History Evening talks

Since the present History Group was formed in 2008, we have had a series of History Evenings aimed at (hopefully in an enjoyable way) giving people a better understanding of their village's history. Here's a summary of the events we have held - we will gradually give access to as much of the information as we can.

  • February 2010 - A talk by Sarah Harbige, of the Dorset AONB's Ridgeway Heritage project, on what makes this area of Dorset so special. Also talks by Peter Sheaves on a project to investigate the history of the village's buildings, and by Bill Egerton on the families that were Lords of Sutton Poyntz Manor from AD891 to 1925.
  • March 2011 - A talk by Richard Samways, archivist of Weymouth Museum, on the Great Sutton Poyntz Murder.
  • March 2014 - A talk by John Willows, of the Wessex Water Museum in Sutton Poyntz, on Brunel's Great Eastern and its relationship with the Sutton Poyntz waterworks.
  • January 2015 - A talk by Joyce Fannon, of the Thomas Buxton Society, on Sir Thomas Buxton, M.P. for Weymouth, and his role in the ending of slavery.
  • October 2015 - Slide show, presenting a number of slides taken or collected by Fredy Litschi, in and around the village.
  • October 2016 - An expanded talk by Bill Egerton on the families that had been Lords of Sutton Poyntz Manor.
  • September 2017 - A fascinating and often hilarious film show, with old film taken around Dorset, collected by the Windrose Trust's "Handing Down Heritage" project.
  • March 2018 - A talk on the Sutton Poyntz Waterworks, by John Willows, of the Wessex Water Museum.
  • March 2019 - A talk by Pru Bollam, of the Weymouth Civic Society, on Ernest Wamsley Lewis, architect, who designed and built several houses around Sutton Poyntz.
  • September 2021 - A talk, at the Society AGM, by Bill Egerton on the history and origins of place names in and around the village.
  • March 2022 - A talk by ffiona Peregrinor, authoress, on Lady Alice de Bryan, who owned the Manor of Sutton Poyntz in the 15th Century, and on Alice's near-contemporary, Margery Kempe.
  • April 2024 - A talk by Bill Egerton on times that Sutton Poyntz made the news, between c1800 and 1939. Click here for a copy of the talk, and for an annex containing some other stories that could not be included in the available time.