From The Wiltshire Times, Saturday 8th January 1938:
Christmas At Warminster. Unseasonable Weather.
The most unseasonable weather consisting mainly of fog, tended to keep most residents indoors over the holiday and the streets, especially on Christmas Day, presented a strangely deserted appearance. Parcels dealt with at the Post Office were 10 per cent up on last year, and letters 20 per cent up.
Advertisement in The Warminster Miscellany, 1 February 1862:
Young Men & Maidens of Warminster and its Vicinity!
DO YOU WANT A VALENTINE?
If you do, send to Sidney L. Payne’s, 4a John Street, Edgware Road, London, who has purchased a large Stock of the newest designs, from 1d. to 21s.
Country Orders promptly attended to on receipt of postage stamps.
An old Wiltshire Christmas Pie recipe dated 1770 contained the following ingredients:
20 pounds of butter, 2 bushels of flour, 2 neats’ tongues, 2 turkeys, 4 geese, 4 wild ducks, 2 snipes, 2 woodcocks, 4 partridges, 2 curlews, 7 blackbirds, and 6 pigeons.
That’s quite a pie when you think about gathering some of the ingredients – no less than 33 birds!
