Our next Meeting:
Th first meeting of the new
season will be on the fourth
Wednesday of September.
Wednesday 25th September
2019
From gold to sweets:
the problem of small
change
Dr Richard Reece
An intriguing amble through time from Roman to the present. It is a privilege to open our season with this talk, specially created for us by Dr Reece, Cirencester resident and world-renowned numismatist and archaeologist. 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
July VCH Newsletter 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 10 August 2019
Sisters Long Barrow (pictured above)
Bournemouth University are again digging this local site from 7-21
August. A leaflet with more information is here. Please note that it
is now too late to volunteer, but visitors will be welcome while the
work is open. There will be an open evening on 21st when you will
get the chance to hear what may have newly been found.
Gloucester History Festival runs through September More>
Black Jack Project.
Cirencester Church intends to add new statues to the empty plinths
on the tower. The proposals will be 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!
Our new season programme is now available. It will be sent out to
members with the new Newsletter in mid-August. Those who
volunteered to receive the Newsletter by email will receive both
items at about the same time. Richard Reece will be our
September speaker - see panel on the right.
Annual subscriptions fall due on 1st September. Most members
pay by standing order (slightly cheaper!). If you would like to
convert to a standing order, contact us using the email button on
the right, and we will provide details. Otherwise please pay at your
first meeting, cash or cheque only!.
The Newsletter for 2018, containing the Croome Lecture by
Christopher Catling is now available online. We expect to be
publishing more of our back collection of articles on line over the
summer, so come back soon and see!
If you would like to receive a reminder about future meetings write
to us at cahs @ cirenhistory.org.uk (without the spaces!)
Meanwhile read on for other activities…
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.
VCH Gloucestershire have published their latest Newsletter at
http://www.vchglosacademy.org/newsletter.pdf
Ray Wilson has sent an article about local historical maps available
online at the National Library of Scotland. Yes, local to here!
Gloucestershire Family History Society are again offering a
coach trip to The National Archives at Kew, on Thursday 19th
September.
Information about TNA and Kew Gardens.
Booking form.
June 2018 Summer Meeting for GLHA
About 60 visitors from other county societies joined us for an
afternoon in Cirencester on June 23rd, where they took a number
of walks around the town, church or Cirencester Park, and were
given refreshments before dispersing.
We would like to thank all those members and non-members that
helped this afternoon go so well, and special thanks to Alan
Strickland who did the bulk of the organising and booking.
This year’s Summer Meeting, was at Tidenham
The Old Ciren Facebook Page has alerted us to the Digitised
historical copies of the Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard, made
by British Newspaper Archives . There are some gaps but by mid
September 2017 the issues from 1837 to 1910 had been uploaded.
It will no doubt require a subscription to study in detail, but a free
page is displayed each day. Microfiche copies of all issues of the
Standard are available in Cirencester library.
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. We hope to republish the whole of this timeline, but there will be some delay while it is revised.
Page last updated 10 August 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 10
August 2019
Sisters Long Barrow (pictured above)
Bournemouth University are again digging this local
site from 7-21 August. A leaflet with more
information is here. Please note that it is now too
late to volunteer, but visitors will be welcome while
the work is open. There will be an open evening on
21st when you will get the chance to hear what may
have newly been found.
Gloucester History Festival runs through
September More>
Black Jack Project.
Cirencester Church intends to add new statues to
the empty plinths on the tower. The proposals will
be 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!
Our new season programme is now available. It will
be sent out to members with the new Newsletter in
mid-August. Those who volunteered to receive the
Newsletter by email will receive both items at about
the same time. Richard Reece will be our
September speaker - see panel on the right.
Annual subscriptions fall due on 1st September.
Most members pay by standing order (slightly
cheaper!). If you would like to convert to a standing
order, contact us using the email button on the
right, and we will provide details. Otherwise please
pay at your first meeting, cash or cheque only!.
The Newsletter for 2018, containing the Croome
Lecture by Christopher Catling is now available
online. We expect to be publishing more of our back
collection of articles on line over the summer, so
come back soon and see!
If you would like to receive a reminder about future
meetings write to us at cahs @ cirenhistory.org.uk
(without the spaces!)
Meanwhile read on for other activities…
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.
VCH Gloucestershire have published their latest
Newsletter at
http://www.vchglosacademy.org/newsletter.pdf
Ray Wilson has sent an article about local historical
maps available online at the National Library of
Scotland. Yes, local to here!
Gloucestershire Family History Society are again
offering a coach trip to The National Archives at
Kew, on Thursday 19th September.
Information about TNA and Kew Gardens.
Booking form.
June 2018 Summer Meeting for GLHA
About 60 visitors from other county societies joined
us for an afternoon in Cirencester on June 23rd,
where they took a number of walks around the
town, church or Cirencester Park, and were given
refreshments before dispersing.
We would like to thank all those members and non-
members that helped this afternoon go so well, and
special thanks to Alan Strickland who did the bulk of
the organising and booking.
This year’s Summer Meeting, was at Tidenham
The Old Ciren Facebook Page has alerted us to the
Digitised historical copies of the Wilts and
Gloucestershire Standard, made by British
Newspaper Archives . There are some gaps but by
mid September 2017 the issues from 1837 to 1910
had been uploaded. It will no doubt require a
subscription to study in detail, but a free page is
displayed each day. Microfiche copies of all issues of
the Standard are available in Cirencester library.
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. We hope to republish the whole of this timeline, but there will be some delay while it is revised.
Page last updated 10 August 2019
