Committee

Chairman and Secretary - Anne Bailey

Chairman@brattonhistory.co.uk

Anne is a social and cultural historian who divides her time between Bratton and Oxford University. Since completing her doctorate in medieval studies at Oxford in 2010 she has been teaching Lifelong Learning courses in history at the University's Department of Continuing Education. Her research and writing focuses on medieval and contemporary pilgrimage.

To this end, Anne participates in numerous pilgrimages and pilgrimage projects, and is currently writing a book looking at how pilgrimage has developed over time. As Chairman and Secretary, Anne is involved in most aspects of the Bratton History Association. However, she is particularly keen to support local historians in the village, and is delighted that the Association has succeeded in providing members with a forum where they can share, present and disseminate their research.

Treasurer and Archive Project Manager - Mike Manson

Archive@brattonhistory.co.uk

Mike was educated as a scientist and engineer at Cambridge University, having given up history as soon as possible at school. His main career was in the Royal Artillery, where he developed an increasing interest in military history. He moved to Bratton in 1999, 9 years before he retired from the Army as a Colonel. From 2008 to 2025 he was a management consultant in both paid and voluntary roles.

In his time living in the village he has become increasingly involved with many village organisations including St James' Church, the Recreation Ground, the Royal British Legion branch, the Parish News and Bratton Cricket Club. He rows competitively for Bradford-on-Avon. Through meeting an increasing number of villagers he came to realise that Bratton has a substantial and interesting history. In late-2009 he worked with other committee members to reform the Bratton History Association. His main active interest is in collecting as much information as possible about Bratton's history and archiving it on this website so that it is readily available both to Bratton villagers and others across the world who have a desire to find out about the stories of this classic English village. He is also the Archive Project Officer and is currently working with teams on the lost hamlet of Littlestoke and the future publication of the history of Bratton in the 20th Century.

Membership Secretary – Rob Drummond

Membership@brattonhistory.co.uk

Rob was educated at Southampton University as an accountant but always wished he had studied geography instead! Rob has a keen interest in the interaction of physical geography and social history.

He has spent much of his life working in finance for large multi-national companies in Great Britain anywhere from Isle to Man and Edinburgh to the Isle of Wight and Brighton. Recently he has joined Defra and is working in the Rural Development section (finance) which supports agriculture and rural socio-economic development.

Rob has only lived in Bratton since December 2019 so not had much time to see Bratton outside the impacts of covid. However having moved from Southampton , he says even in these strange days, it’s the best thing he has ever done.

Oral History Project - Bob Pearce

Bob's move to Bratton at the end of 2020, coincided with retirement, after more than three decades working in Mencap. Rob had very little time for the history taught at school, but found that looking for answers to questions about places he had visited has led to him 'learning' history. In his short time in Bratton he's found many people around the village who are happy to tell him stories and share their memories.

He recognises that these people, who are 'experts by experience', will take their knowledge with them when they leave us, and it is a pleasure for him to help their memories live on.

Publicity - Sian Morgan

Sian moved to the Court House in Bratton in 2021 with her husband, Shaun, and two adult children. She studied Town Planning and Urban Design at Oxford Brooks University (when it was still a polytechnic) and has had a lifetime interest in architecture and conservation of the built heritage, ever since being brought up on a 1960s SPAN housing estate.

After a career as a Senior Policy Adviser in the Department for Culture Media and Sport (where she met her husband) and a second career in charity management at Arts Richmond, Sian has been involved in lots of voluntary and community-based organisations, projects and initiatives. She served as a Trustee and fundraiser for the Landmark Arts Centre in Teddington for four years prior to moving to Wiltshire. Since her arrival Sian has joined several village organisations in addition to the BHA, most notably the Jubilee Hall Management Committee. In her spare time she enjoys making mosaics and fused glass. Sian is involved in all aspects of the BHA, including researching the history of village buildings, but has taken particular responsibility on the Committee for publicising its talks and other activities.

Minutes Secretary - Shaun Cove

Shaun was born and bred in Corsham and, after 36 years in London, moved with his family back to Wiltshire in 2021. He has an MA in HR Strategy and Change from Kingston University. He has a life-long interest in military history, particularly of the Second World War; and reads extensively.

Shaun had a long and varied career in the Civil Service, where amongst other roles, he managed the Government's International Passenger Survey; sponsored our national museums and galleries; developed international tourism policy; worked as an HR director; and worked for the Government on the 2012 Olympics. He is a keen amateur cook and enjoys walking and cycling. In his spare time, he is enjoying the challenge of living in the Court House, one of the oldest buildings in the village. Shaun is involved in all aspects of the BHA, including the Finding Littlestoke project, but has taken particularly responsibility on the Committee for taking the minutes of its meetings.

Committee Member - David Brown

David is a born and bred proud Kiwi who has lived in the UK for many, many years. He moved to Bratton from South Wiltshire in November 2021 with his English wife and is very pleased to have done so as the village has so much to offer. David served nearly six years in the British Army with the Royal Artillery.

Much of his later career was spent in sales, sales management and senior management for the Japanese technology company - Canon - which he retired from in 2015. David wasn't keen on history when at school however years of living in Britain with access to so much history on the doorstep created a desire to know more. He says he is now a self-confessed amateur historian and is delighted to be of assistance to the Bratton History Association as a committee member.

Committee Member - Suzanne Brown

Suzanne had already retired when she moved to Bratton in 2018, having become unhappy with the environment in London. She knew the area, visually, from visiting family living in Edington, and thought it was so lovely with its gentle hills and so much greenery.

Suzanne knew very little historically about the area and became fascinated about when she purchased her first Bratton History Association calendar. And the more she learns about the local history through the BHA's presentations, and by assisting with associated admin tasks, the more fascinated she is becoming.