Plaque unveiled in Electric Palace for Miami mayor visit

Crowds gathered at the Electric Palace in Bridport for the unveiling of a plaque which commemorates the visit of former North Miami Mayor John Stembridge to what he considers his ancestral home.

Mr Stembridge’s family originally hailed from the market town and left for a new life in the United States more than 200 years ago - which is all he knew about his family history at the time.

Presentation of the plaque to Cllr Anne Rickard, Cllr David Rickard, by Bryn Yemm, and town crier John Collingwood (Image: Bryn Yemm) After going back through the town’s archives upon a visit last year, Mr Stembridge found out that his ancestors used to own a shop, the Stembridge Family Store, which sat where the foyer of the Electric Palace is today.

The commemorative plaque is now on display in the foyer. 

During his visit Mr Stembridge also met with the mayor at the time, Cllr Ian Bark, who showed him around the council chamber. 

John Stembridge and Cllr Ian Bark, in 2023 (Image: John Stembridge) Following his visit in 2023, Mr Stembridge said: “Although I had imagined standing in Bridport and seeing buildings such as the 12th century St Mary's Church and the 16th century building that is now the town museum, buildings my ancestors who left Bridport in 1755 would recognise, I could not have imagined the welcome I received or the treasured family information the town archive records.

Stembridge Store during the 1900s (Image: Bridport Museum) "The premises that are now the town's art centre were once the Stembridge family store and it is in the theatre foyer where the plaque commemorating my visit will be displayed."

Mr Stembridge donated the plaque, which was presented by friend, Bryn Yemm, from Abergavenny in Wales in a ceremony involving the town crier, and both former mayor Cllr Ian Bark, and current mayor Cllr Anne Rickard.

Mr Yemm said: “It was a fantastic, fabulous day, and a lot of people came to see what was happening- it really was a day to remember.

“John and I were neighbours when I lived in America, and I always used to talk to him about going back home to Wales and the surrounding valleys and castles, whilst he said he had family from Bridport, with that we set it up and made sure to visit.

“Both of us have really fallen in love with the people of Bridport, and if I didn’t know any better, I would have thought I was still in Wales people are that welcoming!”