The Fownhope Local History Group was formed in 2005, and currently has a membership of about 50. It organises a programme of indoor talks, held in the New Memorial Hall, on a very wide range of local history topics, and outdoor events in the summer. Details of this year’s programme are given elsewhere in the Calendar.
In May 2022, in co-operation with Fownhope Parish Council, and to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the Group organised and funded an event celebrating the restoration of the memorial to Tom Spring, the undefeated bareknuckle boxing champion of all England in the early 1800s, who was born in Fownhope. A new parish walk, the Tom Spring walk, was inaugurated as part of the Jubilee celebrations, culminating at the memorial site with speeches, and a rendering of traditional and freshly composed ballads by the local folk singing group, the Bushelbag Carollers.
The Group has published books and booklets covering general histories of Fownhope, and is currently working on a history of Common Hill.
The History Group’s oral history archive has recordings of the memories of local residents, some dating from as far back as the 1920s. The Group is currently working on digitising the recordings and making them available online.
The 2024 membership fees are £12 for family membership, and £8 for individuals. Everyone is welcome to attend our indoor events, which are free to members and £3 entry for non-members.
We are currently looking for someone with word processing skills to assist in producing our six-monthly newsletter. Can you spare 3-4 hours every 6 months?
Committee:
Janet Jones, Secretary and Events: 01432 860319, janetcjones00@hotmail.com
Ian Jones, Treasurer 01432 860319, jonesians43@yahoo.co.uk
Sue Gough, suegough09@btinternet.com, 01432 860563
Members and prospective members please note that the Annual General Meeting will be held on Friday 16th February at 7.30 pm in the Memorial Hall. An electronic copy of the financial statement will be circulated in advance to members. Hard copies of the financial statement would also be provided at the AGM. This year, there...
A exhibition of the end results of a project between St Marys' School and the Local History Group, looking at the history of the school. The children have been working hard on this, so please support them by coming along to see their efforts.
Marsha O'Mahoney has worked as a newspaper reporter, author and writer of a number of books and commissioned works, oral historian on a series of documentary film projects, and as a memoirist. Marsha gave an entertaining and illuminating talk to the History Group in 2023 based on her book The Scratch of the Hop, a...
The dangers, the dramas, and the day-to-day routine at the Rotherwas munitions plant in the two World Wars. An illustrated talk by Angela Williams, Project Assistant and researcher, at the Rotherwas Together project. The talk will be followed by a guided walk of the Rotherwas site later in the month. Everyone is welcome, please do...
"I have been interested in watermills ever since the woodwork master at school put up a notice for volunteers to help at Finch Foundry, Sticklepath, near Oakhampton in the late 1960s. The desire to restore a mill was compelling and in the mid-1980s I found Mordiford Mill advertised in Mill News. The miller had done...
Local historian Yvonne Chapman will talk on attitudes to babies and bastardy in 18th and early 19th century Allensmore. The meeting is open to members and non-members. Admission to the talk, at which refreshments will be available is free to members and £5 on the door for non-members.
