Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre
LightNews LightNews
banner
heritagewshc.bsky.social
Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre
@heritagewshc.bsky.social
1.9K followers 780 following 73 posts
Home to 11 miles of archives & local studies collections, charting the history of people, places and events across Wiltshire & Swindon.
Posts Replies Media Videos
heritagewshc.bsky.social
Join us and the Wiltshire Family History Society this Saturday (1 Nov) for our Family History Day with talks, displays & expert advice. Whether a novice or seasoned researcher, there's something for everyone.
Runs 10am to 4pm. No need to book.
#familyhistory #genealogy
Poster giving details of the Family History Day at the Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre with the Wiltshire Family History Society. The event runs from 10am to 4pm on Saturday 1st November. There are talks, displays and advice. There is a behind the scenes tour at 2pm - first come first served. Refreshments available and there is no need to book. The background to the text is an image of the Seymour family coat of arms and part of the family tree which appears on a document call the Seymour Pedigree which is held at the History Centre.
October 29, 2025 at 9:25 AM
heritagewshc.bsky.social
Looking for something different to do? Why not drop into the History Centre for this year's Teen Takeover event. Doors open 10am (Sat 18th). Your chance to get hands on with #history, handle original documents, go #behindthescenes & discover just how many famous people feature in your #archives.👇
October 17, 2025 at 6:08 PM
heritagewshc.bsky.social
A great afternoon with #media students from #WiltshireCollege (Chippenham campus) and their tutor Kate Samways. The young film makers were learning about research methods & using the many #localstudies, #archive & #ephemera resources available at the History Centre.

#archives #ExploreYourArchive
Four students - two partially hidden - filming with digital cameras on tripods, looking at newspaper pages on microfilm readers. Watched by their tutor, foreground right. In the background are rolling stacks - shelves - of the Performing Arts Library. Close-up image on the left of a student's hands adjusting a digital camera to film a microfilm reader showing the front page of The Wiltshire Times newspaper. From the right is the hand and arm of another student adjusting the microfilm reader.
October 6, 2025 at 4:43 PM
heritagewshc.bsky.social
Sir Christopher Wren, Arts & Crafts #architect Detmar Blow, Augustus Pugin & James Wyatt - aka 'Wyatt the Destroyer' - all feature in our displays for #HeritageOpenDay tomorrow Saturday 20th @heritagewshc.bsky.social Join us from 10am to celebrate all things #architectural

#architecture #archives
Poster for the free open day at Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre which runs from 10am to 4pm Saturday 20th September. Conservation Labs also open from 10am to 1pm. Other attractions include displays of architectural themed items from the archive & local studies collections. There is also a pop-up Heritage Cafe. A photo of St Paul's Cathedral in London showing the dome and the south side of the building. A photograph of the west end of Salisbury Cathedral on a sunny day with a cloudless blue sky in the background and shadows on the grass in the foreground from trees. Postcard showing Stonehenge from the early 1900s when it was undergoing repairs. Some of the stones are propped up and there are people standing around the stones.
September 19, 2025 at 2:15 PM
heritagewshc.bsky.social
Join us this Saturday 20th for our annual #heritageopenday this year celebrating all things architectural from our #archives & #localstudies collections. Meet the experts on #househistory & #familyhistory and why not drop in for a cuppa at our pop-up Heritage Café. See poster for more details.👇
Poster for Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre’s “Architecture in the Archives” Open Day on 20 September, 10am–4pm. Includes event details: archive displays, behind-the-scenes tours, conservation lab visits (10am–1pm), and a pop-up café. Poster includes photo of the History Centre plus logos for Wiltshire Council, Heritage Open Days, and Swindon Borough Council. A pink banner reads “FREE TO EXPLORE.”
September 16, 2025 at 1:54 PM
heritagewshc.bsky.social
A reminder that we are open on the first Saturday of every month. We are also running free "Treasures from History" sessions. The search room is open from 9.30am and the "Treasures" session runs for an hour from 11am.
#ExploreYourArchive #archives
A bundle of leaflets advertising Treasures From History sessions at the History Centre with the sub heading Get Hands-on and Explore, Discover, Do! Page from the Treasure From History leaflet including information about the sessions and feedback from an attendee who said: "It is like being shown a hidden world, and it's amazing to know how to engage with the History Centre..."
September 4, 2025 at 4:35 PM
heritagewshc.bsky.social
Pupils at #Melksham Lowbourne enjoyed another holiday on 11 May so the school choirs could compete in the Mid Somerset Musical Festival. The seniors came 2nd, just one point behind the winners. Competition was also close for the juniors who came 4th - 5pts behind the winners.
#VEDay #VEDay80
May 8, 2025 at 12:59 PM
heritagewshc.bsky.social
At #Melksham Lowbourne pupils gathered on #VEDay for a thanksgiving service, then "assembled in front of the school where the Union Jack was hoisted. After singing the National Anthem the children were dismissed until Thursday a.m."
#VEDay80
May 8, 2025 at 12:59 PM
heritagewshc.bsky.social
#OTD 1945 the headteacher of King William Street school, #Swindon notes that May 8 & 9 were public holidays. May 10 was Ascension Day & pupils gathered to march to church. "The attendance was not so good... on account of the after effects of the celebrations the previous day."
#VEDay #VEDay80
May 8, 2025 at 12:59 PM
heritagewshc.bsky.social
Not content with a two-day holiday, the school logbook reports Melksham St Michael's mothers providing a Victory tea. Youngsters enjoyed jelly, ice-cream & cakes. "...there was sufficient food left to take cakes to the absent children still in quarantine for mumps or measles." #VEDay80 #VEDay
May 8, 2025 at 12:30 PM
heritagewshc.bsky.social
"This is VE Day. The school assembled in full force, and with many parents, went to a Children's thanksgiving service in the Church." So wrote the headteacher of Melksham St Michael's school #OTD 8th May 1945. Hymns, psalm & anthem were all practised in school ahead of the service.
#VEDay80 #VEDay
May 8, 2025 at 12:30 PM
heritagewshc.bsky.social
#OTD in the early hours 7 May 1945, Germany signed an unconditional surrender. #Churchill declared 8 May #VEDay. Brig. Jack Parham, with the British 2nd Army in Luneberg travelled to the Baltic sea port of Travemunde. His pocket diaries form part of his #archive held at the History Centre. #VEDay80
May 7, 2025 at 5:30 PM
heritagewshc.bsky.social
It's #localhistorymonth which means a host of events, talks & exhibitions in #libraries across #Wiltshire, promoting local history. As we mark #VEDay80 many events have a wartime theme. Check out the Wiltshire Libraries website for more information. libraries.wiltshire.gov.uk/-/local-hist...
A crowd of cheering women workers at Hadens factory in Trowbridge stand either side of Queen Mary who visited the factory during the Second World War. In the background three women look out from a first floor window. Queen Mary is wearing a long coat with a fir lined collar and is wearing a hat.
May 5, 2025 at 7:38 PM
heritagewshc.bsky.social
#OTD 4 May 1945 the Salisbury & Winchester Journal reports on preparations for the end of war in Europe. Civil Defence is disbanded, local churches prepare for special services & #bellringers look forward to ringing celebratory peels after almost 6yrs of silence.
#VEDay80 #churchbells #peace
May 4, 2025 at 6:26 PM
heritagewshc.bsky.social
Despite peace being so close, families continue to receive news of the death of loved ones. Writing to Edith Olivier #OTD 1945, with Germany's surrender just days away, Siegfried Sassoon reports: "Poor Mrs Hancock's eldest son has been killed in Germany."
#VEDay80 #archives #exploreyourarchive
May 3, 2025 at 10:35 PM
heritagewshc.bsky.social
After almost six years of war people are preparing for #peace, but feelings are bittersweet. #OTD 1945 poet Siegfried Sassoon, who fought in the First World War, writes: "... I can't feel emotionally excited by it. Merely thankful..."
#VEDay80 #archives #letters
May 3, 2025 at 10:35 PM
heritagewshc.bsky.social
#OTD 3 May 1945 #poet Siegfried Sassoon writes to Edith Olivier with a mix of personal news & comments on impending peace in Europe. "What a week of wild news! I suppose nothing more extraordinary is likely to happen in so few days during the next 100 years!"
#VEDay80 #archives
May 3, 2025 at 10:35 PM
heritagewshc.bsky.social
Sign up for Saturday's (May 3) "Treasures from the Archives" session starting at 11am. Community History Advisor Gianna will be leading the session looking at traditional recipes. Register your interest at archives@wiltshire.gov.uk
#exploreyourarchives #archivetreasures #archives
April 28, 2025 at 4:39 PM
heritagewshc.bsky.social
Join us at the History Centre Monday (28 April) for the first script in hand performance of Fire & Milk. Performance begins at 12noon & is free to attend. The play from SHOUTING Softly Swindon project is inspired by the women of #Swindon.
@artscouncilengland.bsky.social @primetheatre.bsky.social
April 23, 2025 at 11:25 AM
heritagewshc.bsky.social
Colleagues Terry, Julie & Ian setting up for today's @cilip.bsky.social Local Studies Group conference. Julie & Ian presenting on @heritagewshc.bsky.social #outreach & #wellbeing programmes.
#libraries #localstudies
Large projector screen showing home slide from PowerPoint presentation for the Local Studies Group of CILIP 2025 conference. The conference theme is Local Studies and Community Wellbeing. View from the back of a hall showing chairs, digital projector and screen plus one person to the left of the image setting up the PowerPoint presentation on a laptop. The screen shows the home slide for the Local Studies Group of CILIP conference on Community & Wellbeing.
April 7, 2025 at 10:15 AM
heritagewshc.bsky.social
A call for papers from the West of England and South Wales Women's History Network annual conference!

This year's theme is Historical Perspectives on Women and Food on Saturday 11th October 2025 to be held at the University of Exeter. #womenshistory
March 19, 2025 at 1:39 PM
heritagewshc.bsky.social
Please note that week commencing 24th March there may be some noise affecting the searchroom due to redevelopment work taking place in an adjacent room. Apologies for any inconvenience this causes during your visit.
March 11, 2025 at 9:27 AM
heritagewshc.bsky.social
A wonderful Wednesday celebrating our fantastic #volunteers with Cllr Sven Hocking @wiltscouncil.bsky.social A special shout out to Wiltshire Family History Society who've completed transcribing the county's parish registers. #familyhistory #genealogy #archives #heritage #cake
February 26, 2025 at 11:10 PM
heritagewshc.bsky.social
A fantastic start to the week: a packed house for the latest in @wiltshistory.bsky.social lecture series + annual visit from Bath Spa University's #Heritage Management MA students (pictured) + Wilts Record Society meeting. All in a day's work.
#archives #exploreyourarchive #history #localstudies
February 24, 2025 at 11:14 PM
heritagewshc.bsky.social
Make 2025 the year of discovery & join our new *Treasures from the Archives* group. These informal sessions, led by Community History Advisor Gianna, are an ideal introduction to the #archives & work of the History Centre. Join us for the first session on 1st March at 11am.
#exploreyourarchive
February 19, 2025 at 4:58 PM