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Celebrating Hampshire Historians

Dacre, Maxwell Waterson

1910 - February 1990

Max Dacre was a ‘Geordie’ who left school at 13 and was in Jarrow at the time of the ‘Jarrow March’ (1936).  This early experience fostered in him a fighting spirit which was evident throughout his life.

He had a distinguished Service career in the RAF from 1940 to 1964, ultimately as a radio navigation equipment instructor. He then moved to the Army Air Corps at Middle Wallop as a civilian lecturer, with the same role.

On their arrival in Andover Max, and his wife Peggy, realised that the town’s imminent expansion would be to the detriment of its archaeology. In 1965 they helped found the Andover Archaeological Society; Max was Chairman from that point onward until his death.

The Society was involved in rescue work on innumerable sites, large and small, and these projects have been summarised in The Archaeology of Andover, compiled and edited by Nick Stoodley (2013).

The emergence of contracted archaeological services occasionally put Max at odds with professionals, but the Society worked on a number of sites, including Portway (Saxon cemetery) and Kimpton (Bronze Age cemetery), where their contribution was fundamental to the appearance of reports of national significance. They also made major contributions to the Old Down Farm (Romano-British) and Foxcotte (Deserted Medieval Village) projects.

As well as being an experienced excavator, Max was also an accomplished musician, involved in many aspects of Andover life. Dacre Close, Charlton, Andover is named after him.

Sources

Hampshire Cultural Trust (Dacre archive)

Portrait

Max Dacre

Contribution to county’s history

Max Dacre helped create the Andover Archaeological Society and took the lead on many projects both in the town and the surrounding countryside.  The work of the Society is reflected in the ‘Dacre Room’ at the Andover Museum (Hampshire Cultural Trust).  

Relevant published works

  • Cook, A & Dacre M (1985) Excavations at Portway, Andover 1973-75 Oxford University Committee for Archaeology, Mono 4.     

  • Dacre M & Ellison A (1981) A Bronze Age Urn Cemetery at Kimpton, Hampshire, Proc Prehist Soc, 47, 147-203

  • Stoodley, N (ed) (2013) The Archaeology of Andover. Threshold Press Ltd.

Critical Comments

Other Comments

Contributor

Dave Allen July 2021

Keywords

Andover, archaeological excavations,

Any queries or further suggestions for this part of the list should be addressed to celebrating@hantsfieldclub.org.uk.

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