Talk on clay pipes for Family History group

On Thursday 24th November the Westbury Family History Group will be welcoming Marek Lewcun, who will be giving a talk about the history of clay pipes.

Marek Lewcun is an archaeologist, currently working as supervisor for Wessex Archaeology, and specialises in the research of people in Somerset and Wiltshire who made clay tobacco pipes between 1600 and 1900.

The making of pipes was not a common occupation, and the centre of pipe making in the region was in Norton St Philip and Rode, but Westbury had its own pipe makers in the 17th century.

Perhaps unknown to many readers is that the names of these makers can be found on the fragments of pipe which can be found in gardens, allotments and local fields.

Marek’s talk is based on over 30 years of research, and it will be fully illustrated and accompanied by a display of pipes. If any readers would like to find out more, or have found pieces of pipe and would like have them identified, then they are invited to bring them along. The group meet in the foyer of the Methodist Church on Station Road at 7.15pm on the 4th Thursday of the month.