The OPC is Teresa Lewis
Contiguous Parishes (our neighbours)
Blackland – Bremhill – Cherhill – Chippenham – Chittoe – Compton Bassett – Derry Hill with Pewsham – Heddington – Highway
Websites of Interest
Calne Past and Present – A blog that writes about Calne’s past, as well as topical events.
Calne Heritage Centre – The home of Calne’s history and heritage. It contains thousands of photographs of local people, events, and places, along with many documents and artefacts.
St. Mary’s Church – Services and events.
The Parish Church of St. Mary The Virgin
Calne St. Mary
One of Wiltshire’s “woollen churches” standing beside the Bath Road on Church Street, Calne. A spacious church of the 15th century, its central tower collapsed in 1638 and was rebuilt by around 1650 at the north transept. With its fine clerestory, battlements and parapets, the church represents a magnificent monument to clothier opulence.
St. Mary Gallery St. Mary’s Interior Gallery
Floor Plan of St. Mary’s c1900
Church News
Church Officials
Memorial Plaques
Parish Register Transcripts
Baptisms
Marriages
Parish Records held at WSHC
Baptisms 1538-1994
Marriages 1538-1985
Burials 1538-1987
Parish History
National Gazetteer Entry 1868 History of the Borough & Town 1904
The parish includes Quemerford, Ratford and Stockley. Derry Hill and Studley are also within this parish. Derry Hill has a dedicated parish page and Studley can be found within the parish of Bremhill within this web site. Population in 1831 was 4876 and in 1951 was 5553
Civil Registration
1837 – April 1936 Calne Registration District
April 1836 – Present Chippenham Registration District
Calne without including Quemerford has always come under the Chippenham Registration District
High Sheriffs of Wiltshire Nominations
Twin Towns
Wiltshire’s Twin Towns Twin Towns Gallery
Buildings and Land
Agriculture
Cattle Plague Regulations 1867
Cemeteries
Curzon Street Cemetery
Curzon Street Cemetery Gallery
Fires
General Items
Indenture between John Embry & John Ladd 1813
Hospitals and Asylums
Calne Private Asylum
Indentures
Lease – Sheppard to Oriel 1731
Land Tax
Appointment of Select Commissioners for Land and Assessed Taxes 1842
Leisure Facilities
Grant for Disabled Access to Swimming Pool 2009
Maps
Map of Proposed Parish Boundary Changes (date unknown) Ordnance Surveyor’s Drawings 1808-1811 Ordnance Surveyor’s Drawings 1813-1814
Public Houses
Kings Arms, Calne
The cellar was a cell in which lived a Saxon Anchorite, pilgrims coming from all over England to see this remarkable woman. The cult was suppressed by the Church in 861, and, after the Battle of Worcester, two Cavaliers hid here. A famous coaching inn, details of the Hop and Eclipse coaches to London and Bath can still be seen painted on the archway, and a former landlord, who had the distinguished title of ‘King of Ribbons,’ drove the Dart coach from Calne to Oxford and back during the hours of daylight. (Sources required for the above as I have been unable to find any documentary evidence: TJH)
King George Inn
White Hart Inn, London Road
Closed. For Sale 2020, planning permission granted for 8 dwellings plus public house, £550,000 Guide Price – Freehold
Railway
The first train to arrive in Calne was a goods train carrying 100 pigs, along with other goods, such as coal. The train arrived on the broad gauge track on 29 October 1863 at 8:30am.
The Calne branch of the railway opened to passengers on Tuesday, 3 November, 1863.
The last passenger train to run on the Calne branch was the Calne to Chippenham. It carried 142 passengers with a capacity of 262, leaving at 11:20pm. 18 September 1965.
Railway News 1850-1899 Great Western Railway Staff Changes 1937
Roads
Calne Turnpike Roads 1847 Calne, Hilmarton & Lyneham Turnpike Roads 1847
Crime and Legal Matters
Assaults
| Attack on George Brown 1850-1851 | Trivial Assault – Richens v Slade 1888 | Borough Police Case – Frederick Edwards 1890 | In the Courts – Thomas Henly 1890 |
| Assault at Fish Shop 1902 |
Bastardy
The definition of a bastard for the period when examinations were carried out by parish overseers and local justices is as follows:- any child born out of wedlock including those where the mother and father later marry, children of a second marriage whilst the first wife is still living; the issue of divorced couples; children born where the husband is known to have been abroad for some years; A child born after the father has died. The definition has evolved since the Act of 1732/33 where a “single mother” was by law obliged to declare her pregnancy and state the name of the reputed father. Some parish registers may record the words base-born against a baptism record and some may even name the reputed father. Below are some of the surviving bastardy examination reports transcribed from various sources such as court books and overseers accounts. It is interesting to note that only the mother’s and witnesses’ oaths seem to be recorded even though the defendant would have been summoned to the hearing. Perhaps their evidence was pre-delivered for the examiners to peruse before the mother was required to prove her case. It is also interesting to read the language used to describe the situation the mother found herself in and the circumstances in which the child was conceived. It would appear that the examination itself would not have been a pleasant experience for plaintiff or defendant no matter what the outcome. Bastardy Examinations Summary
Bankruptcy
Mary and Francis Greenaway 1801
Burglary
Commercial Crime
Malting Regulations Breaches 1802-1813
Courts
Police Courts
Proceedings in Chancery Elizabeth I Era (1558-1603)
Debtors
Prisoners in Fisherton Gaol 1761
Drunk and Disorderly
General Items
Crime Reports 1800-1849 Crime Reports 1850-1899 Death of a Baby 1851 In the Courts – Thomas Sage 1890 Crime Reports 1900-1999
Motoring Offences
Dangerous Motoring Charge 1907 Dangerous Driving Charge 1931
Prisons and Prisoners
Inmates of Gloucester Gaol 1815-1879 Convicts for Transportation 1830
Quarter Sessions Appearances
Frank Angell or Edwards 1914 George Angell 1871
Theft
Theft from a Baker 1858 Borough Police Case – Hannah Reeves 1869 Theft of H. C. Henly’s Pheasants 1888
Transportation
Trials
Old Bailey Trial of John Pinnegar 1832
Victims of Crime
Fuller Bailey 1871 Eva Laura Joyce 1914 William Nash 1883
Directories
Baileys 1783 Pigots 1803 Pigots 1822 Post Office 1855 Post Office 1875 Swindon & District 1928 Kellys 1931 (Without) Robsons 1939
Education
There is a free school, founded and endowed by John Bentley in 1660, in connection with which are two exhibitions at Queen’s College, Oxford, founded in 1730 by Sir Francis Bridgman. The income of the school is about £50 per annum. A training school for domestic servants is established, and there are also National and Infant schools also there is a Literary Institute in the town
British Schools
Guthrie School
The school was built off Wood Street in 1854. By 1858 it was known as Guthrie Juvenile School with 80-90 pupils. From 1897 teaching was for girls and infants only; by 1906/7 the average attendance was 113. In 1930 the school became solely an infants school – the older children were transferred to Silver Street and Calne Junior schools. In 1964 the whole school moved to a new building in the north of the town with 189 children aged 5-7 on its roll by 1999. Read more about Guthrie School
In the Education photo gallery below is an image of 5 teachers from the school – possibly Mrs. Beauchamp, Mrs. Fell, Miss Lily Hunt, Miss Alice Manners and Miss Bridges. Can anyone confirm these names or the date of the photograph? Please contact either Christine Brooks or Teresa Lewis via the Contact Us Tab at the top of this page. Calne Education Gallery
Emigration and Migration
Published in tables from the Poor Law Commissioners Annual Reports for 1835, 1836 and 1847-1848 the following may be of use for tracing missing ancestors. 11 paupers emigrated to Canada under an assisted emigration programme in 1847.
Strays Index Emigration Home Contact Requested 1800 – Present
To Australia
Pioneering Days in the Miva District, Queensland, Australia 1859
To the United States of America
Emigrants – George and Harriet Williams, Utah Pioneers 1864
Employment and Business
Advertising
Situations Vacant & Wanted 1800-1899 Business Advertisements 1850-1899
Agriculture, Horticulture & Land
Agricultural Labourers
Wage Rise for Labourers 1838 Aspects of the Life of the Wiltshire Agricultural Labourer c1850
Farming
Thomas Large Henly
His South American Dream End of A Partnership 1855 Bankruptcy Notice 1868
Gamekeeping
Horticultural News
Apprentices
Apprentice records published here may not necessarily mean that the apprentice was from the parish but was apprenticed to a master within the parish.
| Richard Bayly 1723 | Richard Beale 1723 | William Belcher 1729 | Thomas Brokenbrow 1744 |
| Charles Brown 1759 | Stephen Burgis 1725 | John Canning 1719 | James Carey 1756 |
| Henry Child 1756 |
Wiltshire Society Apprentices
Aviation
Aviators Certificates
Herbert James Granger 1951 Michael Francis Phillips 1947
Clothiers and Clothing
Calne & Wiltshire Drapery & Outfitting Company Partnership Dissolved – Pinniger & Gardner 1807
Communications
Postal Services Appointments 1737-1969
Community Services
Police
Employment News
Food Industry
Harris Meat Factory and the Harris Family
Until its closure in the 1980s and for over a century the Harris’s Meat Factory was probably the largest employer in the area. The closure resulted in a rise in unemployment normally seen only in large industrial towns and cities.
Harris Meat Factory Gallery
This is a video compiled of recordings taken during the Demolition of the Harris Factory
General Business and Employment Items
Hair Powder Tax Stamp Distributors 1801
Markets and Fairs
Markets
Medicine
General Medical Council Registration 1859-1959
Teaching
Miscellaneous Documents
Non Conformity and Other Places of Worship
Baptist Chapel Mission, Ratford
Community Church, Fynamore School, School Road
Evangelical Church, Oxford Street
Free Church, Church Street
Holy Trinity, Wessington Avenue, Quemerford (See Tab below)
Jehovah’s Witnesses Kingdom Hall, Ernle Road
Open Brethren Church
Presbyterian Chapel, Back RoadPrimitive Methodist Chapel, Stockley
Quakers Friends Meeting House, Wood Street
Salvation Army Citadel
St. Edmund Roman Catholic Church, Oxford Road
Zion Baptist Chapel, The Pippin
Zoar Methodist Chapel, Quemerford
Castle Street Baptist Church
Castle Street Baptist Church Gallery
Castle Street Baptist Church was founded in 1655
| History of Castle Street Baptist Church 1655-1955 | Family Notices 1800-1849 | Church Sermon 1874 |
| Deacons List as at 1955 | Ter-Centenary Week Programme 1955 | New Plans for Church Building 2023 |
Primitive Methodist Chapel, Calne
Life and Ministry of Charles Portnell 1838-1904 Death of Rev. C. Portnell 1904
Moravian Membership (East Tytherton)
People and Parish Notables
Associations, Clubs, Organisations and Societies
Agricultural Societies
Wiltshire Agricultural Show Prize Winners 1904
Books & Library Groups
Literary Institution Meeting 1874
Friendly Societies
Trowbridge Provident Society Success 1789 Wiltshire Friendly Society Membership 1837-1871
Religous and Faith Groups
Bankruptcy
Census Return Transcripts
Coroners Bills
County coroners were introduced in England in around 1194 once established other boroughs and liberties sought the right to have their own coroner. Often in Medieval times the coroner also assumed the role of the sheriff and his duties weren’t limited to holding inquests on dead bodies although almost a full time post they were unpaid for the duties apart from those that were deemed murder of manslaughter when they would receive 13s. 4d. From the 24th June 1752 a law was passed allowing the coroner to claim £1 for every inquest they attended not held in a gaol and also to claim 9d per mile travel allowance from the place of residence. Inquests held in any gaol were performed at a rate totalling no more than £1. These costs were to be paid from the county rates. In cases of homicide the coroner also received the former fee of 13s. 4d. The coroners submitted their bills at the quarter session sittings for approval. Coroners Bills 1752-1796
Deaths
The Plague
Elections, Polls and Voters Lists
General Politics
Members of Parliament
MP Nominations 2015 MP Nominations 2017
Polls
Poll of Freeholders 1772 Poll Book 1818
Voters Lists
Voters List 1832 Voters Lists Revisions 1843
Family Notices
Funeral Reports
Frederick Walter Culley 1940 Elizabeth Ann Kayes 1940 A. Miles 1940 Jabez Wiltshire 1940
General Items
People News 1850-1899 Residents Mentioned in Kilvert’s Diary 1870-1879
Inquests
Inquest Reports 1800-1849 Mary Ann Salter 1883 Elizabeth Rutty 1904
Obituaries
Parish Notables
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Poet, Philosopher & Theologian, was born 21st October 1772 in Ottery St. Mary, Devon; Died 25th July 1834 in Highgate, Middlesex. Was resident of Calne 1814-1816 during which he wrote Biographia Literaria, a Blue Civic Plaque marks the building. He is buried beneath the aisle of St. Michael’s Church, Highgate
Jan (John) Ingenhousz, Physiologist, Biologist & Chemist, born 8th December 1730 in Breda, Netherlands, Died at Bowood House, Derry Hill on 7th September 1799. He is buried in St. Mary Churchyard, Calne. Was resident of Castle Street Calne
Joseph Priestley, Dissenting Clergyman and Scientist, was born in Birshall, Yorkshire on 24th March 1733. He died in Northumberland, Pennsylvania, United States of America on 6th February 1804. He was resident in Calne from 1773 to 1780 where he isolated oxygen, along with other gasses.
Walter Goodall George, Athlete, World Mile Record Holder and Coach, born 9th September 1858 in Calne. Died 4th June 1943 in Mitcham, Surrey. World mile record holder from 1896 until 1916. A Timeline 1858-Present.
Personal Research Items
Tuck Family Research Burial Extracts – This item was donated by Ken Tuck and contains entries that may or may not relate to the Tuck family however they have been published as such. Many refer to Quaker burials found across the county
Sport
Cycling
National Cyclists Union Meeting in Bristol 1888
Subscriptions
Fifth Annual Report for Negro Emancipation 1830 Secrets of Farming Book Subscribers 1863
Taxes
Calne Borough Tax List 1332 Knights Compositions 1628
Wedding Reports
Charles East to Beatrice Partridge 1940
Poor Law, Charity and The Workhouse
| Settlement Examinations | Workhouse Crime 1835-1850 | George Noble Abandoned to Workhouse 1857 | Paupers in the Union Workhouse for 5 consecutive years 1861 |
| Disorderly Tramp – Mary Hobbs 1888 |
Board of Guardians
Meetings
Workhouse Census
1841 1851
In August 1881 Ellen Collier an inmate of the Calne Union Workhouse cited John Stanley, Master of the House as being the father of her illegitimate son. The case was dismissed. A transcript of the hearing can be found in the Crime and Legal Matters Section above.
Probate
Prior to 1858 The Prebend of Calne had jurisdiction over probate matters. Copies of Probate can be found at the WSHC in Chippenham.
National Probate Index 1858-1966 National Probate Index 1967-Present
Inquisitions Post Mortem of Lands Held
Richard Westfield 1625 John Hungerford 1636 John Norbone 1636 William Foreman 1642
Parishioners Wills
Extract of The Will of King Eldred 955
War, Conflict and Military Matters
War Memorials & Military Gallery
Napoleonic War Reserves
Servicemen and Women
Burials
Military Related Graves in Curzon Street Cemetery
Census
Servicemen & Families with the 1st Wilts. Regt. in South Africa 1911
Pensioners and Veterans
WWI
Active Service Exemptions and Tribunals
WWI Service Exemption Tribunals
British Red Cross/Voluntary Aid Service
V.A.D. & Red Cross Hospitals 1914-1918 Olivia Julia Barnes 1915 Ida Gaugh 1915
Casualties of WWI
Henry William Adam 1918 Albert Victor Chivers 1915
War Memorials and Books of Remembrance
Calne & District Casualty Lists WWI Calne & District Casualty Lists WWI (Connection Unknown) Diocese of Salisbury Memorial Book 1914-1918
Servicemen and Women
WWI Volunteers of Calne Parish 1914
War Relief
Wiltshire Regiment
WWII
Casualties of WWII
Civilian Casualties 1939-1945
Home Guard
Home Guards 1940-1944 Home Guard Awards 1944
War Memorials and Books of Remembrance
Bell Ringers Memorial Book in St. Paul’s Cathedral WWII
Beversbrook
People and Parish Notables
Elections, Polls and Voting Lists
Quemerford
The Parish Church of Holy Trinity
Quemerford Holy Trinity
Holy Trinity Gallery Holy Trinity Churchyard Gallery
Holy Trinity at Quemerford on the outskirts of Calne was built in 1852-1853 as a Chapel of Ease. The church was not licensed for marriages until 1990; prior to this all marriages took place at St. Mary’s, Calne.
Parish Register Transcripts
Baptisms
Parish Records held at WSHC
Baptisms 1853-1991
Marriages None Available (Register commenced 1990 and remains with the incumbent)
Burials None Recorded
Parish History
Civil Registration
1837 – Present Chippenham Registration District
Buildings and Land
Land
Tenancy of Land by William Gingell 1919
Crime and Legal Matters
Bastardy Examinations
The definition of a bastard for the period when examinations were carried out by parish overseers and local justices is as follows:- any child born out of wedlock including those where the mother and father later marry, children of a second marriage whilst the first wife is still living; the issue of divorced couples; children born where the husband is known to have been abroad for some years; A child born after the father has died. The definition has evolved since the Act of 1732/33 where a “single mother” was by law obliged to declare her pregnancy and state the name of the reputed father. Some parish registers may record the words base-born against a baptism record and some may even name the reputed father. Below are some of the surviving bastardy examination reports transcribed from various sources such as court books and overseers accounts. It is interesting to note that only the mother’s and witnesses’ oaths seem to be recorded even though the defendant would have been summoned to the hearing. Perhaps their evidence was pre-delivered for the examiners to peruse before the mother was required to prove her case. It is also interesting to read the language used to describe the situation the mother found herself in and the circumstances in which the child was conceived. It would appear that the examination itself would not have been a pleasant experience for plaintiff or defendant no matter what the outcome. Bastardy Examinations
Bewley V Pullin 1863 Cleveland v Hutchings 1854 Cue v Sutton 1859 & 1861
Directories
Swindon & District Year Book 1928 Kellys 1931
Emigration and Migration
People and Parish Notables
Census Return Transcripts
Elections, Polls and Voters Lists
Poll of Freeholders 1772 Poll Book 1818
Family Notices
Funeral Reports
Funeral Notice of Lambert Miles 1888
Personal Research Items
Tuck Family Research Burial Extracts – This item was donated by Ken Tuck and contains entries that may or may not relate to the Tuck family however they have been published as such. Many refer to Quaker burials found across the county
War, Conflict and Military Matters
War Memorials & Military Gallery
Soldiers Who Died in WWI Named in the Calne & District Casualty Lists Local Tribunals 1916 WWII Civilian Deaths 1939-1945
Stockley
Directories
Non Conformity & Other Places of Worship
Primitive Methodism
People and Parish Notables
Elections, Polls and Voting Lists
Studley
People and Parish Notables
People of the Parish
Probate
National Probate Index 1858-1966 (Studley)
