henry Vlll. John Smythe was a farmer and clothier, and when he died in 1538 he left his wife a mill. His eldest son John inherited the rest of his property, with the exception of a farm in Amesbury, valued at about £20...
by admin | Apr 15, 2015 | Archive, News
During the summer, the Society was delighted to accept the gift of a most interesting manuscript. It is a bulky 15-inch by 12-inch folder, bound with string, entitled Corsham. Within its blue covers is an account of the history of Corsham, written in the late 1940s by...
by admin | Apr 15, 2015 | Archive, Images
These interesting Victorian photographs were unearthed by our Chairman from Stephen Lord’s collection. Above: St. Bartholomew’s Church, a picture taken before 1875, the year in which church architect G. E. Street started a thorough rebuilding. This shows the tower in...
by admin | Apr 15, 2015 | Archive
By February 1915 the submarine blockade of the British Isles has begun, and in that month also the BEF is engaged in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle. The Western Front is relatively stabilised, with limited attacks by both sides, but in April the Germans begin to use...
by admin | Apr 15, 2015 | Archive
The General Election of 1865, which resulted in the ministry of Lord John Russell, was the occasion of a riot in Chippenham. There were then two seats for the Chippenham constituency: Sir John Neeld (Conservative) was elected to one of them; the other was won by Sir...
