A-Z Challenge: P is for…

Over the course of April we are exploring the studies registered with the Society for One-Place Studies featuring those that correspond to the relevant letter of the alphabet.

What is a One Place Study? That is a fine question and rather than me explain, I will refer you to the Society’s informative website. If you are interested in joining us and /or registering a study we of course welcome you. You can find the joining information HERE.

P is for...

Parham: This village and parish is situated on the river Ore between Framlingham and Wickham Market in Suffolk, England and registered with the Society for One-Place Studies. Old Parham Hall was the seat of the first Earl of Ufford, a close associate of Edward III, and the rood screen in the parish church dates from the fifteenth century. Parham’s historical attractions also extend to recent times with its World War II Air Museum commemorating the 390th Bomber Group of the American 8th Air Force.

The study holder, Simon, has many ancestral links with this village. You can visit his Facebook page or reach him by email to find out more.

Pasquotank County: This study takes us to the coastal plain of North Carolina in the southern part of the United States. The study is registered with the Society for One-Place Studies. Christine, the study holder, tells us that although she is undertaking a county, it is not heavily populated! She describes her approach as prosographic, investigating characteristics common to a historical group, and her focus is on the period 1700 to 1810.

Christine’s ambition is to use original documents to reconstruct this county for her chosen timeframe. If you would like to learn more about her approach or this region, why not drop her an email or visit her website?

Pateley Bridge: We return to England for one of two studies of Pateley Bridge in North Yorkshire. Maria, who has registered this study with the Society for One-Place Studies, has carefully examined the origins of this name which was first recorded in 1175. As others may have discovered with their places, its derivation is not straightforward! The history of Pateley Bridge has a fascinating continuity, with the market and fair which originated in 1319 still featuring today as the Nidderdale Agricultural Show. To find out more about this ancient place, please do get in touch with Maria.

Pateley Bridge High Street: An interesting complement to the study above is Dawn’s focus on Pateley Bridge High Street, also registered with the Society for One-Place Studies. Dawn has lived in this area for a lifetime and has been researching it for the past thirty-five years. She has amassed an extensive collection of historical documents. Can you imagine what you might have been able to learn about your own place in that amount of time?

Dawn aims to trace the entire history of the High Street from its earliest deeds to the present. Her starting point is the very informative 1910 valuation records along with the 1911 census. She will be including maps and photographs, as well as the living memories of residents, to bring the history alive. She would be delighted to hear from others interested in this place or her research methods.

Plate Cove East: Returning to the Atlantic coast of North America but this time in Canada, Tessa has chosen the scenic community of Plate Cove East in Newfoundland. The study is registered with the Society for One-Place Studies. Her ancestors hailed from this area, first settled by Irish immigrants. In fact, the community is so isolated that the Irish dialect persisted until just a few decades ago.

Tessa has travelled to Plate Cove East to gain knowledge first-hand of her place and she remains in contact with residents, taking particular advantage of the opportunities of social media. She is busy collecting and transcribing a variety of resources and plans to share her findings online in the near future. Please contact Tessa if you would like to join in her effort or learn more about this part of the world.

Purley Bury House: This is quite a unique study focused on one lovely old house in Surrey, England. Jeanette, the study host, grew up just down the street from Purley Bury House which dates from the eighteenth century and has registered the study with the Society for One-Place Studies. She has managed to find a large number of images of this house throughout its life and has already collected much information on its architectural history and residents, along with building her understanding of the local history. Please contact Jeanette who would be pleased to share her discoveries with you.

Puttenham: This parish is also located in Surrey. The study holder is Julie, this being one of three studies that she has registered with the Society for One-Place Studies. Julie has been publishing her research for over ten years on her website, leading to a large number of contacts who have contributed much to the study. She is committed to sharing what she has learned and is working hard to place the large volume of data online that she has accumulated since her study began in 1986. The list of resources that she has found is impressive, including for example records from the censuses, church, schools, the military, poor law, courts, wills and various original manuscripts.

Julie is a great advocate of social media and would be delighted to discuss her study further with you.

Kim Baldacchino on behalf of Julie Goucher, A-Z Challenge Coordinator