Inspired by the popular festive song, staff at Dorset History Centre have been delving into the archives for items related to the Twelve Days of Christmas – with a sprinkle of artistic license! A partridge in a pear tree A 1760’s inventory from Corfe Castle lists pear trees planted in John Bond’s orchard. The varieties… Read more Twelve Days of Christmas from the Archives
Our recent work experience student, Ellie, shares her reflections on a week working in the county archives based at Dorset History Centre. Discovering archives I completed a week-long work experience placement at Dorset History Centre, discovering the archives and how they are managed. As this was the first time I had visited I didn’t have a clear idea of… Read more Work experience in the archives
Were you aware that in 1965, winner of the Miss World international beauty pageant and one-time Bond girl, came from none other than our own fair county? Watch, as blonde bombshell Lesley Langley wanders about Weymouth in these latest of photos from the Herbert Photographic Collection. A mayoral reception along the Esplanade, press teams pointing… Read more Miss World’s whistle-stop Weymouth tour!
Many of us have carefully stowed our treasured photographs and newspaper clippings into albums for safekeeping. Unfortunately some albums, particularly self-adhesive varieties, are actively deteriorating those items we hoped to protect. I had the privilege of working on a collection relating to the Burma Campaign of World War Two which included photographs, newspaper clippings and watercolours. These… Read more Remembering the Burma Campaign
Listing the Bournemouth Borough archive reveals the efforts and experiences of Bournemouth people during the Second World War; from a report about the courage of survivors of the Blitz to strange finds amongst bundles of paperwork. The Bournemouth Borough archive (ref: DC/BH) covers nearly a century of records, from the late 1800s to the late… Read more Bournemouth’s Second World War ‘Big Effort’
Ask any foreigner and they’ll say the British are obsessed with the weather. Nowadays we can access an up-to-date, worldwide forecast at any time and, being British, we love to talk or moan about it. However this is not a new phenomenon. Details of the weather over the last couple of centuries can be found… Read more The British and the weather
Treswell’s Survey contains the first pictorial description of Corfe Castle, alongside a series of beautiful maps of Dorset, but their full charm could not be accessed due to the volume in which they were bound. Our Conservator describes releasing the maps so they could be justly appreciated. The Treswell survey, ‘Maps of Dorsetshire’, is a… Read more Bankes Archive: Releasing Treswell’s survey
Dorset Archives Trust have recently funded the purchase of an environmental meter, which is used to offer advice to museums and individuals. When caring for historic documents, it’s important to ensure the environment they are stored in is not detrimental to their long-term survival. At Dorset History Centre, archival documents are stored in purpose-built strongrooms that are controlled… Read more Monitoring the Environment
Recent cataloguing of the Poole Borough Archive has revealed an early mention of Robin Hood! The earliest existing record book for Poole Borough, dating 1490-1553, provides us with a yearly record of appointed officers – mayors, churchwardens, bailiffs, keymen and constables – along with accounts of town and parish funds, traditionally held in the ‘town… Read more Robin Hood comes to Poole
Staff at Dorset History Centre have been looking at the treatment of patients at the Dorset Asylum during the First World War. Dorset History Centre holds the archive of the Dorset County Lunatic Asylum, covering the period from 1829 -1989. The archive includes patient records, committee minutes, accounts books and plans of the hospital, amongst… Read more Spotlight on mental health in World War 1
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