In our thousands of records there are a wide variety of old jobs mentioned, many familiar to us in the 21st Century, but some which seem slightly peculiar to modern audiences. For this Archives A-Z we thought we would use the letter J to look at some of the more unusual jobs of old in… Read more Archives A-Z: J is for… Jobs of Old
February typically marks the end of winter, and leads us towards spring. This transition from the snow and cold of winter into the new shoots of growth in spring is something which is reflected in a wide variety of material held at the archives. William John Bankes was as aware as anyone about the transitional… Read more Spring has Sprung
One of the most consulted books at the Dorset History Centre is Hutchins’ History and Antiquities of Dorset. John Hutchins, then Vicar of Swyre and Melcombe Horsey and later Rector of Holy Trinity Wareham, began collecting information for his History of Dorset in the 1730’s. It took him nearly forty years to complete and, were… Read more Hutchins’ Extra Illustrated: Volume 1
Christmas is a time of year when many people send cards and letters to loved ones and here at Dorset History Centre we have some lovely examples of these. In 1896 17 year old Francis Arthur Marten was serving on HMS Nelson. On the 12th of December he wrote a letter home to his father… Read more Christmas Correspondence
House history is something we frequently get asked about here at Dorset History Centre. There are a whole variety of reasons why knowing about a property can be important, be them legal, academic or just plain curiosity. We hold a range of sources which can help house historians find more information about their property. Maps… Read more Archives A-Z: H is for houses
At this time of year many of us are spending our free time in the garden. Our collections reveal a passion for gardening going back centuries. Changing fashions Plans for alterations to the grounds at Frampton House demonstrate the changing fashions in eighteenth century garden design (reference: D-SHE/22). In 1778 a survey of the grounds… Read more Archives A-Z: G is for gardens
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… Read more Twelve Days of Christmas from the Archives
Were you aware that in 1965, winner of the Miss World international beauty pageant and one-time Bond girl, came from none other than our own fair county? Watch, as blonde bombshell Lesley Langley wanders about Weymouth in these latest of photos from the Herbert Photographic Collection. A mayoral reception along the Esplanade, press teams pointing… Read more Miss World’s whistle-stop Weymouth tour!
Listing the Bournemouth Borough archive reveals the efforts and experiences of Bournemouth people during the Second World War; from a report about the courage of survivors of the Blitz to strange finds amongst bundles of paperwork. The Bournemouth Borough archive (ref: DC/BH) covers nearly a century of records, from the late 1800s to the late… Read more Bournemouth’s Second World War ‘Big Effort’
Ask any foreigner and they’ll say the British are obsessed with the weather. Nowadays we can access an up-to-date, worldwide forecast at any time and, being British, we love to talk or moan about it. However this is not a new phenomenon. Details of the weather over the last couple of centuries can be found… Read more The British and the weather
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