Women have always been inventive. Where would we be today without Ada Lovelace (1815-1852)[1] who wrote the first computer programme, or Marie Cure (1867-1939)[2] the first woman to receive the Nobel Prize who discovered radium and polonium and used her knowledge to improve x-ray machines, or Dorset-born business woman Eleanor Coade (1733-1821) [3] who developed … Read more
In January 1881 four days of extremely severe weather brought large areas of England to a standstill, with southern England particularly badly effected. From the 17th to 20th January 1881 a heavy fall of snow accompanied by very strong winds created deep snow drifts that blocked homes, roads and the rail network. Telegraph wires were … Read more
The case of Miles v. Magan for breach of promise of marriage was scheduled to be held at the Bristol Assizes on 18 August 1858. With the defendant named as the member of parliament for Westmeath in Ireland, damages laid at £10,000 and some hundreds of love letters ready to be produced as evidence, the … Read more
At 4.40 pm on Monday, 30 September 1940, the Blitz came to Sherborne when German planes dropped several hundred bombs across the town in a straight line from Lenthay Common to Crackmore. Seventeen people, including six children, died as a result of the bombing, and over thirty casualties were taken to the Yeatman Hospital.[1] Under … Read more
Mrs Effield Bogle breathed her last at the Old Bank House, Long Street, Sherborne, on 28 May 1905. A few days later the following obituary appeared in the Western Chronicle: ‘The death is recorded of Mrs Bogle, widow of the late Major Bogle, V.C., a very old resident of the town, who passed away at … Read more
Elizabeth ‘Bess’ Throckmorton was born in 1565, the daughter of Sir Nicholas Throckmorton, a cousin of Catherine Parr who served as ambassador to France and Scotland, and Anne Carew, daughter of Sir Nicholas Carew of Beddington, Surrey. Bess’s brother Arthur Throckmorton paid to install her as one of Queen Elizabeth I’s Ladies-in-Waiting, where she was … Read more
Ann Hosey was born at Sherborne on 8 November 1721, the youngest child of Elias Hosey (1670-1762), an attorney, and Gertrude (née Goare) (1684-1755). On 30 April 1753 Ann was married in Sherborne Abbey to the Rev. Edward Cotes (1724-1780), son of the Rev. Digby Cotes (1683-1744) of Coleshill, Warwickshire, and grandson of the Hon. … Read more
Catherine ‘Kitty’ Frances Atkins was born in Scotland on 11 November 1806, the daughter of Charles Atkins, a scene painter. Catherine first met the actor and theatre manager William Charles Macready (1793-1873) in Glasgow when she was 9-years-old when he scolded her for not knowing her lines. They met again in the summer of 1820 … Read more