'The Kimmeridgians' is a fascinating and original book on the history of Kimmeridge, with much information never published before. It gives a special insight to the life and livelihoods of the people living in this small coastal Purbeck village from pre-Roman times to the present day.
David Brachi did most of the original groundwork for this book before he died in 1983. He had always had a keen interest om archaeology from childhood, especially when staying at his great aunt's house at Worbarrow Bay where he made Roman discoveries nearby on Flowers Barrow, along with studies on the geology and weather in the area. Both David and Joan worked at the Allied Central Interpretation Unit at Medmenham during the war, but strangely did not actually meet until a cub rally in 1945. After their marriage in 1946, they settled in Hull, David taking a post as a lecturer in the geography department at the University.
David and Joan holidayed in Dorset regularly, getting as close as they could to David's old family home at Worbarrow (then in the Army firing ranges) and in the early 1950's had the opportunity to buy one of the redundant coastguard cottages at Kimmeridge. From then on, they rarely went anywhere else, coming south with their four sons during the school and university vacations two or three times a year. During these years David continued to explore the history and archaeology of the area, making new discoveries of some of the Kimmeridge industries that had come and gone over the centuries. David and Joan retired to Kimmeridge in the mid 1970's.
After David's death, Joan took over the compiling of this book with encouragement from family, friends and present day 'Kimmeridgians' along with special support from late Major John Mansel; his enouragement and the loan of many private family documents has helped make this an essential read for anyone who knows Kimmeridge.
All profits from the sale of this new edition will go to the Kimmeridge Village Hall and The Etches Collection Museum