THE Melksham Remembers project held an information evening at Melksham Library on Thursday 19th October to recruit volunteers for their upcoming project.
The project seeks to explore the role and contribution of the community to the war effort on the ‘home front’ in 1914 to 1918, as well as finding out more about the impact that the First World War had on the area.
Project coordinator, Beth Thomas said, “There are various aspects of the project which rely on volunteers for their success. Volunteers are needed to help with the new project to create a First World War-themed heritage trail and exhibition for Melksham and surrounding villages.”
The event on Thursday 19th October saw a great turn out with lots of interest.
Beth Thomas added, “We are really pleased with the response, resulting in 20 people coming forward which is better than I expected. All the volunteers are really skilled, excellent, good quality volunteers, so I am really thrilled.
“We have a good number of volunteers now, but in case people missed the opportunity to join in with the project, we have a similar event planned on Saturday 28th October at Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre between 10am-4pm if you are interested or have any questions about the project.
“Also, on Thursday 9th November at Melksham Library we are holding a drop-in session to allow people the opportunity to tell their stories, their grandfather’s stories or information they know about the area during World War 1. This session will run from 3pm-7pm.”
The next step for Melksham Remembers is to arrange training for the volunteers, in partnership with the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre, to teach them how to use the archives, allowing them to search information about Melksham during this time.
For more information contact Beth Thomas, at hello@melkshamremembers.org.uk, 01225 685 426 or check out the website www.melkshamremembers.org.uk.
![Melksham Times Past
A column about days gone by in Melksham by local historian Lisa Ellis
The Independent Chapel and Women’s Rights in the 1840s
A document I recently transcribed lists the baptisms performed at the Independent Chapel. This record is especially helpful in that, along with baptisms, a lot of them include birth dates - one of the ways I discover which day someone was born.
The following is taken from a Wiltshire Times article published on 9th November 1878 which reports a speech given during the 100-year services and to celebrate their renovations (what we now know to be the Rachel Fowler Centre).
One speaker, Rev. T. Mann, minister in Trowbridge, talked about the Chapel’s origins when he related how Rev. Honywill came to Melksham and how he’d gone on to remain as the minister for the Independent Chapel for almost 60 years. [Honywill and his family lived on King Street in what we now call “Legion House”.]
Read more on our website, the link is in our bio.](https://scontent-lhr6-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.75761-15/505444438_18038424887647822_3264519508333556874_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=gXZQJoHTNiEQ7kNvwHezuPI&_nc_oc=AdlrJvMDapuork_EjycPOcegNeMnCA37GEIudkxkTeCfTgvB5iijE05ojpwlYCd5gN8&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr6-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=0ZY31jxOGx2M8z1ZqYNvEg&oh=00_AfPY_C0B8EndpVcx78sVp9qVJgtm368WREf36ZX1_jO3mg&oe=6855C74A "Melksham Times Past
A column about days gone by in Melksham by local historian Lisa Ellis
The Independent Chapel and Women’s Rights in the 1840s
A document I recently transcribed lists the baptisms performed at the Independent Chapel. This record is especially helpful in that, along with baptisms, a lot of them include birth dates - one of the ways I discover which day someone was born.
The following is taken from a Wiltshire Times article published on 9th November 1878 which reports a speech given during the 100-year services and to celebrate their renovations (what we now know to be the Rachel Fowler Centre).
One speaker, Rev. T. Mann, minister in Trowbridge, talked about the Chapel’s origins when he related how Rev. Honywill came to Melksham and how he’d gone on to remain as the minister for the Independent Chapel for almost 60 years. [Honywill and his family lived on King Street in what we now call “Legion House”.]
Read more on our website, the link is in our bio.")
