Swindon in the Past Lane

If you haven’t got around to visiting the Richard Jefferies Museum yet this spring, then Sunday June 2 is the perfect time to do so. Take a trip on the Coate Water Miniature Railway , making sure you alight at the Richard Jefferies Halt. Visit the museum, enjoy a walk around the grounds and partake of a cream tea in the Mulberry Tearoom, but make sure you are present for the unveiling of the Swindon Heritage blue plaque at 3 pm. This will be the 8 th Swindon Heritage blue plaque erected to mark significant people, places and events in the history of Swindon. The first was installed in May 2016 at 24 North Street, the birthplace of militant suffragette Edith New who campaigned for women’s suffrage alongside Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters and engaged in innovative and dangerous methods of protest. The second and third blue plaques were installed in a double event to honour the bravery of Squadron Leader Harold Morley Starr and his brother Wing Commander Norman J...

Today we have not one, not even two but three guided walks taking place at Radnor Street Cemetery, each one taking a different route and visiting different graves. Noel Beauchamp, Andy Binks, Noel Ponting and I will be taking you on two different GWR themed guided walks around the cemetery at 11 am and 2 pm while at 12.30 Phil Comley will be conducting a guided walk of the military graves. Working in partnership with Swindon175 we have a growing number of exhibitors joining us for the first ever Swindon Heritage History Day. Want to know where your ancestor is buried in Radnor Street Cemetery? We will have volunteers who can search the burial registers for you. And if you'd like to know more about your ancestor's funeral, visit the staff at the A.E. Smith stand who will be bringing copies of their ledgers with them. Cemetery follower Maggie says: "Bring photos and information about your ancestors who are buried at Radnor Street cemetery. We'll have temporary...

The team from Swindon Heritage will be launching the publication of the Autumn edition of the magazine at the Richard Jefferies Museum tomorrow. The farmhouse at Coate was the home of Victorian naturist, novelist, poet and journalist Richard Jefferies and throughout the day Dr Mike Pringle will be conducting tours of the property. Mike will also be signing copies of his own book Swindon - Remembering 1914-18, the story of how Swindonians served in and survived the Great War. Read about Kate Tryon in the Autumn edition of Swindon Heritage. An American artist and Jefferies devotee, Kate wrote an account of the first of her three visits to Jefferies Land to accompany a series of paintings, some of which will be on display at the museum tomorrow. Visitors are invited to join the Bluegate Poets annual open day and barbecue, which begins at 3pm. Come and make a day of it at the Richard Jefferies Museum, Coate . Mike Pringle Richard Jefferies Kate Tryon ...