Newspapers have been around for hundreds of years reporting on both national and local news stories relevant to the time. We read them and then (hopefully) put them out to be recycled. However, no matter their age they can hold information relevant to the local historian or genealogist.
Dorset History holds a collection of local newspapers, in hard format or on microfilm, dating from 1737 up to 2019. Some of these are daily, such as the Dorset Echo; weekly such as the Dorset County Chronicle; or occasionally monthly.
Newspapers can be utilised when the original records no longer exist. A good example of this would be for records relating to Coroners Inquests. After 1875 coroner’s records were only kept for 15 years and then destroyed at the discretion of the Coroner. Coverage for Dorset is therefore not particularly good and newspapers are often the best or only source of information.
Such an example is the report on the death, and subsequent Inquest’ that appeared in the Dorset County Chronicle on 21st January 1915, on the death of Private A. Adams.
The newspaper then reported, in detail, the inquest the following week in the 28th January 1915 edition:
Newspapers often have an area dedicated to Births, Marriages and Deaths affectionally known as ‘Hatches, Matches and Dispatches’ columns. These can give you basic information but sometimes the event can be reported within the newspaper giving more details. Births are often reported on especially Christmas and New Year babies or if a birth occurred in an unusual location. Weddings, along with a photograph, were often reported on and would sometimes detail the guests who attended, gifts received and what the bride/bridesmaid wore. Deaths, as well as funerals are reported on, again often listing guests and sometimes the floral tributes. Such an example is in Dorset Daily Echo on the funeral of Mr Frank Gent and Lady Jackson on 16th January 1953:
Newspapers can also be used to research many other areas of interest. You can find details/reports on accidents, court cases and local events. Search sporting results such as the results of football games or cricket matches etc.; The taking place of Local traditions still being honoured; Fashion through the ages can be seen through various articles, adverts and photographs; See the latest cars/motorbikes for the period along with household appliances. Weather forecasts and reports on the results of extreme weather conditions can be useful for meteorologists. Even adverts can also be interesting with the many pills and potions as well as medical appliances available to cure all your ills before the Advertising Standards Authority came into being.
And sometimes they are just interesting to peruse. However, they come with a warning that, although you may be searching for something specific, you can be distracted by other various articles, adverts etc. and find yourself following a story as it develops, over the days or weeks of reporting, to find out what happened!
[…] Newspapers: More uses than wrapping your fish and chips! – on the Dorset History Centre website. […]