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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Wiltshire => Topic started by: Old Mother Reilly on Wednesday 04 February 09 10:05 GMT (UK)
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I am beginning a search for photographs (school or class) of Wootton Bassett Council Mixed School (as opposed to the infants school, the CoE school or the CoE infants school) taken during 1907-1911.
Thanks to the 1911 and an old School Service book I have just discovered that my grandmother was teaching there at that time and am hoping to find a photograph which includes her, as there are no family pictures of her as a young woman.
If you have any inspired ideas as to where I might look first, I should be grateful to hear them :)
Rachel
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Hi Rachel, Why not email the Local Studies Library nearest to Wootton Bassett and ask them if they can tell you where stuff on the school would be archived?
I've asked Local Studies Libraries for things like this and they havebeen very ehlpful indeed.
worth a try..
charlotte
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Why not email the Local Studies Library nearest to Wootton Bassett
That would probably be Swindon Library, but you could try Wiltshire and Swindon Archives on this link
http://www.rootschat.com/links/03kb/
Lizzie
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Found this, The National School, Wootton Bassett
http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/community/getschool.php?id=681
Or Wootton Bassett Infants' School, Wootton Bassett
http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/community/getschool.php?id=683
Both the links have photos of the schools if you scroll down the page.
The schools are still going today, might be worth contacting them and seeing if they have any photos.
Wootton Bassett have a town council http://www.woottonbassett.gov.uk/infopage.asp?infoid=286 could also try contacting them.
Found a picture of a school http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/content/image_galleries/historic_wootton_bassett_photos_gallery1.shtml?12 Has the address of the Wootton Bassett Museum, I am sure they could help you.
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Thank you all for your ideas and links - I have already tried Wootton Bassett Town Hall Museum but (1) the telephone number given on the web is out of date and (2) when I got hold of someone they said that the majority of the photo holdings had been "given away" - he wasn't sure where to!
I was twice on the verge of mailing the school yesterday but am not sure how they will take being approached on such a non-educational matter - I'll have to get my courage up!
I think I'll give the local studies library another try.
Thanks! :)
Rachel
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I was twice on the verge of mailing the school yesterday
You probably won't get a reply anyway, all the schools are out because of the snow. ::)
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Rachel,
Take heart and courage... the Local Studies Libraries really are very helpful and go out of their way to be so, in my experience...
So go for ir- and tell us how you get on please.
charlotte
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I have now heard back from both the Local Studies Centre and the school and neither holds or knows of any school photographs from this period.
If anyone does hear of any at some time, please let me know.
Thanks
Rachel
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Rachel
You could try the local newspaper:
Swindon Advertiser
100 Victoria Road
Old Town
Swindon
Wiltshire
SN1 3BE
Tel: 01793 528144
They often used to put "old" photographs in the paper.
Lizzie
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Lizzie, What a good idea...
charlotte
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It looks as though there are a couple of Old Photograph Books for Wootton Bassett. (Sometimes Old School Class Photos appear in them)
Around Wootton Bassett in Old Photographs
Around Wootton Bassett in Old Photographs (A Second Selection).
Both are by Anthony Sharp.
You might be able to obtain copies on loan through your library using the Inter-Library Loan Service (I presume this is running)
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Some good ideas there - I'll try to get sight of the books, then I can have a happy time gawping at the old photos generally! :)