Cecil Amor is the Founder Chairman of Bridport History Society. His background is in design, techonology and engineering, being a Fellow of the Institution of Electrical Engineers and a European Design Committee Member.
This heading may not roll off the tongue as readily as “Happy Christmas”, but celebrations of the solstice at the sunset on 20-22 December predated Christmas by some 4,500 years. Solstice celebrations have been found by archaeologists to have included Read more »
In October we looked at the rivers of Dorset, now let us look at some of the mills using the river water for hundreds of years. By the time of the Domesday Book there were many mills throughout the country, Read more »
“See you later alligator—in a while crocodile”. This was a common exchange or song some years ago. But neither of these creatures inhabit the rivers of Dorset. The rain falls on our land and permeates the chalk until it reaches Read more »
When I was 16 I took up a General Engineering apprenticeship with a large manufacturing company and was placed with a foundryman for a few months. The Works Manager, an impressive figure, processed through the factory, rotund with a prominent Read more »
This is a story of 1833 Bridport. Arson had taken place but the punishment meted out to the perpetrator was much more extreme than would be considered now. It is a true story of earlier life with disastrous consequences and Read more »
Perhaps I should not have included ‘Lingo’ in the title as I have since seen a repeat of Dad’s Army in which Captain Mannering rebuked one of his subordinates for using it. I think he thought it to be un-English. Read more »
John Aubrey, the 17th century Wiltshire antiquarian wrote about the monuments of Britain, under this title. However, this article is about monumental inscriptions in the churchyards of parts of West Dorset. The Somerset and Dorset Family History Society decided in Read more »
Last month I related the description by Chaucer of some of the pilgrims starting along the Canterbury road. Now I propose to look at the remaining pilgrims, the laity. They might possibly be described as ordinary people, from middle class Read more »
Do you listen to The Archers on Radio 4? (“An everyday story of country folk”). We used to listen regularly years ago but now only occasionally. One annual event portrayed by the Archers has been the Christmas pantomime or similar Read more »
‘Oh I Do Like to be Beside the Seaside’ This was a popular song between the Wars in music halls. It went on to repeat “I do like to be beside the Sea” and then “I do like to stroll Read more »