Welcome to MyThornbury's local history section. There's plenty to explore:
Thornbury & District Museum
The museum was started in 1986 to house a collection of artefacts bequeathed to The Thornbury Society, and rapidly expanded. It is an independent museum and financed by grants and donations.
Come and visit our exhibition rooms, chat to our volunteers, visit our shop, enjoy your local museum. Click here to visit the Museum's website.
Thornbury Local History and Archaeology Society
Thornbury's local history society meets monthly - details on the right, and have produced a series of articles based on these talks. Visit the Society's page for more information and to read the articles (articles are also listed below).
Local history groups
Lots of local history groups, covering a variety of subject areas.
Resources
Our local history resources page has links to many useful websites.
Local history books
Old maps
Explore MyThornbury's collection of old maps of Thornbury and the surrounding area. Includes a map browser that lets you switch between different age maps.
Old photos
We've teamed up with Francis Frith to offer reprints of old Thornbury and district photos.
We'd also like to recommend the fascinating Images of Thornbury site, with its large collection of old photos and now-and-then comparisons.
Arnos Vale Cemetery (Nov 2009)
Basket Weaving (Oct 2009)
The Luftwaffe's Attacks (Sep 2009)
Redcliff Street, Bristol (Apr 2009)
Gloucestershire ballads (Mar 2009)
Farm buildings (Feb 2009)
Bristol Castle (Jan 2009)
Walls & boundaries (Dec 2008)
Dark Satanic Mills (Nov 2008)
Clarkson and the Slave Trade (Oct 2008)
What to wear at work (Sep 2008)
Thornbury Pubs (Mar 2008)
Rethinking Militancy (Feb 2008)
Down the Garden Path (Jan 2008)
The Slave Trade (Dec 2007)
Crinoline and Corsets (Nov 2007)
Love Thy Neighbour (Oct 2007)
Digging up the Glass Works (Mar 2007)
Death and disease on the SS Great Britain (Jan 2007)
How the forest was won (Oct 2006)
Clifton Rocks Railway
Gloucester and Sharpness Canal
In sickness and in health
Mr Lister - a gentleman employer
More
This site has an excellent database of monumental inscriptions from Thornbury Cemetery and St Mary's Church, complete with photographs, and has recently added the monumental inscriptions from the United Reformed Church as well as details of births, marriages and burials from the URC registers up to about 1900.
There's a searchable database of Thornbury Trade directories, with 24 directories included, covering the period 1790 to 1939. There are also various Voter Lists, Coroners Lists, Street Directories and a gallery of old Thornbury adverts from local businesses.
There are in-depth histories of the houses in many of the older streets of Thornbury and of the families who lived in them with an extensive collection of photographs.
7.30pm, The Chantry
We meet every 3rd Thursday in the month.
Email:
1pm, meet at Purton Lower Bridge
A programme of guided tours through the remains of the Purton Hulks, in the company of L. P. Barnett, Marine Historian and Winner of the Nautical Archaeological Societies: National Adopt A Wreck Award 2007 and Certificate of Merit 2008.
Tour fee £3.50 per person. Approx tour time 2 hours, weather permitting.
Slide show presentations also available upon request. For more information, phone Paul Barnett on 07833 143231 or email below:
www.mythornbury.co.uk/thornbury/l...
Email:
Edward Jenner Museum, Berkeley
With Dr Stuart Prior (University of Bristol) Cost: £10 including glass of wine or juice.
This year’s archaeological dig has revealed more tantalizing clues to the early history of Berkeley.
In his larger-than-life style, Doctor Stuart Prior, the biker-archaeologist, will wade through mud, bones and a few oyster shells to present the latest findings and ideas.
Stuart Prior is a Lecturer in the Department of Archaeology & Anthropology, Bristol University, and the Fieldwork Director for the Berkeley Castle Project. He was also once a gravedigger.
Organised by The Edward Jenner Museum, it is intended that the Old Cyder House talks will become a permanent fixture offering a mix of informative and entertaining subjects to the public.
The admission charge will usually include a glass of wine and all profits will go to the charitable trust running The Edward Jenner Museum in Berkeley.
Sarah Parker, Museum Director said: "The Old Cyder House Talks are a new venture for us in a year where we have introduced events for the first time. We are delighted to have some very notable speakers and we are grateful that they are willing to support our Museum. Hopefully there will be something for everyone to be interested in!"
www.jennermuseum.com
Email:
7.30pm, United Reformed Church
We meet every 1st Thursday in the month. Please use the side door.
Email:
Saturday 10 and 17 April, 2-4pm, Thornbury Library
This event is part of the Springing into Life Festival, aimed at older people, which takes place from 10-23 April.
Trace your family tree using the Ancestry family history website. Please note we can offer help with using the website but cannot trace your family tree for you.
PLEASE NOTE WE WOULD BE VERY GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD BOOK IN ADVANCE FOR THESE FREE EVENTS AS PLACES ARE LIMITED.
www.mythornbury.co.uk/thornbury/s...
7.30pm, St Mary's Church Hall, Thornbury
The Berkeleys and Berkeley Castle, Speaker: Anton Bantock
Non-members – or indeed, new members – are always most welcome. A charge of £2.50 is made to non-members. Further information is available below.
www.mythornbury.co.uk/thornbury_s...
Email:
7.30pm, The Chantry
We meet every 3rd Thursday in the month.
Email:
Saturday 10 and 17 April, 2-4pm, Thornbury Library
This event is part of the Springing into Life Festival, aimed at older people, which takes place from 10-23 April.
Trace your family tree using the Ancestry family history website. Please note we can offer help with using the website but cannot trace your family tree for you.
PLEASE NOTE WE WOULD BE VERY GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD BOOK IN ADVANCE FOR THESE FREE EVENTS AS PLACES ARE LIMITED.
www.mythornbury.co.uk/thornbury/s...
2pm, meet at Purton Lower Bridge
A programme of guided tours through the remains of the Purton Hulks, in the company of L. P. Barnett, Marine Historian and Winner of the Nautical Archaeological Societies: National Adopt A Wreck Award 2007 and Certificate of Merit 2008.
Tour fee £3.50 per person. Approx tour time 2 hours, weather permitting.
Slide show presentations also available upon request. For more information, phone Paul Barnett on 07833 143231 or email below:
www.mythornbury.co.uk/thornbury/l...
Email:
10am-12noon, Thornbury Library
This event is part of the Springing into Life Festival, aimed at older people, which takes place from 10-23 April.
PLEASE NOTE WE WOULD BE VERY GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD BOOK IN ADVANCE FOR THESE FREE EVENTS AS PLACES ARE LIMITED.
www.mythornbury.co.uk/thornbury/s...
1pm, Cossham Hall
Tickets £5
An illustrated talk by Peter Street on the growth of resorts in Victorian times following the development of the raliways.
www.thornburyartsfestival.com
7.30pm (No interval), Armstrong Hall
Tickets £9 (concessions £7)
Who are we and where do we come from? Through stones and bones and genes the story unfolds.
www.thornburyartsfestival.com
