This series of articles offers an insight into the lives and achievements of local residents and sometimes their extended families.
- Some of the families were ‘Landed-gentry’ and have owned one of the three large estates – Clark-Jervoise at Idsworth, Bessborough at Stansted and Staunton and Fitzwygram at Staunton park, and built or rebuilt the main houses and rearranged the grounds.
- Residents Born Locally or the moved here early on have been encouraged to describe their lives. Sonya Teale has also provided an audio archive of twenty-nine local residents that she has interviewed. This has, yielded interesting information about their childhoods, families, education, employment on the large estates or with local companies, and reminiscences about World War II. The audio archive has also been lodged with the County Archives Service.
- Newcomers, residents who have moved or retired to the village often bring important skills or striking experiences have also been encouraged to offer narratives
- Notable residents have made a positive contribution to village life by, for example running a business or shop, serving on a local council, or leading a local society, for example.
In due course, it is proposed to study the works of local painters, as they provide memories of earlier times, including before the advent of the camera.
Census data It will also be made available, to describe the expanding nature of the village and its social consequences.