In July we welcomed two students to Dorset History Centre for a month to learn about what goes on behind-the-scenes at an archive. As part of this placement, the students have written blogs about their time with us, and what they have got out of the placement. We will bring you Cat’s thoughts next week, but today we want to introduce you to Lara…
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Hello, my name is Lara and I am a second-year BA History student. I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to undertake a work placement at the Dorset History Centre this summer.
These past four-weeks have been an invaluable insight into the inner workings of a county archive and have shown me the important work and processes which archivists undertake to promote and preserve Dorset’s vast history. By completing this placement, it has encouraged me to seriously consider pursuing a career in the heritage sector by becoming an archivist following my graduation next summer.
During my placement I was able to contribute to a variety of different historical collections by either acquisitioning, cleaning, listing or cataloguing a range of different types of documents. Working and handling new material which had not yet been added to the catalogue was very exciting, as it felt as if we were being given an exclusive first look into pieces of Dorset’s history yet to be shared with the public. This was especially evident when I cleaned and flattened the Shaftsbury, Blandford and Sherborne Quarter session rolls, which were still tied up and unopened from when they had originally been written in the 18th century! Additionally, being given the responsibility to personally add and work on this material within the catalogue has given me the chance to directly contribute and support Dorset’s historical legacy, an opportunity which is very rare to be given as a student.
We were lucky enough to be given the chance to look at a variety of different topics from a range of different historical periods such as the Corfe Mullen Women’s Institute, JJ Allen department store records, Chrispin Redshaw’s photography, Sylvasprings watercress photos and the Bridport CND which is just to name a few topics. These records were very interesting to look as they often came from groups and companies which had stopped running in the 2020s, such as the Women’s institute groups and the Bridport CND. This meant we were able to see the progression of the groups or companies throughout the decades, up until how it was run in the modern day. Moreover, whilst sorting through these different collections we were taught how to correctly handle historical material, such as film or photographs, to ensure they remain in good condition for future generations to access.
Furthermore, we also had four days off-site to visit other workplaces which were linked to archiving and Dorset’s history. This was so we could understand the variety of jobs within the sector. By visiting the Records Management team at County Hall, we were shown a different type of archiving which focused on holding modern records, a job which I had been unaware of before undertaking this placement. Additionally, the days spent at National Trust properties such as Brownsea Island, Kingston Lacy and Max Gate gave us an insight into how historical properties are run on a day-to-day basis. This was very beneficial as we were shown a diverse range of roles and opportunity within the heritage sector which differed from those at the Dorset History Centre.
Ultimately, I would highly recommend to anyone who is interested in the heritage sector, archiving or local history to apply for the Dorset History Centre Work Placement. It has been an excellent opportunity and has made me sure that this is sector which I would like to work in.
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We run our work experience placements in July each year. Details will be advertised in our newsletter and on social media when the 2027 placement will be opened for applications.