Autumn programme
The autumn talks showed how non-written traces of the past can shed light
on remoter times. Thanks to our speakers we now know
more about the local tanning industry, the popularity of
snuff taking with its range of snuff boxes and what the
skeletons revealed in excavations at Rotherham Minster.
The Millstone catered splendidly for our Christmas
Social and the post-meal presentation was also enjoyed
by the 53 guests. We are grateful to Dorothy Bradley for
making all the arrangements.
Publications
The latest Occasional Paper, number 12, was published in October. It
focuses on the Laughtons, once one of Tickhill's leading
families. An engrossing saga, ranging from pillars of
the community and benefactors to marital breakdown and a
black sheep, the Paper looks at episodes in the family's
history from the 17th to the 20th Centuries.
'The Laughton Family of Tickhill' is on sale at KSM, price £2, thanks to Linda Mayes and
colleagues.
Lorna Payne has sourced some binders for the Occasional Papers series.
Each binder will take about 8 Papers. Priced at £2.99
the binders are available from KSM and the Library.
The Yorkshire Archaeological Society has published the third transcript
of Tickhill Parish Registers compiled by Pamela Lindley,
this one covering the years 1771-1837. From 1772 the
names of mothers as well as fathers are given in the
baptismal entries, and many entries include the fathers'
occupations. From 1808 the burial register starts to
include the ages of those buried. The names of
officiating ministers are given for marriages, showing
that the Revd T F Twigge did not officiate at a single
marriage service in 17 of the years he was in post and
officiated at few baptisms and burials from 1813 to 1819
- a real absentee vicar, dependent on curates and
visiting clergy.
As with the two previous volumes, the indexes are
very helpful in making the best use of the transcript.
The book is available from YAS (0113 245 7910) price £20
+ £3 p+p.
The
Old Water Mill at Limestone Hill Farm
Last year much work was completed on the restoration of this special
building dating from c1803, one of only four
water-powered corn
mills in the county. Owners Duncan and Imelda Dewar have
issued an invitation to groups to visit the mill. In
November David Walters and Steve Payne went round the
mill, one of Steve's photographs being shown here. Many
more photographs can be seen in the Gallery/Buildings
section of our website with notes in the Phototopics
section. It is hoped to arrange visits by small groups
of Society members. The Society is funding some display
panels
for the mill.
Journals
On page 2 of this Newsletter there are extracts from a journal written by
one of the occupants of Firbeck Hall in the 18th Century
- a rare glimpse of the life of local well-to-do women.
Another journal, written from 1781-1832 by the mother of
Tickhill's Vicar the Revd E H Brooksbank, has been
uploaded onto the internet. Phillipa Brooksbank gives a
detailed account of this wealthy family's travelling
round
Britain, their
socialising and health, for example, providing an
insight into the Revd Brooksbank's background. See
<http://clanbarker.com/histories/Br/phillipa/phillipa.php>
Chris Garritt – an Obituary
Steve Payne writes: In Chris Garritt, the Society has lost a very popular
member whose contribution to local history will be
sorely missed. Chris made a significant contribution to
the highly successful “Tickhill, Then, Now, and for the
Future” project by leading the exercise to scan the
George Read collection of slides which are now regularly
viewed by local and international visitors to our
website. Chris was also a rich fund of knowledge about
Tickhill, about its residents and the way it had
developed over his lifetime spent in our town. We kept
saying that we needed to record all his memories before
anything happened, but he seemed so indestructible that
we of course kept putting it off till tomorrow… !
Latterly, Chris also made his regular contributions to
the running of the Society as a member of the committee.
But above all, Chris was a really nice man whom we shall
all miss. Our thoughts are with Anne and his family in
their great loss.
Endnote: A Link across
Time and Continents
In 1944 Eric Sorenson was a 2nd Lt in the Welsh Yeomanry billeted at The
Friary. At an anxious time before D Day Eric and his
brother officers often visited the “Travellers Rest” and
Eric remembers George and Mrs Morrell (the Licensees)
and more particularly their “very pretty young daughter
Marian who served behind the bar”. Marian however was
already (almost) engaged so was considered “off limits”
by Eric and his brother officers. None of this would
have been known to us had not Eric who now lives in
Minneapolis
USA
found the Society’s website about three years ago and
emailed his memories to us. (Click on "Living Memories”,
then “Eric Sorenson” on our website.)
Marian, now Mrs Marian Turner, still lives in Tickhill with her husband
Dennis and is well known to many who shop locally. She
does not have a computer and so was completely unaware
that Eric was still alive until one day Roy Taylor told
her she was famous and was mentioned on the internet!
She remembered Eric as an officer and a gentleman and at
her request we emailed her address to him.
Now, three years later they are still in regular contact by post and have
exchanged photographs. What a delightful, if unexpected,
by product of the History Society’s website.
Tickhill's Parish Room
This is another illustration from The Northern
Star or Yorkshire Magazine, November 1817, and is
the earliest known picture of the Parish Room, then
called the Hospital of St Leonard.
There is little difference from the 1844 illustration in
the Gentlemen's
Magazine which can be seen in
Introducing the
Parish Room Tickhill: A history and guide published
in 2011 by the Parish Room Management Committee, a most
useful 12 page A5 booklet which gives an overview of the
building's history and a description of its use since it
was restored and modernised 2003-2008. The booklet is
available from KSM and other outlets In Tickhill, price
£1.50.
