SARUM U3A

The monthly Coffee Morning of Sarum U3A was held in our usual venue of St Francis Church Hall on Wednesday 17 July.  Prior to the introduction of the morning’s speaker, members socialised over coffee and had an opportunity to find out from the notice board about various activities which would be held in the next month.  Members received their allocations of the groups which they wished to attend in the next 12 months.  Linda said that 213 of our members had made up to 3 requests to join a total of 48 groups which varied from learning a language to painting , discussions on current affairs and almost every interest it was possible to think of.

This was the first meeting at which the new sound system was in operation and it found great favour with members especially those sitting at the back of the hall who were able to hear our speaker extremely clearly.

Ena introduced our speaker, well known local historian, Ruth Newman who had been looking at the archives of the Salisbury Journal and discovered many interesting things about life in Salisbury in the 1780’s.  Internationally this was the time of the American War of Independence and the French Revolution and locally a time of vast changes in the Cathedral inspired by James Wyatt and also the Guildhall fire.  Ruth illustrated these times with pictures of how Salisbury looked then.  It was a time when Salisbury was a thriving market town and the Georgian houses such as  Bourne Hill and in New Street reflected a prosperous provincial town.   There were contrasts – vagrants whipped, sheep stealers executed but also the building of Alms Houses and the establishment of hospitals and mental institutions.

Ruth’s researches brought out very clearly how, in many ways, life and the reporting of it has not changed very much.  Stories about transport (turnpikes and canals), weather (snow blocking roads) with announcements (Salisbury pioneering small-pox injections)and advertisements (skin products and pills) had a similar flavour.  The musical life of Salisbury, as now, was flourishing with visits by Handel and the King’s brother.  One difference was the importance of the work of the Town Crier as opposed to now when electronic communication has taken over.

The next meeting is on Wednesday 20 August when the speaker will be Stephen Griffiths talking about “Abbotsbury Sub-Tropical Gardens -: Past, Present and Future”. 

Information on the activities of Sarum U3A can be found in the reference section of the Public Library.