Westbury Family History Group – upcoming talks

The end of September and the beginning of October is going to be a busy time for the Westbury Family History Group.

The speakers at the monthly meeting, that will be held at 7.15 on Thursday 22nd September, are Judy and Chris Rouse. Their talk ‘The Life & Death of a Country Policeman’ is about Enos Molden from Warminster, who was the first policeman to be murdered on duty in Wiltshire in 1891, and the trial of his murderer, which covers police history, assize records, census and BMD records, and local newspapers.

This year the group has  two events in the Westbury Festival. The first is a exhibition to held on the 1st October in the Parish Hall at All Saints Church in Westbury from 10am – 4pm. ‘Heywood House in the Great War’ looks at the role the house played as a Voluntary Aid Hospital when it opened its doors to the wounded returning from the front, many of whom would probably been injured in the Battle of the Somme. Come and see this fascinating exhibition with photographs taken in and around the house at that time.

Read the ‘Heywood Lyon’ the in-house magazine published in 1916 by the staff and patients and discover information about the nursing staff and patients who spent time there and the Westbury residents who worked there. We will be joined by C Company Rolling History who will have a field hospital tent on display.

On Saturday the 8th October the Westbury Area Family History Group will be holding its bi-annual Open Day at the Methodist Church on Station Road from 10am – 4pm. Members of the group will be on hand to give help and advice to those who wish to get started on researching their family tree. It will also be second chance to have view the exhibition ‘Heywood House in the Great War’.

The group meet in the foyer of the Methodist Church on Station Road at 7.15pm on the 4th Thursday of the month.