About Us

Group Activities

Formed in 2011, We are a group of like minded individuals with an interest in researching, and sharing the history of our village its people and its places.

We hope to record and archive our findings for future generations.

The group brings together residents and visitors to share and discover anything relating to our village past. From today, right back to Domesday and beyond!

Our main focus is on the people and parish of East Brent, and the villages within its boundary, including Rooksbridge and the hamlet of Edingworth.

However! Through the ages, people strayed beyond the village boundaries to find work and to marry etc.  So too, will our quest to follow families, inevitably lead us to stray into the neighbouring parishes of Brent Knoll, Lympsham, Biddisham and Mark etc! And sometimes far beyond. Even to connections on the other side of the world.

Meetings

The 1st Wednesday

Monthly   

7.00 pm

The Village Hall
East Brent.

Visitors welcome

Next Meeting

Wed, 7th Mar. 2012,

7:00 pm in the Village Hall.

Meeting Report
 Wednesday Feb 1st  2012

  

East Brent Parish History Group

Meeting 1st February 2012

Thank you to all who attended. I appreciate that it is not always possible to attend so the  meeting is always open to anyone who wishes to come along occasionally. We also appreciate the comments and contributions from anyone who cannot attend the actual meetings, so please, keep it coming.

Regarding the house formerly known as ‘Avalon’ (last

month’s edition). I have had a call from the current owner who said the house is now called ‘Heronsmead’ (not ‘Erinsmead’) - thank you for the clarification.

Aerial Photographs

Some intriguing and possibly unique photographs were shown. These are aerial photographs of the Parish taken by aircraft from Yeovilton in 1984. These were sent to the Headteacher (Mrs. Osborne) for a project being undertaken by the CoE First School at the time. Does anyone remember taking part in this project and what it was about? I have gained permission

from the MoD to use these photographs so long as Crown Copyright is maintained. These photographs are mostly of Brent Knoll

but a good one of the Old Bristol Road in the foreground is below.

East Brent 1984 - (MoD Crown Copyright)

Spring Bulb Planting

Thank you to Joan Harding who has named a number of those on last month’s photograph of the planting of spring bulbs at the War Memorial in 1973. Mrs. Giles, Mrs. Poole and Mrs. Jackson feature on one picture and some of the children are named as Deborah Barber, Julie Elton, Penny Harris and Robert Evans. Joan’s son is also in the background.

Church Street Photograph

Molly Richards has provided an intriguing photograph of Church Street. Can anyone provide an approximate date?

Cheddar Valley Dairy

John Rigarlsford (a.k.a. Fred Smith, I believe!) has added a soft copy (electronic) to add to his hard copy (paper) of his history of the Cheddar Valley Dairy. This will be placed in the archives as soon as possible.

British Newspaper Archive

John has also been studying the recently launched British Newspaper Archive

(www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) and obtained a number of interesting cuttings from local newspapers from East Brent Parish. John presented some of these at the meeting.

As with today’s press, it is generally only the more sensational matters that are usually reported.

A less sensational selection are as follows:-

Western Gazette, 23rd Dec 1887 -

“Fight at Knoll Inn”

Western Gazette, Jan 1887. - “Rev Denison defends Cheddar Cheese!”

Western Gazette, 5th Jan 1866 - “E B Harriers meet at the Wellington Inn”

Next Meeting – East Brent War Memorial

At the next meeting (7th March 2012), there will be a talk by John Flavin. John has been researching the people named on the War Memorials at Lympsham and East Brent. His research is extensive and some fascinating information will be presented.

All meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month - 7:00 pm in the Village Hall. Everyone is welcome.

Colin Loader

3 Johnson Close, East Brent, TA9 4RZ

Tel. 01278 760713, Mob. 07931 429927

e-mail: cloader2@tiscali.co.uk