News & Information

I hope it's not too late to wish you all a happy and successful 2012.

Can I remind you that we will be at Weston Library running our usual Help Session this Saturday January 21st between 2.00 and 3.30pm. Anyone is welcome - you do not need to be members - and you do not need to be researching Somerset ancestors - we try to help wherever you family originated.

The Speaker at our next Society Meeting, on Tuesday 31st January will be Kath Merryweather and her topic is Irish Ancestry.  You can find out more about her on http://www.irishancestors4u.com/.  The cost of the meeting is £1.00 for members and £1.50 for visitors which includes refreshments.

The meeting is also the deadline for items for the next issue of Bucket and Spades, our Journal, and Paul Tracey would be pleased to accept any article (however short) concerned with your Family History Research or which you think would be of interest to our members.  If you are stuck on any part of your research why not explain your problem in a short item for the journal or use the Research Queries on this site to ask for help.

Looking ahead, we will be visiting The National Archives on Tuesday February 21st and Brian Airey still has a few seats on the coach available.  We will be picking up in Weston-super-Mare and Clevedon.  Just click on the "Visit to National Archives at Kew" on this page under Forthcoming Events for more details.

Mrs Alan Roland Tompson/ Anne Elizabeth (nee Hay) wife of Alan Tompson passed away earlier this year.

Anne was born in Wales during 1923  the family then moved to London where she was educated after which she joined the Air Ministry during WW2. In 1951 Anne joined the Control Commission in Germany returning to London and transfering  the Secretariat Entebbe Uganda where she met and married Alan in 1952.

In 1954 they immigrated to Canada, during which time for some 10 years Anne was with the BC Public Service.

The Weston Cemetery in Milton Road is now under the auspices of the Weston Town Council and the Chapel has been recently renovated.  See www.weston-super-maretowncouncil.gov.uk/cemetery.aspx for more details.

See our Publications for Sale for more information about this searchable CD which contains details of each grave and who is buried there.

The Weston Cemetery in Milton Road is now under the auspices of the Weston Town Council and the Chapel has been recently renovated.  See www.weston-super-maretowncouncil.gov.uk/cemetery.aspx for more details.

The Chapel is open to the public on the 2nd Saturday of each month from 1.30pm until 3.30pm.  There is an audio tour available which will point out important features of the Cemetery and an exhibition of photography.  Access will also be available to the CD produced by this Society about the burials and memorial inscriptions in the Cemetery. 

See our Publications for Sale for more information about this searchable CD which contains details of each grave and who is buried there. On Saturday 14th May from 2.30pm Pat Hase will be giving a short illustrated talk in the Chapel about the development of the Cemetery and the Victorian way of Death.

I'm gradually adding the results of my research into Axbridge Union Workhouse under Members' Research.  There is still more to come but all the censuses are now there as are some of the Births, Baptisms and Deaths at the Workhouse.  Please note that these databases may not be exact transcripts but have been amended in the light of other knowledge and may have additional notes.

If any of you have found people in Axbridge Workhouse I would be delighted to hear from you and I may well have additional information.

Mary Habberfield passed away peacefully at Chichester Sussex UK on the 10.03.2011 It is reported that a good number of her friends and extended family attended the funeral at Chichester on the 23.03.2011.

Mary Habberfield embarked on a career in the film industry at Ealing Studios where she remained up and into the 1970's. She will be remembered for her successful career in the industry.

Mary's Father was associated with the early days of the cinema which became known as the "Gaumont Cinemas".

Mary Habberfield was:

Editor 1943 of the 'Bells Go Down'
Sound Cutter 1943 'San Demetrio London'
  "     "    1945 'Johnny Frenchman'
Dubbing Editor 1945 'Dead of Night'
   "     "     1945 'Painted Boats'
Sound Cutter 1946 'Bedelia'
Dubbing Editor 1946 'Captive Heart'
Sound Editor 1946 'Hue and Cry'
Dubbing Editor 1947 'Against the Wind'
Sound Editor 1949 'Eureka Stockade'
Sound Editor 1950 'Bitter Springs'
Dubbing Editor 1951 'I Believe in You'
   "       "   1951 'Secret People'
   "       "   1952 'The Cruel Sea'
   "       "   1952 'Mandy'
   "       "   1952 'The Titfield Thunderbolt'
   "       "   1952 'The Gentle Gunman'
   "       "   1954 'Maggie'
 Sound Editor  1955 'The Colditz Story'

Other well known success's included the film 'Passport to Pimlico'.

Mary Habberfield was Producer of the films 'General Gowon's State visit to Britain' (1973) and of 'The State visit to Turkey of Queen Elizabeth 11 (1971).