How the Society operates and who is on the Committee

Early days

The Tisbury History Society was inaugurated at a meeting in the Methodist Hall in March 1975. Among its first members were Ronald Kirby (Chairman), Eileen Davis (Secretary), Betsy Green (Treasurer), and Rex Galpin (Photographer). Since its founding, the Society has provided a focus on local history through discussion, lectures and publications.

The first book of Tisbury history was published by Ms Emily Miles in 1920 using sources collected by her own family, the Osmonds, as well as historical details of St John’s Church collated by the vicar, the Revd. F. E. Hutchinson. Subsequently, Ralph Jackson, went much deeper into all aspects of the village and published a comprehensive collection of essays (retained in the Archives Room), which have served as the basis of much later study.

Members of the Society have continued to research and publish works of historical value to the community which include the following:

  • ‘Reflections’, a Biography of Tisbury Life – Kathleen Mould
  • Looking Around Tisbury, 1984
  • The Pythouse Riots – Dr Mary Dalton, 1993
  • The Nadder Valley in Old Photographs – Rex Sawyer, 1994
  • Tales of the Nadder Valley – Rex Sawyer, 1995
  • Tisbury At War – Jim Naish, 1995
  • A History of the Parish Church of St John – Rex Sawyer, 1999
  • A Millennium Photographic Project of Tisbury Life – John Pope, 200
  • The Tisbook. A presentation of Tisbury’s past: 1900-2005
  • The Tisbury Jubilee Book 1902-2002. Published by the Tisbury History Society 2002
  • The Tisbury Boys – Tisbury and the Great War, Published by the Tisbury History Society 2014
  • The Tisbury History Trail 2019 (with support from Tisbury Parish Council).

Today’s Society leadership

The Society is led by a Committee which is elected by the membership at the Annual General Meeting. The Officers of the Committee are the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer with six members.

The current committee members include:

Chairman:           Anne Martin

Treasurer:           Paul Naish  (Tel: 01747 870731, treasurer@tisburyhistory.co.uk )

Secretary:           Judith Hassey (Tel:  01747 871105, secretary@tisburyhistory.co.uk)

Members:            Nicole Bartlett, Caroline Dakers, Tony Kent, Christina Lovell-Wood, Tina Richard, Roger Walker, Julia Willcock

Current Society objectives

  • Providing an education forum based on an annual series of lectures and visits concerned with history of interest to members of the Society;
  • Receiving, storing, and maintaining archives and artefacts related to the history of Tisbury and its adjoining villages;
  • Supporting those engaged in research and enquiry about history related to Tisbury and its adjoining villages; and
  • Publishing and displaying the contents of the archives and artefacts within the Society’s possession for local interest and education.
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