THE last two meetings of the Melksham & District Historical Association have had a law and order theme.
“In February John Girvan gave a talk entitled ‘Doing Time in Wiltshire’,” reports the association. “John has visited us many times over the years in his role as Devizes blacksmith and historian. We followed up his first talk with an evening visit to the forge to see him at work. Not only a blacksmith and historian, but also a tour guide and just before the Covid outbreak he gave us a guided walk round the oldest parts of Devizes.
“At the February meeting John showed us pictures of lock-ups, prisons, courts, and even going back to pillories and stocks with plenty of stories and illustrations about them all. John brought along some gruesome artefacts that he had collected over the years along with his model of Devizes Prison.
“The latter led smoothly into his experience of working with the TV ‘Big Dig’ team that wanted to excavate the prison. As the site is now a housing estate only small areas of willing residents back gardens could be explored. The pictures John took were extremely interesting which rounded off a very good, interesting, evening indeed.
“In March, Keith Hickets, retired policeman, talked of his life-time spent in the force. He spent only two years in Melksham before moving on to Trowbridge. He very much enjoyed his years on the beat but still quite early in his career he was approached to set up a dog handling team for Wiltshire and this is where he spent the rest of his working life.
“It was very informative to hear how one trains dogs to follow the scent of a criminal and then later on the training moved into explosives and drugs. Such a varied and interesting life, dangerous of course, but that wasn’t touched on at all. His audience was spellbound with plenty of questions asked and much interest taken in the pictures and artefacts that Keith had brought along with him.
“April brings a complete change when David Dawson, director of Devizes Museum, will give an illustrated talk on ‘The White Horses of Wiltshire’.”
The next meeting is on Thursday 21st April, 7.30 pm, in Melksham Assembly Hall. Visitors welcome (£3).
