Coffee Morning and Talk October 3rd

Yesterday, we welcomed Gareth Mills as our speaker – it has become something of a tradition that Gareth opens our Programme of Talks, which we run from September through to May. These events are very popular and on this occasion drew a very large audience of 120, proof enough of Gareth’s popularity! As usual, our volunteers begin the morning with a coffee morning and open up the museum and council chamber. Then all assemble in the George Lewis room for the talk. On this occasion Gareth traced the history of a family so important in the history of both Pembroke and Pembroke Dock – the Meyricks of Bush. The two other great estates which feature largely in our history – Stackpole and Orielton – had been the subject of Gareth’s previous two talks. Gareth said he owed much to the published history ‘Meyricks of Bush: the Story of a Pembrokeshire Family’ by Michael McGarvie which traces the family origins in Anglesey to fairly recent times when Bush House and its surrounding estate was sold to Pembrokeshire County Council. The House was converted into a school and the Council later built the grammar school, then comprehensive, in its grounds. More recently, of course, this has been replaced by Ysgol Harri Tudor. Bush House fortunately remains (although a 1905 rebuild of the original which burnt down in 1866) and is now a residential home for the elderly.

Quiz Night September 25th

Quiz Night was, as usual, an enjoyable evening and welcomed 45 participents. Many thanks to the History Society volunteers who organised it and provided the buffet. And congratulations to the worthy winners!

Forthcoming Events - September/October

We begin our new Programme of Events 2026/27 with a Quiz Night on Friday September 25th in Pembroke Town Hall at 7pm. Following this, on Saturday morning October 3rd, we have a Coffee Morning and Talk in Pembroke Town Hall. It has become something of a tradition that Gareth Mills, always an effective and popular speaker, begins our programme of talks. His subject this time is ‘The Meyrick Family and the Bush Estate’. The Meyricks of Bush were an influential and dynamic family, a family that played a hugely important part in the history of Pembroke and Monkton as well as a vital role in the creation of Pembroke Dock. Their main residence was Bush House, where the family lived until the 1950s when the house and its surrounding estate were sold to Pembrokeshire County Council. A new grammar school was built there, becoming a comprehensive school in 1972 but more recently demolished and rebuilt as the Ysgol Harri Tudur - Henry Tudor School. Bush House survives however as a residential home for the elderly.

At the Pembroke Show - August 5th

This has been a busy week! Only 2 days ago we were at Carew Castle and today here we are manning another stall, this time at the Pembroke Show, which was amazing! So many turned out - never seen so many people at the event which is always well attended. The weather was perfect with sunshine all day but not too hot - a great day out with so much to see and do. Congratulations to the organisers who did a fantastic job in getting it all together.

Unearthing the History event at Carew Castle - August 3rd

On Monday August 3rd we had a stall at the Unearthing History event at Carew Castle. A lovely venue and an opportunity too to meet with other heritage groups. Unfortunately the weather wasn't too good - very windy in the courtyard and it actually rained just when we didn't want it to!!

Welsh Week at St Mary's Church - August 3rd to 8th

We were pleased to participate in Welsh Week at St Mary's Church where we assembled a display on aspects of Welsh history, costume and also information about our proposed statue project.

Saturday May 2nd Coffee Morning and Talk: Monkton: Hidden History

Our Saturday Coffee Morning and Talk marked the end of our current programme — we now take our usual summer break, returning in October. Our volunteers, however, continue their invaluable work at Pembroke Museum, located on the first floor of Pembroke Town Hall and open weekdays 10–3 (10–1 on Fridays). Saturday’s talk was given by Society Chairman, Linda Asman, who spoke on Monkton: Hidden History. Since the Society’s formation in 2010, an enormous amount of research has been devoted to uncovering Monkton’s past. Our very first publication was the leaflet Monkton: A Sense of Place, followed by the ambitious HLF﷓funded Through My Eyes: A Community History of Pembroke and Monkton — a book and DVD of digital stories created from the memories of 45 contributors. More recently we published Monkton: Hidden History, a major work that proved so popular it is now out of print. Unfortunately, current printing costs make a reprint impossible, but the full book is available to read online at www.pembrokeandmonktonhistory.org.uk. Monkton has a rich and varied history, and we are proud that our Society has been able to record, preserve, and share so much of it for future generations