LOCAL history group, The Frome Society, has published the 27th edition of its annual compendium of historical events and local issues.
The latest compendium contains articles on the great fire of Cheap Street in 1923, a medieval hall in Rode, a fascinating burglar from 1887, the changes and recent growth of the area, a brief survey of failed shops in the town centre, a history of the cottages at Gorehedge, a brief study of what life was like for women in the workhouse, biographies of local worthies and a list of publications available from the society, as well as a comprehensive list of the contents of previous issues of the yearbook going back to 1987.
“The journal has come a long way from those early years and at 164 pages, this is the society’s largest issue so far,” says a spokesperson for the society. “It is issued free to members or obtainable from Winstone’s Hunting Raven bookshop or the newly refurbished museum, worth popping in just to see the improvements.
“The benefits of belonging to the society are many and include not only the annual yearbook but organised summer coach trips, winter lectures, the odd lunch and a raft of publications on local issues and history.
“Among our latest projects is the building of a computer hub for storing information on local history providing a resource for anyone interested in research into the area and its many facets of development and occupants. All this and more is available for an annual membership of only £15.
“Another project just getting underway is an exhibition in conjunction with the museum to celebrate the 50 years since opposition by local people was able to stop the developers from destroying part of the Trinity area of the town, a notable victory that made national news at the time.
“This research is open to anyone with the time to participate and the society would like to hear from anyone who was living in the area at the time or who had relatives living there. If you are living in one of the houses built on the site since that time, your input would also be of great interest.”
To get involved, please contact publications@fsls.org.uk
