About Us
The Somerset and Dorset Family History Society is run entirely by its Members, working on a purely voluntary basis in their spare time. The Society does not have any paid personnel. Most Services are run from individuals own homes.
President and Vice-Presidents
The President of the Society is Sir Mervyn Medlycott
Currently there are three Vice-Presidents, Colin Dean, Terry Farmer and David Hawkings.
Officers and Executive Committee (EC)
The day to day running of the Society is overseen by two groups of Members, the Officers and the Executive Committee.
The Officers currently consist of the Chairman (Iain Swinnerton), the Secretary (Ted Udall), the Treasurer (John Howick), and two Vice Chairwomen (Ann-Marie Wilkinson and Cynthia Walcot).
There is also an Assistant Treasurer (Martin Jeanes) who is not an Officer of the Society.
The Executive Committee currently comprises the Officers, the Minutes Secretary and representatives appointed annually by each of the regional Groups of the Society, as follows:
- Mid Somerset - Steve Wilkinson
- Taunton - Bob Steed
- Yeovil - Chris Lawrence
- Sedgemoor - Trevor Davies
- Blackmore Vale - James Pitman
- East Dorset - Pat Hilbert
- South Dorset - David Lane
- West Dorset - Brian Webber
- Frome - Wendy Miller-Williams
- West Somerset - Ted Beard
- Computers - Ann-Marie Wilkinson
- Research Centre Representative - Delia Horsfall
As the Society is a Registered Charity, the Executive Committee members are Trustees, and are bound by the laws relating to Charities.
The EC establishes and manages the policy of the SDFHS; reviews the performance of the Society and plans its future growth and activities; receives reports from the functional committees and approves their activities; manages the finances of the Society.
The Society Journal, The Greenwood Tree, is edited by Christine Storrar. She can be contacted by e-mail at editor@sdfhs.org.
The Society Headquarters is at Sherborne - click here for more information.
Functional Committees
The following functional committees have been or are being set up.
PUBLICATIONS
Terms of Reference
- To propose to the EC a range of publications of interest to family historians with a bias to S & D matters.
- To manage the production, marketing and selling of those and other publications.
- To price the products so that the sales make a contribution to the funds of the Society.
- To agree a budget of expenditure and agree stock holding values.
COMPUTER
Terms of Reference
- To advise Executive Committee on purchase of computer equipment.
- To advise Executive Committee on use of computer equipment, organisation of databases, maintenance of Indexes, etc.
- To advise and educate Society members in the use of Computers for Family History related work.
SERVICE PROVIDERS
Terms of Reference
- To create, maintain and update such Services as shall be agreed with the EC from time to time.
- To offers services to the members and the public at agreed rates
EDUCATION
Terms of Reference
- To propose, create, manage & provide such basic and more advanced courses in Family History & Genealogy as agreed by the EC.
- To raise charges for such courses as to cover the basic costs of their provision.
- To agree a budget for the operation.
MARKETING AND PROMOTION
Terms of Reference
- To market and promote the Society by organising events, press releases, literature, attendance at FH events.
Other Individuals with a role in the Society
SERVICE PROVIDERS
The various Society Services are currently run by the following Members:
- Dorset Marriage Index - SDFHS HQ
- Dorset Monumental Inscriptions - Olive and John Damon
- Somerset Marriage Index, pre-1754 - Judy Hodges
- Somerset Marriage Index, post-1754 - SDFHS HQ
- Somerset Monumental Inscriptions - SDFHS HQ
- Burials Index - Dave Hearn
- Pedigrees Service - SDFHS HQ
- Wills Database - SDFHS HQ
- Strays Index - SDFHS HQ
- IGI and 1881 & 1891 Census Service - SDFHS HQ
- British Isles Vital Records Index - SDFHS HQ
- "Soldiers Lost in the Great War" Service - SDFHS HQ
- Exchange Journals Service - SDFHS HQ
- Greenwood Tree Back Numbers - SDFHS HQ
- Membership - Bridget Laver
- Society Publications Officer - Muriel Monk
- Society Web Site Manager - Chris Lawrence
Information about each Service can be found on the appropriate page of the Web Site.
GROUP PROGRAMME ORGANISERS
The following Members currently organise the various Groups Programmes of Events:
- Mid-Somerset - Steve Wilkinson
- Taunton - Bob Steed
- Yeovil - Sheila Gane
- Blackmore Vale - James Pitman
- East Dorset - Pat Hilbert
- South Dorset - David Lane
- West Dorset - Brian Webber
- Sedgemoor - Trevor Davies
- Frome - Wendy Miller-Williams
- West Somerset - Jane Butland
Detailed information on each Group's activities can be found elsewhere on this Web Site.