Somerset & Dorset Family History Society

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Somerset & Dorset Family History Society

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The Somerset and Dorset Family History Society helps people to research their family history, especially those with ancestors in the two counties.

The Society's Research Centre is in Yeovil, Somerset, and includes an excellent local history library. Opening hours:
Day time - Monday, Friday and Saturday, 10.00am - 1.00pm, Thursday 10.00am to 4.00pm. Evening - Third Tuesday of every month from 7.00pm to 9.00pm.

08/11/2026

Lest we forget 🥀

07/11/2026

Neil McLocklin will be speaking on "The English Civil War, People and Places in Dorset" at Loders Village Hall on Saturday 4th November at 2pm. Neil is an experienced local speaker and has written historical fiction books about the Bankes and other families and the impact of the Civil War on them. Battles, sieges, royalist and parliamentary towns and divided family loyalties, Dorset has them all.

06/11/2026

22/10/2026

Diane in our Facebook group asks “Has anyone come across this photo before? My grandad Walter Frederick Brooks (1878-1953, from Bridport) is in this photo (top row on the left). I don’t know anyone else in the photo or whose wedding it is. Has anyone come across it before and maybe can identify anyone?”
Can anyone help Diane?

20/10/2026

We 💕 coming to Weston super Mare Library for the North Somerset Archives Service SO MUCH, that we’re coming back. In between visits. And this time, we’re bringing a course!

Come and join us for our Common Phrases half-day course, to learn about reading and interpreting classic record sets, like probate records, parish records and deeds. Archivists will be on hand to impart their wisdom, and it’s all taking place in the auspicious location of the Frederick Wood Room/North Somerset Studies Library on 3 November (10am-1pm).

Bookings are open now on our website, and we can’t wait to see you there!

Further details can be found here 👉 https://swheritage.org.uk/events/common-phrases/

16/10/2026

From Sailcloth to Sugar Cane - Jennie Phillips
In 1856 a group of Somerset villagers migrated to Australia. Focusing on one family within the context of their wider network, this talk considers motivations for migration, experience on the voyage, passenger list discrepancies, chain migration, back migration, settlement in Australia, and the naming of people and places.
https://sog.org.uk/gold-library/13th-16-30/

12/10/2026

**LECTURE **

The Great Re-Building or the Great Refurbishment? by Chris Sidaway

Thursday 29th October
7.30pm
Wyndham Hall, Taunton, TA4 1AD

In the 1950s Professor W.G. Hoskins termed the phrase “The great re-building of England”, however the work of a generation of vernacular building investigators has proven that urban merchants and rural yeoman farmers tended to upgrade their medieval Open Halls, not build new.

This is a free event, but donations are greatly appreciated. If you would like to donate, please visit our website: https://sanhs.org/donate-here/
We suggest a donation of £5 or more.

Full details of the event can be found on the Society's Events calendar: https://sanhs.org/events/

05/10/2026

This is always a fantastic event - and it’s FREE!

All About That Place is back, and it's bigger and bolder than ever! 🗺️

🗓️ 7 to 16 October 2026
🎤 190 talks from 150 speakers
⏱️ 10-minute talks
📚 10 themes over 10 days

Find out how it works and start planning your days: https://sog.org.uk/welcome-to-all-about-that-place/

04/10/2026

An opportunity to join Dovery Manor Museum and Porlock Information Centre for a community afternoon tea and a talk from Jeff Cox (Junior!) on the past, present and future of Dovery Manor Museum. Taking place on Wednesday 21st October at 2.30 pm. We except this to be a popular event and space is limited, so booking is essential. Free to attend but donations are welcome. Cakes will be provided by Periwinkle tea rooms. This community event has been made possible by funding from the We are sure that Jeff Cox Senior will also be there. All Jeff Coxes are welcome! 😉

03/10/2026

* TALK *

GREY, RED AND VIOLET, POWDER BLUE AND SEAWATER GREEN: a multi-coloured industry by Mary Siraut

Tuesday 13 October - 7.30pm
Wyndham Hall, Taunton

Mary Siraut will speak about the west Somerset coloured cloth industries from dyeing the wool to selling cloth, from medieval tauntons and dunsters to serges, duroys and sagathies.

Refreshments will be available.

Please book with SANHS by 12 October by emailing [email protected] or calling 01823 272429
Suggested donation £5

Address

Broadway House, Peter Street
Yeovil
BA201PN

Telephone

+441935429609

Website

http://www.sdfhs.org/

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