On 1 November 1943, a man, claiming to be refugee, arrived in Poole by flying boat and told a story of how he had escaped from a German internment camp in Occupied France. Little did he know then how short his stay in Britain would be. This was wartime Britain and ports and airports like… Read more How Poole helped capture a wartime spy
In 1799 two significant things were born. Both would make significant contributions to science and research. The first, The Royal Institution of Great Britain was established in March 1799, and is still in existence, having seen no less than 15 Nobel Laureates pass through their doors, and 10 chemical elements be discovered by its members… Read more Mary Anning, 1799-1847
For this blog local Dorset author Minette Walters tells us about the inspiration behind her upcoming book… — For anyone who relishes tales of courage and heroism against overwhelming odds, I recommend a study of the siege of Lyme Regis during the English Civil War. I researched it for my new novel, The Swift and… Read more The Siege of Lyme Regis
Today we’re revisiting for the final time the farm diary of John Foss, who continued to write about farming life at Kingston Russell for the first three months of 1852. A few winter months 1852 starts with fine, frosty weather. The cows are beginning to calf, and John is kept busy with the cheese. John… Read more The Diary of John Foss: 1852 (epilogue)
Quarter Sessions records are a rich source for many types of historical research. With responsibility for both local justice and administration many people had dealings with the Quarter Sessions court at some point. The records of the Quarter Sessions are a starting point for some fascinating stories of life in Dorset particularly during the 19th… Read more Stories from Dorset Quarter Sessions
This is the third instalment in our blog series about the non-conformist reverend James McClune Uffen and the diary he kept of his Journey from Dorchester to New Zealand in 1911. You can read part 1 and part 2 if you’ve not seen them already! In this instalment we shall find out about ship sightings,… Read more Reverend Uffen’s Leaving Dorset (part 3)
In the collections, Dorset History Centre holds a number of locally published works and manuscripts of Miss Adela Marion Curtis. Miss Curtis (1867-1960) founded a community which existed just outside Burton Bradstock for almost 30 years in the mid 20th century. The members were known locally as The White Ladies because of the flowing white… Read more The Burton Bradstock Religious Community That Almost Never Existed
Wills are basically a statement of how you wish your property to be disposed of following your death. The 1540 Statue of Wills laid down that a will should deal with real estate (i.e. land and buildings) and personal property (e.g. goods, money). The main change was that through a written Will a landowner could… Read more A Guide to Wills, Admons and Inventories
Amongst the records of non-conformist churches held by Dorset History Centre you will find a collection of correspondence called the Carpenter Letters. In this collection you will find letters from many of the prominent social reformers, educators and abolitionists from the nineteenth century. The Reverend Russell Lant Carpenter was the minister of Bridport Unitarian Church from 1865-1887. He was the… Read more The Carpenter Letters
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