Our next Meeting:
The next meeting is on Monday
9th December in the Ashcroft
Centre, Ashcroft Road Cirencester
at 7.30pm, a joint meeting with
Cirencester Civic Society.
Woodchester Mansion
– an Unfinished
Masterpiece
Liz Davenport
On behalf of the Woodchester Mansion Trust, Liz will tell us about this unique Grade 1 listed Victorian Gothic house hidden in a Cotswold valley. Would you like to receive a reminder about each meeting? Whether a member or not, send your email address to cahs @ cirenhistory.org.uk (without the spaces!)
Welcome to Cirencester
Archaeological &
Historical Society
We are always happy to see new members. Do browse our site to see what we do. While our main activity is our meetings, we have other interests, such as our projects and the publishing of short articles in our Newsletters or even on line. News items will usually be on this page, though more may be found on our facebook page.New on this page
News items (left) MeetingsOn this page
WW1 Timeline KYPWest Memorial HospitalNew on other pages
Croome Lecture 2018 Abbey Library from NL17 Reports New contacts
© Cirencester Archaeological & Historical Society & Contributors 2016-9
Registered Charity no. 287289
Do read down… The news is updated to 4 December 2019
We apologise that our November meeting entitled
Woodchester Mansion - an Unfinished Masterpiece
a talk by Liz Davenport of the Woodchester Mansion Trust
was cancelled at very short notice. However there is a new chance
to hear it on Monday 9th December at 7.30pm at Ashcroft. This is
due to the kindness of The Civic Society, who also have had a
cancellation and so have borrowed our speaker! The meeting is
free to members of both Societies. There may be a small charge for
non-members.
A proposal to demolish and rebuild flats off The Avenue,
Cirencester, brings an article in our Newsletter 49 of 2009 on Public
Art to the fore. The planning assessment shows much archaeology
under the site, believed to be the original Roman town centre.
News from GLHA, Gloucestershire Local History Association
The next Local History Day will be on 25th April 2020 at Oxstalls Campus, University of Gloucestershire,, on the theme of Education. If any members would like to assist in getting a display ready, please get in touch with CAHS committee. The closing date for booking a display table is 16th February. Next year’s Summer meeting is at Nailsworth on 28th June. Booking is not yet open Gloucestershire Archives are always keen to hear about any old documents, maps etc that are coming up for sale by auction in order to bring them to public access. Sometimes they are able to raise money to buy them for the archives before auctions push the price up. Claire Collins is Head of Collections and can be contacted by anyone with any information.Anyone for Podcasts?
Richard Reece, who talked to us last September, has been interviewed in a recent podcast about his career and views on Roman studies and archaeology. It can be found by searching “Coffee and Circuses”, There are 2 parts. Black Jack Project. Cirencester Church intends to add new statues to the empty plinths on the tower. The proposals were on display during Heritage Open Days (13-15 September) More Information here. Do you have any pictures of what used to be there? If so, let us know. (Email button on the right). Cirencester Winner! Louise Ryland-Epton, who published an article in our Newsletter 62 on the Cirencester Workhouse, also contributed a more detailed article on this subject entitled ’Cirencester Workhouse under the Old Poor Law’ which was published in the Transactions of the Bristol & Gloucestershire Archaeological Society, vol 135 for 2017, pp.225-236. In May 2019, Louise won the Bryan Jerrard Award for 2018 for this latter study which is presented annually by the Gloucestershire Local History Association [GLHA] for the article which in the judges’ view presents the best study of an aspect of Gloucestershire’s history published in the past year. There were ten finalists – so, congratulations, Louise; it’s good to have a Cirencester winner! The Newsletters for 2018 and 2019, are now available online. We expect to be publishing more of our back collection of articles on line, so come back soon and see! (Articles can be found by searching our Publications pages- those available are underlined). The centenary of the WW1 Armistice has been and gone, but we are still receiving updates to our information on those who died during the war… Our Newsletter this year takes up the story after the war ended. Mike Tovey of Chedworth has written to introduce us to the work that villagers have produced about their Great War dead. Between them they have found out enough to fill a two hundred page book. If you have relatives from there, or are merely interested in how others have researched the period, the book is freely available on https://chedworth.org.uk If you have more information than we have published about any of the people on the Cirencester monuments, do drop us a note. Ray Wilson has sent an article about local historical maps available online at the National Library of Scotland. Yes, local to here! KnowYourPlaceWest now has mapping for Wilts, Gloucestershire and Somerset. Maps from about 1840 to date can be compared, and, after moderation, you can add historical information. Do watch the video to see how to use it! Have fun! Tithe maps have been added where they exist.
A Century Ago...
With the Centenary of the 1918 Armistice now passed, we record those who died later… RALPH MORTIMER WRIGLEY whose parents lived at The Barton died in hospital on 6 November aged 21, a Lieutenant with 3rd Railway Company, Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers. He is commemorated on their memorial in the Priory Church at Monmouth. 1918 November 11: Armistice Day - ceasefire on the Western Front. 1918-1919: A world-wide influenza pandemic continued throughout the winter. WILLIAM SHILL died on 22 November, age 26, a Private in A Company 11/OBLI. His parents Richard and Louisa Helen of Field Barn Ewen had lost a younger son HOWARD in 1916. FREDERICK GEORGE ALLEN or ALLAN died in December 1918 having been discharged that April as unfit for further military service. In 1911 he had lived at 30 Victoria Road with a wife and small daughter. As a married man of 40 he could have claimed exemption from conscription but enlisted at Bath in February 1916 in the Somerset Light Infantry. FREDERICK WILLIAM RICHINGS was born in 1877, son of Alfred and Roseanna of 77 City Bank Road. He had 24 years service with the Glosters including the Siege of Ladysmith, and had been wounded in 1917. He had been promoted to Sergeant Major and awarded the Meritorious Service Medal. FREDERICK died at home on leave whilst awaiting demobilization, shortly before his intended marriage. He is buried in Cirencester Cemetery CYRIL LAWSON COLE - Captain 2/5 Glosters and Transport Officer 184 Infantry Brigade died on 14 March 1919. He was the third son of William Henry and Catherine of Bourne House Brimscombe to die. MARK A WRIGHT died the next day, aged 39. He served as Sapper in 54 Division Signals Company. He was son of Alfred Benjamin of Cirencester and husband of Agnes, living in Burton on Trent. Both men are buried in Etaples, a base area in Northern France where there were several hospitals. Their names are not on the St John’s Church memorial erected in November 1918. 1919 June 28: Treaty of Versailles signed, declaring Germany guilty of causing the war and liable to pay reparations. PERCY GEYTON’s name was added after his death on 29 July 1919. He had served as Second Lieutenant in the Machine Gun Corps. PERCY had attended Cirencester Grammar School and became a bank clerk working in Devizes. His father lived at 6 Cricklade Street and was a wine merchant’s manager. JOHN KENT is buried in Cirencester Cemetery. He died on 26 October 1919 aged 46. He had served as Staff Sergeant Farrier in 19 Hussars and left a wife, Gertrude Mary ARTHUR CHARLES HAINES had served as a Sergeant in the Royal Marines Light Infantry, on HMS Cornwallis in the Dardanelles and then in HMS Lord Nelson. He died at home, 10 Whiteway Road Spitalgate, of illness resulting from service, on 15 February 1920. CHARLES HENRY NEWELL’s name was added to St John’s Church memorial following his death on 1 September 1920 of injuries received in the war. He had served as a Corporal and is buried in Cirencester Cemetery JULIA HERBERT is the only woman commemorated on Cirencester war memorials. She was a volunteer nurse at Bingham Hall. Three Cirencester men who died after the war as a result of wounds or illness are buried in Cirencester Cemetery; all three left widows living in the town - W GARDINER - Corporal 25/Middlesex died on 13 May 1921 aged 37; C HOOPER - Sergeant 5/Glosters died 19 June 1921 aged 60. JESSE BENJAMIN WRIGHT - Private 3/Rifle Brigade died on 25 August 1921 aged 37.Timeline written by Dale Hjort
More about some of these men can be found in our WW1 biography section. A chronology of deaths of all WW1 names on the memorials can be found in Newsletter 61.
Page last updated 4 December 2019
Not all pages are immediately apparent from the links at the top. The Great War biographies, covering very many pages, have internal links. and the articles reprinted from our past publications are linked from the relevant Newsletter page. There is a facility to browse these at random at the bottom of most articles.
The old Memorial Hospital on Sheep
Street (used within the last 30 years)
used to hold the Bannatyne memorial
staircase. It has recently been carefully
removed and sent to relatives in Ireland,
making way for the refurbishment of the
car park.
Cotswold Archaeology has written a
number of studies for CDC that are
worth reading. See the downloads for
the Parking Project.
Click the picture above to read David
Viner’s notes on the Hospital and the
Staircase.
The building across Sheep Street, called
the Memorial Hospital Annex, is still in
NHS use. It has the Great War memorial
panels on its side. We have an article
about this building.
Can’t find it? See
Navigating our site
Welcome to Cirencester Archaeological & Historical
Society
We are always happy to see new members. Do browse our site to see what we do. While our main activity is our meetings, we have other interests, such as our projects and the publishing of short articles in our Newsletters or even on line. News items will usually be on this page.
© CAHS & contributors 2016-9
Registered Charity 287289
Do read down… The news is updated to 4
December 2019
We apologise that our November meeting entitled
Woodchester Mansion - an Unfinished
Masterpiece
a talk by Liz Davenport of the Woodchester
Mansion Trust
was cancelled at very short notice. However there is
a new chance to hear it on Monday 9th December
at 7.30pm at Ashcroft. This is due to the kindness of
The Civic Society, who also have had a cancellation
and so have borrowed our speaker! The meeting is
free to members of both Societies. There may be a
small charge for non-members.
A proposal to demolish and rebuild flats off The
Avenue, Cirencester, brings an article in our
Newsletter 49 of 2009 on Public Art to the fore. The
planning assessment shows much archaeology
under the site, believed to be the original Roman
town centre.
News from GLHA, Gloucestershire Local
History Association
The next Local History Day will be on 25th April 2020 at Oxstalls Campus, University of Gloucestershire,, on the theme of Education. If any members would like to assist in getting a display ready, please get in touch with CAHS committee. The closing date for booking a display table is 16th February. Next year’s Summer meeting is at Nailsworth on 28th June. Booking is not yet open Gloucestershire Archives are always keen to hear about any old documents, maps etc that are coming up for sale by auction in order to bring them to public access. Sometimes they are able to raise money to buy them for the archives before auctions push the price up. Claire Collins is Head of Collections and can be contacted by anyone with any information.Anyone for Podcasts?
Richard Reece, who talked to us last September, has been interviewed in a recent podcast about his career and views on Roman studies and archaeology. It can be found by searching “Coffee and Circuses”, There are 2 parts. Black Jack Project. Cirencester Church intends to add new statues to the empty plinths on the tower. The proposals were on display during Heritage Open Days (13-15 September) More Information here. Do you have any pictures of what used to be there? If so, let us know. (Email button on the right). Cirencester Winner! Louise Ryland-Epton, who published an article in our Newsletter 62 on the Cirencester Workhouse, also contributed a more detailed article on this subject entitled ’Cirencester Workhouse under the Old Poor Law’ which was published in the Transactions of the Bristol & Gloucestershire Archaeological Society, vol 135 for 2017, pp.225-236. In May 2019, Louise won the Bryan Jerrard Award for 2018 for this latter study which is presented annually by the Gloucestershire Local History Association [GLHA] for the article which in the judges’ view presents the best study of an aspect of Gloucestershire’s history published in the past year. There were ten finalists – so, congratulations, Louise; it’s good to have a Cirencester winner! The Newsletters for 2018 and 2019, are now available online. We expect to be publishing more of our back collection of articles on line, so come back soon and see! (Articles can be found by searching our Publications pages- those available are underlined). The centenary of the WW1 Armistice has been and gone, but we are still receiving updates to our information on those who died during the war… Our Newsletter this year takes up the story after the war ended. Mike Tovey of Chedworth has written to introduce us to the work that villagers have produced about their Great War dead. Between them they have found out enough to fill a two hundred page book. If you have relatives from there, or are merely interested in how others have researched the period, the book is freely available on https://chedworth.org.uk If you have more information than we have published about any of the people on the Cirencester monuments, do drop us a note. Ray Wilson has sent an article about local historical maps available online at the National Library of Scotland. Yes, local to here! KnowYourPlaceWest now has mapping for Wilts, Gloucestershire and Somerset. Maps from about 1840 to date can be compared, and, after moderation, you can add historical information. Do watch the video to see how to use it! Have fun! Tithe maps have been added where they exist.
A Century Ago...
With the Centenary of the 1918 Armistice now passed, we record those who died later… RALPH MORTIMER WRIGLEY whose parents lived at The Barton died in hospital on 6 November aged 21, a Lieutenant with 3rd Railway Company, Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers. He is commemorated on their memorial in the Priory Church at Monmouth. 1918 November 11: Armistice Day - ceasefire on the Western Front. 1918-1919: A world-wide influenza pandemic continued throughout the winter. WILLIAM SHILL died on 22 November, age 26, a Private in A Company 11/OBLI. His parents Richard and Louisa Helen of Field Barn Ewen had lost a younger son HOWARD in 1916. FREDERICK GEORGE ALLEN or ALLAN died in December 1918 having been discharged that April as unfit for further military service. In 1911 he had lived at 30 Victoria Road with a wife and small daughter. As a married man of 40 he could have claimed exemption from conscription but enlisted at Bath in February 1916 in the Somerset Light Infantry. FREDERICK WILLIAM RICHINGS was born in 1877, son of Alfred and Roseanna of 77 City Bank Road. He had 24 years service with the Glosters including the Siege of Ladysmith, and had been wounded in 1917. He had been promoted to Sergeant Major and awarded the Meritorious Service Medal. FREDERICK died at home on leave whilst awaiting demobilization, shortly before his intended marriage. He is buried in Cirencester Cemetery CYRIL LAWSON COLE - Captain 2/5 Glosters and Transport Officer 184 Infantry Brigade died on 14 March 1919. He was the third son of William Henry and Catherine of Bourne House Brimscombe to die. MARK A WRIGHT died the next day, aged 39. He served as Sapper in 54 Division Signals Company. He was son of Alfred Benjamin of Cirencester and husband of Agnes, living in Burton on Trent. Both men are buried in Etaples, a base area in Northern France where there were several hospitals. Their names are not on the St John’s Church memorial erected in November 1918. 1919 June 28: Treaty of Versailles signed, declaring Germany guilty of causing the war and liable to pay reparations. PERCY GEYTON’s name was added after his death on 29 July 1919. He had served as Second Lieutenant in the Machine Gun Corps. PERCY had attended Cirencester Grammar School and became a bank clerk working in Devizes. His father lived at 6 Cricklade Street and was a wine merchant’s manager. JOHN KENT is buried in Cirencester Cemetery. He died on 26 October 1919 aged 46. He had served as Staff Sergeant Farrier in 19 Hussars and left a wife, Gertrude Mary ARTHUR CHARLES HAINES had served as a Sergeant in the Royal Marines Light Infantry, on HMS Cornwallis in the Dardanelles and then in HMS Lord Nelson. He died at home, 10 Whiteway Road Spitalgate, of illness resulting from service, on 15 February 1920. CHARLES HENRY NEWELL’s name was added to St John’s Church memorial following his death on 1 September 1920 of injuries received in the war. He had served as a Corporal and is buried in Cirencester Cemetery JULIA HERBERT is the only woman commemorated on Cirencester war memorials. She was a volunteer nurse at Bingham Hall. Three Cirencester men who died after the war as a result of wounds or illness are buried in Cirencester Cemetery; all three left widows living in the town - W GARDINER - Corporal 25/Middlesex died on 13 May 1921 aged 37; C HOOPER - Sergeant 5/Glosters died 19 June 1921 aged 60. JESSE BENJAMIN WRIGHT - Private 3/Rifle Brigade died on 25 August 1921 aged 37.Timeline written by Dale Hjort
More about some of these men can be found in our WW1 biography section. A chronology of deaths of all WW1 names on the memorials can be found in Newsletter 61.
Page last updated 4 December 2019
