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Rebellion & Napoleon (Boney?)
All was then quiet for a while .... Until Napoleon, when concern was so great in 1803 that, ‘Proposals for ....People instrumental for the General Defence in case of Invasion' were issued. All those not assigned to do battle were to meet at Heath Common, east of the main street, with livestock and goods useful to the enemy. At about this time Membury's most ‘famous son' was probably attending school. He was Thomas Wakely born at Land Farm in 1795. He was a coroner, doctor, a JP, an MP, and went on to be a major reformer in all these areas and was particularly vociferous in protest against the workhouse, army floggings and the treatment of the Tolpuddle Marty's. He was also the founder of ‘The Lancet', still the leading medical journal of today. Web site address: www.thelocalchannel.co.uk/memburylocalhistorysociety
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