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
Abbey Grounds survey WW1 play (left) RAF Centenary (left) Next Meeting Old Memorial Hospital (new information)On this page
VCH Newletter January KYPWest WGS 1837-1910 Volunteers wanted! GA Newsletter (see left) WW1 TimelineNew on other pages
Data Privacy Policy WW1 in Norfolk Newsletter 63 Gloucestershire History Reports
© Cirencester Archaeological & Historical Society & Contributors 2016-8
Registered Charity no. 287289
As the Lego season has drawn to a close we feature the CAHS team
that volunteered to help visitors every Wednesday during the
building of the Abbey. Thank you all very much. See the Abbey900
page for who’s who and much more.
Committee vacancies. We are looking for a new minutes
secretary, and more general committee members. Do please
consider helping the committee or persuading someone else!
Our 2018 Season continued on Wednesday 11th April when a
packed meeting heard Chris Bigg describing the history of Rolls-
Royce aero engines, illustrated with many pictures, including
contemporary adverts. This was a joint meeting with Ciren Science
& Technology Society.
Our next meeting is on 23rd May . Our AGM will be followed by a
talk and songs discovered locally More>
The County Association holds its next Local History Day on 28th
April at Churchdown. This year’s theme is Gloucestershire between
the wars. More>
Wycliffe College hosts a free talk on Tudor history on 30 April
The Heritage Hub as the County Archive now likes to be known
has issued its spring Newsletter.
Gloucestershire Buildings Recording Group are holding a mini-
conference on Saturday 12 May. Details>
Cirencester Town council has published the Report on the Abbey
Grounds survey conducted late last year as part of the Abbey 900
celebrations.
Jetage Museum celebrates the centenary of the RAF. Open at
weekends 31 March to 22 April only More>
GFHS are organising coach trips to the National Archives on 17
May and 18 September. More>
With the centenary of the Armistice coming up, we have been
approached for information for a play to be professionally
presented at the Barn Theatre. Our website is helping, but if you
have family stories from Cirencester or involving people from
Cirencester, get in touch [use the email button on the right] and we
will put you in touch with the writers.
Read more>
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! (December- tithe
maps added where they exist)
Gloucestershire Archaeology’s Newsletter is now on-line
A Century Ago...
1918 March 21/June 6 - German Spring Offensives 1918 using newly-developed “infiltration” tactics the Germans launched a series of assaults on under-strength British forces along a 50 mile front - Wilfred JAQUES was a Private in 4th Battalion Tank Corps. Tanks had first been used in 1916 and were used defensively on 21 March when WILFRED was killed in action; JOHN WATERS was Lance Corporal in 8/London, recently reformed from two battalions of Post Office Rifles as part of a large scale reorganization to compensate for shortage of men. Jack was killed in action south of Le Quentin on 23 March. He is commemorated in Cirencester Cemetery on the gravestone of an older brother, Harry, who had died of wounds on 25 October 1914; GEORGE CURTIS - Private 2/5 Glosters was wounded on 24 March and died in hospital on 26 March 1918, aged 24. He had been a member of the Cirencester Church Lads Brigade and was employed at the Post Office; BERTRAM GIBBS - Private 3/Grenadier Guards was killed on 28 March, when the German advance on the River Scarpe was halted. He was 21 and son of Edward James and Lucy of 79 Watermoor Road; WILLIAM G H SELMAN - Private 8/Glosters was reported missing from D Company on the same day. On 12 July 1919 his father Mr G Selman of 26 Thomas Street appealed in the Wilts & Glos Standard for any news of his son. WILLIAM is commemorated on the Arras Memorial to the Missing and is assumed to have been killed on 28 March 1918 DESMOND PAGET, 18 year-old 2nd Lieutenant 7th King’s Royal Rifle Corps was killed in the opening attack around St Quentin on 21 March 1918; ALFRED D COOK - Private 2/5 Glosters was killed on the same day. ALFRED was 36 and the son of Amy Florence of 29 Coxwell Street;Timeline written by Dale Hjort
More about some of these men can be found in our WW1 biography section. Dale will be talking to Cirencester Civic Society about the town memorials on 19th March, at the Salvation Army, Thomas Street. Do follow the Timeline in the Parish Church for what else went on a Century ago. It too changes monthly.
Page last updated 13 April 2018
VCH January 2018 Newsletter includes information on the
upcoming Cirencester Volume. Much about Cirencester is on the
VCH website in draft form. Read it now. It will not be there for free
when the volume is published!
Volunteers wanted
1. We are looking for volunteers to help set up for lectures, [onsite training available]. 2. With our AGM coming up in May, now is the time to consider if you would like to join our committee. We are looking for a minutes secretary in particular, and others to assist generally. The committee only meets as needed a few times a year. If you do not think you have the time yourself, do think of nominating someone else - with their permission of course! 3. Summer Afternoon Visit to Cirencester Saturday 23 June. Can you help with arrangements for this? We need up to a dozen people on the afternoon to act as stewards to help with people arriving and on the various walks, or with the teas. No skill or knowledge of history required.
our site
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 refurbushment 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.
Wednesday 23 May 7.30
Ashcroft Centre, Ashcroft
Road, Cirencester.
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.On this page
KYPWest Volunteers wanted Old Memorial Hospital VCH July NewsletterNew on this page
Next Meeting WW1 TimelineNew on other Pages
Reports Gloucestershire History
© CAHS & contributors 2016-8
Registered Charity 287289
As the Lego season has drawn to a close we feature
the CAHS team that volunteered to help visitors
every Wednesday during the building of the Abbey.
Thank you all very much. See the Abbey900 page for
who’s who and much more.
Committee vacancies. We are looking for a new
minutes secretary, and more general committee
members. Do please consider helping the
committee or persuading someone else!
Our 2018 Season continued on Wednesday 11th
April when a packed meeting heard Chris Bigg
describing the history of Rolls-Royce aero engines,
illustrated with many pictures, including
contemporary adverts. This was a joint meeting with
Ciren Science & Technology Society.
Our next meeting is on 23rd May . Our AGM will be
followed by a talk and songs discovered locally
More>
The County Association holds its next Local History
Day on 28th April at Churchdown. This year’s theme
is Gloucestershire between the wars. More>
Wycliffe College hosts a free talk on Tudor history on
30 April
The Heritage Hub as the County Archive now likes
to be known has issued its spring Newsletter.
Gloucestershire Buildings Recording Group are
holding a mini-conference on Saturday 12 May.
Details>
Cirencester Town council has published the Report
on the Abbey Grounds survey conducted late last
year as part of the Abbey 900 celebrations.
Jetage Museum celebrates the centenary of the RAF.
Open at weekends 31 March to 22 April only More>
GFHS are organising coach trips to the National
Archives on 17 May and 18 September. More>
With the centenary of the Armistice coming up,
we have been approached for information for a play
to be professionally presented at the Barn Theatre.
Our website is helping, but if you have family stories
from Cirencester or involving people from
Cirencester, get in touch [use the email button on
the right] and we will put you in touch with the
writers.
Read more>
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!
(December- tithe maps added where they exist)
Gloucestershire Archaeology’s Newsletter is now
on-line
A Century Ago...
1918 March 21/June 6 - German Spring Offensives 1918 using newly-developed “infiltration” tactics the Germans launched a series of assaults on under-strength British forces along a 50 mile front - Wilfred JAQUES was a Private in 4th Battalion Tank Corps. Tanks had first been used in 1916 and were used defensively on 21 March when WILFRED was killed in action; JOHN WATERS was Lance Corporal in 8/London, recently reformed from two battalions of Post Office Rifles as part of a large scale reorganization to compensate for shortage of men. Jack was killed in action south of Le Quentin on 23 March. He is commemorated in Cirencester Cemetery on the gravestone of an older brother, Harry, who had died of wounds on 25 October 1914; GEORGE CURTIS - Private 2/5 Glosters was wounded on 24 March and died in hospital on 26 March 1918, aged 24. He had been a member of the Cirencester Church Lads Brigade and was employed at the Post Office; BERTRAM GIBBS - Private 3/Grenadier Guards was killed on 28 March, when the German advance on the River Scarpe was halted. He was 21 and son of Edward James and Lucy of 79 Watermoor Road; WILLIAM G H SELMAN - Private 8/Glosters was reported missing from D Company on the same day. On 12 July 1919 his father Mr G Selman of 26 Thomas Street appealed in the Wilts & Glos Standard for any news of his son. WILLIAM is commemorated on the Arras Memorial to the Missing and is assumed to have been killed on 28 March 1918 DESMOND PAGET, 18 year-old 2nd Lieutenant 7th King’s Royal Rifle Corps was killed in the opening attack around St Quentin on 21 March 1918; ALFRED D COOK - Private 2/5 Glosters was killed on the same day. ALFRED was 36 and the son of Amy Florence of 29 Coxwell Street;Timeline written by Dale Hjort
More about some of these men can be found in our WW1 biography section. Dale will be talking to Cirencester Civic Society about the town memorials on 19th March, at the Salvation Army, Thomas Street. Do follow the Timeline in the Parish Church for what else went on a Century ago. It too changes monthly.
Page last updated 13 April 2018
VCH January 2018 Newsletter includes
information on the upcoming Cirencester Volume. Much
about Cirencester is on the VCH website in draft form.
Read it now. It will not be there for free when the volume
is published!
Volunteers wanted
1. We are looking for volunteers to help set up for lectures, [onsite training available]. 2. With our AGM coming up in May, now is the time to consider if you would like to join our committee. We are looking for a minutes secretary in particular, and others to assist generally. The committee only meets as needed a few times a year. If you do not think you have the time yourself, do think of nominating someone else - with their permission of course! 3. Summer Afternoon Visit to Cirencester Saturday 23 June. Can you help with arrangements for this? We need up to a dozen people on the afternoon to act as stewards to help with people arriving and on the various walks, or with the teas. No skill or knowledge of history required.
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 refurbushment of
the car park.
Cotswold Archaeology has written a number of
studies of the building 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.
