Blagdon Local History Society
The Next Big event
AGM on Thursday 13th February at 2.30pm in Court Lodge
We will be holding our AGM on Thursday 13th February at 2.30pm in Court Lodge. The new programme will be available and the opportunity to renew or start a membership subscription. A slight increase this year in line with rising energy costs: £14 single, £25 for a couple. This entitles you to free entry to all our meetings with refreshments. Current members will receive relevant papers, including the Chair's Report, before the meeting. The business meeting is usually fairly short, to be followed by refreshments and an illustrated talk from Sheila – always interesting:- A glimpse of life in Blagdon in the 18th and 19th centuries - a picture of the past taken from vestry minutes, churchwardens' accounts, newspapers, wills, and removal and settlement records.
We hope to see you. Visitors fee £3.00
Draft programme 2025/6
It is proposed we keep to 2nd Wednesday 7.30 all year and that we have a couple of presentations ready to drop in if we get cancellations.
February 13th AGM and Sheila – A dip into the Archives
March 12th Philip Ashford Steep Holm maritime history
April 9th Birnbeck Pier Christine Ward Principal Project officer and Lorna Clarke Community Development Officer.
May 14th Mike Harvey Mendip defences
June 11th Mary Mead Changes in Farming
July 9th Martin Thatcher Cider in Somerset
October 8th Alan Grey - local mining, iron and ochre £40 (cash or possibly BACS)
Weekend exhibition early November- TBA
November 12th Hannah More film Diana Taylor .
Anthea Page could come for a Q and A session.
2026 January 14th Eamonn McGivern A notable local
February 11th AGM plus Archive gems
Possible session
David Veater film
Visits. Wells hospital/asylum graveyard with talk Clare Blackmore Summer dates
The Newt
Mendip walk with Mike Harvey
Taunton Museum to view Chew Valley Hoard – check dates
David Veater has, after nearly 40years, finished editting a movie of Blagdon from a collection of interviews and walks around Blagdon that he made back in the mid-1980s. The final piece can be viewed on You-Tube if you follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIJy_sQJl8w .
Or click on the image below.
We held our AGM on 8th February and were pleased to welcome two new committee members, John Lyons and James Everett. The role of Secretary remains unfilled.
Following the AGM, Jacky Kerly gave a presentation 'Insights from the 1921 Census' a recording of which can be viewed on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P5ZvpN1NNw&t=28s.
Anyone interested in their family or village history is welcome to view our 1921 records.
Many members renewed their subscriptions and received a copy of the 2024/25 programme. We kick off the new year with
'From sheep to shirts: how wool made Somerset' with Ken Parsons, on 13th March, 7.30pm in Court Lodge.
Ken writes, 'For centuries wool was a key foundation of the Somerset economy. This talk will tell the story of how the industry developed over time, leaving a lasting legacy we can see in many locations in the county even today'.
Subsequent presentations: April 10th, 'Wrington Curiosities' with local historian Mark Bullen,
May 8th, 'Unlocking the mysteries of the Stanton Drew stones' with Eamonn McGivern,
June 26th 'Blagdon Water Gardens, the story' with Peter May.
Originally booked for the 12th, due to unforeseen circumstances, it had to be moved to the later date.
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