Inspired by the popular festive song, staff at Dorset History Centre have been delving into the archives for items related to the Twelve Days of Christmas – with a sprinkle of artistic license!
A partridge in a pear tree
A 1760’s inventory from Corfe Castle lists pear trees planted in John Bond’s orchard. The varieties include Dutch Bergamot, Monsieur St. John and Jarganele (reference D-BOC/889/Box8A/H1).
Two turtle doves
The Poole Pottery collection contains the design for plaque featuring two doves in flight. The plaque was one of several designed for the exterior of Dublin post office (reference: D-PPY/A/6/6/1/8/2).
Three French hens
Dorset History holds many records relating to the keeping and trade of poultry and eggs. We have however chosen this snapshot of rural life featuring Mrs Edith Brewer feeding chickens (reference: D-2042/Acc8059).
Four calling birds
Calling birds is Americanisation of ‘colly’ (black) birds. A list of Purbeck birds from 1969 tells us that ‘T.merula [blackbirds] is a common resident’, along with the Winter flocks of mistle thrushes (reference: D-2501/1).
Five gold rings
The diary of Henry Kaines of Manston (reference: D-391/1) is a rich source of information for local and national events. On 16 July 1827, he records the story of a boy who caught more than he bargained for:
“John Marshes boy fishing with only a crooked Pin for Minnows in the River Stour at Hammoon, near to the late Matthew Savory’s Cottage, unexpectedly drew up a very large old fashioned Gold Ring with a stone fixed in the upper part of it – It was sold for about five Pounds, & the boy got many sixpences of those that called to see it”
Six geese a-laying
The Christchurch Borough collection contains a lease for William Hodges of Christchurch to rent a property from a number of gentlemen, including the Mayor of Christchurch. In return he had to build his own house, enclose the land, keep local hedges in good order, and every Christmas for the next 60 years supply two fat geese!
Seven swans a-swimming
The Wyke Regis Community Association won first prize at Weymouth Carnival in 1955 for their ‘Swan Lake’ float. This image is one of several featuring Weymouth Carnival from the Herbert Collection (reference: D-HBT/2944).
Eight maids a-milking
Our milking maids were captured in the late nineteenth century, and were possibly staff at Littledown Farm. The photograph is part of the Cooper Dean collection which documents the development of Bournemouth (reference: D-CDN/J/8/3/1).
Nine ladies dancing
The Melplash Women’s Institute were awarded a first class certificate for their participation in Bridport District Country Dances, May 1929 (reference: W-143/5/1).
Ten men a-mumming
Mumming men feature in a ‘Dorset’ version of Twelve Days of Christmas attributed to William Barnes. Mummers plays were performed at Christmas throughout Britain, but had regional characteristics. The plays were largely improvised around a well-known theme, with key refrains and speeches passed down to new members of the informal Locally, plays of a broadly moral character were enlivened by music, the hobby horse and the Dorset Ooser (a carved wooden mask). An incident in which the Fordington mummers did battle with the Bockhampton band in Dorchester in 1845 led to criminal proceedings which can be found in the Quarter Sessions records. This illustration comes from Mumming And The Mummers’ Play Of St George by J.Stevens Cox, available in our local studies library.
Eleven pipers piping
Pipers of Ringwood Pipe Band performed for crowds at Gillingham Carnival in October 1975 (reference: D-SLI/122/23).
Twelve bells a-ringing
Our collections house many images of local landmarks, including churches. This collage features the bells at Winterborne Anderson (reference: D-SLI/140/3) and the bell mechanism at Toller Porcorum (reference: DPA/1/TRP/4) as well as a bell ringer at Nether Compton (reference: DPA/1/NCO/13). The horse paraded at a street fair in Milton Abbas, with bells on! (reference: D-SLI/181/10)
