How it started
 The Old Post Office 1912
The Society was started in 1994 from a suggestion by Gillian Selley. She had asked, through the Woodbury News magazine, if anyone in the parish was interested in a local history society. We began with about six members, including Eric Ware, Nigel Tucker, Esme Thomson, Margaret Parkinson and Pippa Thompson. Each month we gathered in more members. Our early meetings were held in the small room in the Village Hall on Tuesday evenings, but after one claustrophobic meeting we decided we would have to book the main room in the future. Nigel Tucker was our first chairman, followed by Reg Brown, Arthur Harris (who died in office), John Kirkcaldy, Michael Wilson and then Roger Stokes. The secretary for all the time, apart from a two year respite when Margaret Wilson took over was Gillian Selley. Margaret Wilson was the first treasurer, followed by David Elphick and David Bowers.
Since these early days the Society membership has increased to an average of around 70 members, and we have bi-monthly meetings with quality speakers, and arrange an annual outing to a place of interest each summer. Throughout the period, the Society has held several exhibitions in the Village Hall on matters of local history. The Society has also built up a large reference library where members, and members of the public, can research matters of interest. This website is being set up so that some of the information we have in our reference library can be shared by a greater audience. We also welcome information from Woodbury ex-pats living in all parts of the world, and to date this has proved most interesting. This site is still under construction, so some pages may not yet be complete. There is a lot more to be added!
Latest updates to: 2019 meetings Publications: The Marianne Pidsley Story Woodbury wild flower survey Woodbury Tree survey 1 Woodbury Tree survey 2 Woodbury Tree survey 3 History Newsletter 2017 The Nigel Tucker Collection Society newsletter 2016 Photo Booklet 3 Photo Booklet 4 Photo Booklet 5 Photo Booklet 6 Video presentations by Roger Stokes 2008 - 2017 Memories of village life by George Wilson Archives: Letter from Mr Turner to Winnie Wilson 1935 Various transcribed letters on WS history Isaac Wilson's diary 1847 Wilson family documents 1717 - 1962 Farming Diarys 1918 - 1933 St Swithun's and Christ Church burial lists Blacksmiths Diary 1918 (1919 and 1921 missing) Blacksmiths Diary 1920 Blacksmiths Diary 1922 Blacksmiths Diary 1923 Blacksmiths Diary 1924 Blacksmiths Diary 1925 Blacksmiths Diary 1926 Blacksmiths Diary 1927 Blacksmiths Diary 1928 Blacksmiths Diary 1929 Blacksmiths Diary 1930 Blacksmiths Diary 1931 Blacksmiths Diary 1932 Blacksmiths Diary 1933 Harry Stokes Ledger No. 7 1906 - 1913 Woodbury Church Regulating Rate 1631 Woodbury Church Warden Book 1787 Harry Stokes Ledger No. 6 1905 - 1912 Harry Stokes Ledger No. 5 1912 - 1923 Map and details of the Bell works carried out by Harry Stokes and partners 1858 - 1928 Woodbury Salterton School Admissions 1930 - 2010 Woodbury Salterton School Log Book 1866 - 1990 Woodbury Salterton School Log Book 1919 - 1962 Woodbury Salterton School Log Book 1866 - 1919 Harry Stokes Ledger No.4 1899-1924 Harry Stokes Ledger No.3 1911-1916 The Valuation of Woodbury Parish 1859 Two missing Overseers files Harry Stokes Ledger No.2 1924 - 1933 Harry Stokes - Bellhanger, Carpenter, Undertaker, Blacksmith, Ledger No.1 1899 - 1905 John Stamp audio interview 2003 parts 1 & 2 Bob Miller and wife wartime story (audio) Diane Moger wartime memories of Woodbury (audio) Esme Thomson wartime memories (audio) Eric Ware wartime memories (audio) From the archives: Public Hall inauguration and subsequent sale documents |