Hilary's Diaries - Hilary Townsend President of Stalbridge History Society
November 2021 Hilary Townsend
Mr. Wagner, the History Master when I was at school at Gillingham many years ago, used to say regularly to his pupils:
`History is the most important subject in the world because it is the only subject that makes the past intelligible to the present`. He not only made it intelligible, but had a marvellous faculty of bringing it to life. This meant that in my adult life I went to Corsica to find out for myself where Napoleon grew up and to Sicily to find out more about Garibaldi. Eventually, my puzzled travelling companion remarked `What was it about your school that has caused me to be dragged all over Europe looking for historical details`? Mr Wagner’s words come back to me when I look at the program of the Stalbridge History Society in these days. The Dig in Stalbridge Park is beginning to reveal the size and opulence of the house that was once the home of Robert Boyle, the Father of English Society. These discoveries I hope will stimulate more interest in the life and work of this brilliant and most famous son of Stalbridge and result in public recognition here of his work. The recent talk to the Society about Friendly Societies and the opportunity to buy the Sunburst of local poleheads and bring it home, should make their history intelligible to local people cocooned in the Welfare State of the 21st-century. The talk next month about the suffragette movement has already prompted research into its strength and effect in this area, and the position of women before they were able to vote. No I am not a militant feminist and I know the cottage industry of glove making in Stalbridge provided women with some surprising financial independence. On the other hand gloving required many hours hunched over it and was hard on the eyes. Yes, Mr Wagner was right. © Hilary Townsend
November 2021 |
Hilary's Diary
Oct 2021 Sept 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 Diary 2020 |
Discover Dorset – Blackmore Vale Dovecote Press 2004
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Blackmore Vale Childhood Dovecote Press 2006
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One Woman’s Fight for Architectural Heritage 2012
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Stalbridge to Siberia and other places - Silk Hay Books 2018
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Titles by Hilary Townsend
Hilary, from a family of yeoman farmers, grew up in Dorset. As a personnel manager in industry, and later lecturer in management subjects, she wrote magazine and newspaper features for UK and North American markets.
Hilary, from a family of yeoman farmers, grew up in Dorset. As a personnel manager in industry, and later lecturer in management subjects, she wrote magazine and newspaper features for UK and North American markets.
