Box People and Places
Latest Issue 48 Summer 2025 
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    • Augustus Perren
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    • Memories of VE Day 1945
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    • Issue 46 - Box Hill
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      • Issue 39 - Modern Box
      • Issue 38 - Railway Workers
      • Issue 37 - Mill Lane Halt
      • Issue 36 - Box Rec
      • Issue 35 - Inter war
      • Issue 34 - Fogleigh House
      • Issue 33 - KIngsdown Post Office
      • Issue 32 - Chapel Lane
      • Issue 31 - Saxon Box
      • Issue 30 - Georgian Rudloe
    • Issues 20-29 >
      • Issue 29 - Darkest Hour
      • Issue 28 - VE Day
      • Issue 27 - Northey
      • Issue 26 - Heritage Trail
      • Issue 25 - Slave Owners
      • Issue 24 - Highwaymen
      • Issue 23 - Georgian
      • Issue 22 - War Memorial
      • Issue 21 - Childhood 1949-59
      • Issue 20 - Box Home Guard
    • Issues 10-19 >
      • Issue 19 - Outbreak WW2
      • Issue 18 - Building Bargates
      • Issue 17 - Railway Changes
      • Issue 16 - Quarries
      • Issue 15 - Rail & Quarry
      • Issue 14 - Civil War
      • Issue 13: Box Revels
      • Issue 12 - Where You Live
      • Issue 11 - Tudor & Stuart
      • Issue 10 - End of Era 1912
    • Issues 1-9 >
      • Issue 9 - Health & Leisure
      • Issue 8 - Farming & Rural
      • Issue 7 - Manufacturing
      • Issue 6 - Celebrations
      • Issue 5 - Victorian Centre
      • Issue 4 - Slump after WW1
      • Issue 3 - Great War 1914-18
      • Issue 2 - 1950s & 1960s
      • Issue 1 - 1920s
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Box Bells Stopped for World War 2     Spring 2018   Issue 19

Picture
Bells in the tower of St Thomas a Becket (courtesy Carol Payne)

Outbreak of War

A few months after war was declared at 11am on 3 September 1939 the bells at Box Church were silenced.
The expectation was the next ringing would warn of German invasion.

Dr Sally Hicks was at the 11 o'clock service and records her memory of that eventful day when Box Went to War.

We tell the history of the village and its residents in the years 1939 to 1945.
A reader from Australia has recorded his Memories of Wartime Box and we welcome your contributions to the story of Box in those years.
Lead up to War
What happened in Box
Military Village
When many wore uniform
Tributes to Servicemen
Box's men and women
Timeline 1939-45
Village and the nation
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People Index

Founder of Methodist Chapel
Edwin Bow's story (right)

Teenage Romance
Harris and Smith families

Prosser Chaffey
Who were the family?

George Dancey in WW1
The family traces him

Greater Gore Family
Well-known Box residents

Hemmings Family
At the Comrades Club

Picture

Places Index

Wartime Box Schools
Box Schools from WW1 to WW2 with memories of staff and pupils

Weavern Farm and Mill
Farm and mill on the border of the village used for weaving to paper-making

8 Mill Lane
Story of the house and the Scoble family who lived there

Marrying Your Neighbour
Smith family at The Old Jockey

Box in 1950s
Do you remember these years?
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You Wrote to Us
We are a not-for-profit Community website for people who are interested in the history of Box village, in the county of Wiltshire, and its surrounding hamlets. You can record the story of you and your ancestors, correct and add to our articles via the Contact tab or by our email [email protected].
Light on Brunel Tunnel Saga
Updates from 1960s

Bargates Memories
Early story of the area

Frederick Moody Found
In Married v Singles match

Q. Who was Daisy Noble?
A. The Real Maisie Gay

Oily Series
Underground discoveries
Picture
Captain, the Donkey
Story of the famous underground quarry donkey (pictured)

Modern Alma
Update about Box Hill cottage

Building Box
Bargates and Vine Court

Air Crash at Hazelbury
Help needed to remember Dennis Moss
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Previous Series and Previous Issues
You can find all the stories from previous series by clicking on the links below. Please add to or correct details by contacting us.
Picture
Spencer's Farm, Ashley Lane, is part of the Farm Series (courtesy Carol Payne)

Finding Articles

Click on any blue text to find articles:

People Index
Places Index
Series Index


Previous Issues
All previous issues are still available to access using the tab.

Index by Author
List of every author who has contributed articles and photos to the website

Tudor and Stuart Box,
1485 - 1660

Box in the Reformation and the English Civil War

History Trails
Walk the trails yourself and see Box's history for real.

Late Victorian Box, 1870 - 1920s
Shaping the modern village at the height of the influence of Queen Victoria and the Empire seen through the village of Box
Great War, 1914 - 18
The impact of World War 1 on Box and its residents.
Railway and Quarry Age, 1830 - 1870
All episodes of this series are available if you click on to the blue heading above.

Box Farms
Many properties in the village and its hamlets are called farmhouses. Find out more about the buildings and their occupants.
Detailed Searches
You can use the button below to search for all website references and details of Box people or places.