James Peters, 1879-1954, England Rugby Union International and Gentleman
‘Peters, it may be mentioned is, as a Rugby player, English whatever his nationality proper may be.’ Western Mail, 8.9.1906. N.B. This account contains terms that are no longer acceptable, though were in common...
‘Uncle Norman’: Perrett Park Keeper and veteran of ‘the Forgotten War’
We had it pretty sticky for a few days – our casualties up to Wednesday were approximately a thousand, The Gloucesters were over 600 and the other two battalions about 150 each.” ...
A Brislington Autograph Book, 1916
Through the magic of the internet assisted by the mention of Brislington on this blog, I was recently contacted by Carol Gordon of Bolton, Lancashire. A while ago Carol bought a tiny autograph book,...
‘Wanton Wenches & Incorrigible Rogues’ Chapter 2: The inmates of Bristol’s Newgate Prison, 1783-1787
In 1761, John Wesley who was interested in prison reform noted that Bristol’s Newgate Gaol was lately wearing ‘a new face’ and had changed for the better from ‘the filth, the stench, the misery...
‘Wanton Wenches’ and ‘Incorrigible Rogues’ Chapter 1: Two Mutinies: a Horrid set of Miscreants
Peace with the infant republic of America was declared in August 1783. With the small detail that Britain had lost the war apparently discounted, it appears that the arrogant assumption was made that everything...
Brislington Coal
There are references to coalmining in Brislington from the early 17th century: the first being in 1614 when Anthony son of William Roache, collier, of Brislington was apprenticed to Chris. Powell, a Bristol weaver....
‘Wanton Wenches & Incorrigible Rogues’ Bristol Men and Women Transported
In 1988 Australia celebrated the bi-centenary of the arrival of the First Fleet to Botany Bay. I cannot claim an exact relationship with the late David Pillinger of Tasmania, and his direct descendant, a...
Harriet Bumford – Another Victorian Girl – Revisited
It is often the case that the very next day after you have committed something to print more information will come to light. So it is with the family of Harriet Bumford Darke. When...
Index of names: Brislington’s & St Anne’s “We shall remember them”.
I had a few people who enquired whether I might add an index to “We Shall Remember Them” book so they could easily track down their Brislington and St Anne’s ancestor in World war...
‘Killed in a Coalpit’ – Ram Hill – seeing the place where it happened
Years ago when researching my paternal family I came upon hitherto unsuspected connections with an ancient industrial history. From that time I became obsessed (not too strong a word) with the lives of coalminers,...
About Me
I have been researching the social history of the West Country for 45 years. During this time I have collated information on a wide range of people living and working in the West Country including miners, ethnic minorities, petty criminals, sailors, tommies, benefactors, brassmakers and many more. The thing that I find amazing is that ordinary people always lived extraordinary lives. I hope you like my blog that brings together my lifetime of research.
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