At Dorset History Centre, we were delighted to have the opportunity to archive the records of Wessex Water and its predecessor companies. With the contract running until April 2027, this has now been a work in progress for us since Spring 2025 and is overseen by our archivist, Emma Blowers, assisted by Collections Assistant, Chris… Read more The Wessex Water Project
This is the first in a series of three blogs about document D1-PH/1, a fascinating book that has been filled with notes by a family from Wareham. We came across this intriguing document whilst researching Thomas Chaplyn for a previous blog. It is a copy of the book “Merlini Anglici Ephermis or Astrological Judgments for… Read more The Chaplyn Family of Wareham and the Merlini Anglici Ephermis
It’s been several months since our last postcard blog. So far, we’ve covered the tourist hotspots of Weymouth and Bournemouth. This month, we’re focusing on some of the older postcards from one of Dorset’s smaller settlements: West Lulworth. As the gateway to the famous geological sites of Lulworth Cove, Stair Hole and Durdle Door, it’s… Read more The Dorset Postcard Collection – Lulworth
Over the past few weeks, Alastair Nisbet has explained how the Children of World War II project was born, researched, and marketed. In the final part of this small series, today he explains what the legacy of the project has been… — In her stories Jean talks about dancing the Palais Glide along the promenade… Read more Children of World War II – Dancing the Palais Glide
Over the last two weeks Alastair Nisbet has explained how the Children of World War II project took shape. This week he explains what the next step was for the project… — A vital part of any project is getting your work to the audience. In our case getting people listening to our audio dramas quickly… Read more Children of World War II – Getting it out there
Last week we introduced you to the Children of World War II project. If you missed that blog, go and have a read of it here. This week, Alistair Nisbet explains how the project evolved… — Eighty years on, the children from our four schools had a lot to learn. In stepped a wonderful team… Read more Children of World War II – Turning recollections into audio drama
One of Dorset History Centre’s latest accessions is the eight part audio drama series Children of World War Two and the research behind it, including more than five hours of oral histories that went into producing it. At the time of writing more than 5200 episodes of the drama have been streamed. In the first of… Read more Children of World War II – How to make a drama about the Home Front
Dorset history is filled with remarkable women. To celebrate Women’s History Month this March, we wanted to take a look at just a few of the types of records we hold here at Dorset History Centre that reveal something of their lives. Industry: Dorset Buttons The Dorset Button was an object of beauty, created with… Read more Women’s History Month
Back in the Autumn of 2022 ‘The Living Stones’ project took off in earnest after being awarded a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Funding. The driving force who set this in motion was new Bournemouth Hebrew Congregation (BHC) member Howard Freeman, liaising with the Dorset History Centre, the Russell Cotes Museum and the History… Read more Preserving Bournemouth’s Jewish Heritage
Whilst looking for information in the index for the Somerset and Dorset Notes and Queries about Shaftesbury, the eyes of staff here at Dorset History Centre were taken by an entry just above those for the town, which intriguingly read, in all-caps ‘”SHACKLE-EGG” DAY’. With our interest piqued, we had to know more and headed… Read more Shackle-Egg Day!
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