THUMBING through the pages of the past can throw up startling surprises to those dropping in to a local history group.

The Craven Arms and District History Group holds regular public sessions at the town's community centre which have led to more than the odd surprise.

The group holds sessions on a Friday morning from 10am to 1pm and utilises its access to ancestry.com which it uses to help people trace their family history.

Jeannette Jones, who along with husband Russell runs the group, said: "Sometimes we can produce a photo for people of their relations that they don't have.

"We did this for one lady who went out of here 10ft tall as she did not have a photo before.

"Sometimes we have even put people in touch with a distant cousin.

"People will bring pictures in of a group and they might know one name on it and we try to find out the rest of the names."

The group holds old photographs of Craven Arms and its districts. It also has copies of the 1841 to 1911 census returns, old parish records, and births, deaths, and marriages on micro fiche.

In addition it holds old maps, estate sales particulars, and monumental inscriptions.

"We do property tracing for people who live in old property and want to know about previous occupants," said Mrs Jones.

The group has a large collection of old photos including faces that will be more than familiar to the residents of Craven Arms.

They include a picture of Dorothy Carpenter, whose family had a grocery shop in Wilton Road, on a large motorcycle outside School Villas in Market Street.

Of course, Craven Arms' own past as a railway town is always of interest.

The railway came to the town in April 1852 which began to build up with the development of Market Street.

Sadly, January 2 1952 saw the last train run from Craven Arms to Much Wenlock.

The Ludlow Advertiser was there to report how: "The 14 mile track is being closed in the interests of economy, and the picturesque hill-country is to be served by bus."

The group is currently researching First World War veterans, their medal index cards, and service records.

It is also digitising old newspaper articles up to 1960, where hard copies can also be viewed on a Friday morning.

Further details are available from Russell Jones on 01584 861547.