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“Our Journal at Winterbourn St. Martins”: Introducing ‘Chota’ the Dog

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Returning to our exploration of a nineteenth-century diary, readers can find themselves back again navigating Berry and Helen’s experience of Victorian Winterbourne St. Martins. If you missed the introduction to our new series on this illustrated and handwritten Victorian journal, you can find it here. After an eventful entry into Winterbourn St. Martins as their… Read more “Our Journal at Winterbourn St. Martins”: Introducing ‘Chota’ the Dog

The Dorset Postcard Collection – Bournemouth

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When did you last send a postcard? For many of us, postcards are reserved for summer holidays, and even then they have largely been eclipsed by texts and video calls. But in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the postcard was a hugely popular means of communication. By the end of King Edward VII’s… Read more The Dorset Postcard Collection – Bournemouth

World Radio Day: Photographing Dorchester’s Radio Past

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Last week we shared with you a snapshot of the old radio station in Dorchester. This week, we wanted to take a further look at this station through the scope of two recently digitised photograph albums… — In the latter half of 2024 we had the pleasure of digitising two very large photographic albums that… Read more World Radio Day: Photographing Dorchester’s Radio Past

World Radio Day: Remembering Dorchester Radio Station

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What is World Radio Day? Earlier this month, the 13th February marked ‘World Radio Day’. First designated by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) in 2011, this international day celebrates radio as “one of the most dependable and widely utilized forms of media in the world” (UNESCO). World Radio Day celebrates radio’s ability… Read more World Radio Day: Remembering Dorchester Radio Station

Finding stories of changing attitudes to gender

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February marks LGBTQ+ history month. Our new Principal Archivist Claire has taken some time to reflect on gender representation in historic archives… — I have always felt a bit wary of the idea of having separate months for particular communities because of the implication that community is only entitled to be remembered one month out… Read more Finding stories of changing attitudes to gender

“Our Journal at Winterbourn St. Martins”: An Introduction

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Earlier this year, we came across a curious diary in our library here at Dorset History Centre. Written in 1872, Our Journal at Winterbourn St. Martins is a personal diary written by a Miss Berry Dallas during her visit to Dorset. Joined by her younger sister Helen, Berry stayed with Major Charles Clapcott and his… Read more “Our Journal at Winterbourn St. Martins”: An Introduction

Photographs of Dorchester by Gordon Slade

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At Dorset History Centre, we were recently donated a collection of photographs taken by a local amateur photographer, Gordon Slade. Gordon Slade recorded images of Dorchester and Dorset between the 1960s and 2000s. He photographed many images of Dorchester, Poundbury, and surrounding areas of Dorset as it changed and developed over the years. This included… Read more Photographs of Dorchester by Gordon Slade

Life Through a Lens: A Post-War Dorset Village (Part 2)

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Continuing our look at life in the village of Sydling St Nicholas in 1947, these images and annotations tell us of the excellent relationship with the County Medical Officer’s team of health visitors. The health visitors would give advice to expectant and mothers of young children and would undertake health checks on the little ones.… Read more Life Through a Lens: A Post-War Dorset Village (Part 2)