Bradpole, Dorset

Triggering memories.

We were clearing the last furniture from my mother's bungalow a few weeks ago. A heartbreaking task, having lost her in April. Behind the last set of drawers, on the floor, I found an old sepia photograph. It showed a group of children with some adults, outside a building which must have been a chapel or a school. From the clothes... [more]

Haywards of Loders - family tree search

Hello from Australia to Loders,

Researching on-line family Thomas Hayward, m Mary Anne Dodge 1808 November in Sherborne church. Already one gggg cousin Jill Hayward left an entry but has not made contact. Another gggg cousin Ingrid Wilson in Wallingford, Berkshire has made contact via this website.

Thomas's son John went to farm in Englefield, Berkshire and is my... [more]

Haywards of Loders

Wondering if anyone knows of Hayward family, buried in the churchyard surrounds, that farmed in the Loders area back to at least 1750 or further back.  Any info for family tree welcome.

haywards of loders

John (1813) moved to Berkshire.  Thomas (1787), Robert (1759) and John(1738) are all connected to Loders by being born, baptised, married and buried here, or in surrounding villages.  Their ancestral home one might say.  Still tracing them further via Dorset OPC and BT records.  Collecting any photos related to these ancestors of mine and where they lived.  Photos bring back happy... [more]

Waiting to go to Bahrain 1966

This is me, pushing my daughter Allison, with my mother Phyllis Carey. I was staying with my parents prior to joining my husband at RAF Muharraq, Bahrain in the summer of 1966. Recessed next to Hoskins the Butchers is the Congregational Church (now the United Reformed) where I was christened, attended Sunday School and Junior Church and was married. Our... [more]

East Street 1965

The lady with the shopping bag and wearing sunglasses in this picture is my mother, Hilda Hounsell. She had either visited the library or her sister who lived at the bottom of Easst Street.

Visitation Convent

I have no connections with Bridport or the Visitation Convent but found the thread of messages detailing school life highly absorbing; I do know of another individual of note who may qualify as becoming "famous" (message posted 03/10/2009 by Mr Duffy).

I think he was sent from the Midlands as a boarder in 1927 at seven years of age, through... [more]

Visitation Convent Bridport

Since my blog of 2007 concerning my time as a boarder at the Visitation Convent school 1942-1947, I have noted with interest that other former pupils (though not from the years I was there) have commented on their experiences of the place. Mostly, their memories are sad and bitter ones. It has made me think back again at my years there.... [more]