In July we were joined by Caeron and Eve for a four week work experience placement. During their time with us, we asked them both to reflect on some of the interesting things they came across from the archive. Today Eve explains her favourite find…
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Over course of the four weeks, one of the tasks we completed was listing two photo albums [D-3431] for Emma, one of the digital archivists. The photo albums belong to the Redshaw family, who had Dorset History Centre to digitise them. However, the family have given the archives permission to upload the albums to the catalogue in their digital form, and so it has been our job to list the photographs in preparation for this. This involved describing each photograph in the albums, and recording their locations and dates when they were known.
Heather at the Roman Baths, 30th July 1947 [D-3431]The photo albums were created by Crispin Charles Redshaw, and contained photographs of his family, friends, and work at various radio stations, but most notably at Beam Wireless Station in Dorchester. I was really taken by the care that was put into each page and the meticulous way Redshaw detailed the dates and locations where the photographs were taken. Additionally, I really enjoyed watching the children grow up through the photographs – in the end I felt quite fond of the family.
Glen Affric, Scotland, 1939 [D-3431]I was also really struck by the normality of the photographs. They covered about 50 years from the early 1900s to the late 1950s, encompassing both World Wars. However, it was not until about halfway through the first album that the fact that there were two cataclysmic wars taking place during this time even occurred to me. Instead, the family holidayed, they visited family and friends, and work continued. The photographs were a testament to how normal life continued as much as possible, which I found to be an interesting new perspective on the wartime periods at home in Britain.
Marjorie at the top of Portland Lighthouse, June 29th, 1946 [D-3431]Additionally, it was interesting to see familiar locations in a different period. Weymouth Pier, West Bay and Portland Lighthouse are all reoccurring locations in the photo albums, and all of which my family and I visited over the course of my childhood. I really love the idea that these locations have always been places for families to go and enjoy themselves, and it is interesting to see how the locations have, or haven’t, changed over time. The knowledge that history does in fact repeat itself in the most mundane ways demonstrated the strength of tradition and location in local areas, and how each generation passes down their knowledge and experiences to the next, and the idea of people across the centuries being united by the activities and locations they frequented is one that I find to be quite powerful.
Pat and Hector at West Bay, Bridport, 1936 [D-3431]Overall, I found the photo albums to be a fascinating story about growing up in Britain during the Wartime periods, especially the Second World War, and about the continuation of normal life in the face of world altering events, something I’m sure many related to having lived through the COVID-19 pandemic just a few years ago. It is comforting to know that people have been able to live happy and fulfilling lives despite it all, and it was lovely to watch the younger members of the Redshaw family grow up through the pages of these albums.
This was guest blog written for Dorset History Centre by Eve Gilmour. If you are interested in the 2026 work experience placement, information will be circulated in spring 2026 about how to apply.
