Back in July we welcomed Lara and Cat to Dorset History Centre to undertake four weeks of work experience with us, learning more about what we do and how. In a previous blog Lara explained the sorts of things she got up to whilst she was here. This time, she explains some of the records she found most interesting…
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During my time at the Dorset History Centre, I was given the privilege to access and work on many of their amazing collections. However, my personal favourite part of the collection was looking at and working on the vast number of postcards and photos of Bournemouth and Poole throughout the ages. This was my favourite part because I have been visiting both Bournemouth and Poole ever since I was born and have always had a deep interest in discovering the vast history of the place I call home.
We were first tasked with cataloguing the JJ Allen collection, which was a variety of photographs, brochures and correspondence which showed the development of the department store which had operated on the Bournemouth Highstreet from 1860 up until 1969. This was especially interesting as the photographs showed how Old Christchurch Road used to be a road dominated by Bournemouth’s vast tram network as well as showing how the buildings around the department store developed over the decades. Since cataloguing this collection, it has allowed me to uncover a part of Bournemouth’s history which not many people would be aware of and has ultimately deepened my admiration for the town.
Additionally, we were tasked by Luke, the Public Services Archivist, to help generate ideas for future posts for the Dorset History Centre’s social media pages. During this task I have focused on uncovering postcards and photos of both Poole and Bournemouth throughout the years to encourage locals or people who visited the area to discuss memories or stories about the places featured in these images.
Whilst I was searching for photos to use, I came across a brilliant set of black and white photographs from the 1970-90s which depict notable buildings in Poole, such as the Guildhall Museum, Poole Quay and Market Street. These photographs show how these iconic historical buildings have remained unchanged within the town and will continue to dominate the Highstreet for future generations to reminisce about.
Furthermore, the Dorset History Centre also holds a large collection of postcards which feature different drawings and photographs of Bournemouth during the years. These were amazing to look at as they often depicted lost local landmarks, streetscapes and the evolution of transport within the Bournemouth area. My personal favourite postcard must be the one titled ‘Bournemouth: View from the Pier’ [D-1940/2/1] which is from the early 1900s. This is because it shows women and men walking on the pier giving us an insight into what fashion trends dominated this era, but it also displays the evolution of Bournemouth pier from over 100 years ago compared to its modern counterpart.
Overall, uncovering these photos and postcards has developed a new-found interest into the historical legacy of my local area which I would not have gained if I had not undertaken this placement.