Behind the scenes

Newspapers: More uses than wrapping your fish and chips!

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… Read more Newspapers: More uses than wrapping your fish and chips!

Reprographics at DHC during Covid-19

With the new lockdown now in place, we asked our Reprographics Officer Jo to give us a bit of an insight into the work she does to help customers get hold of records remotely, a service which is ongoing despite the new restrictions. — The Reprographics department at Dorset History Centre has been slightly reduced… Read more Reprographics at DHC during Covid-19

How We Catalogue Archive Records

With the launch of our new online catalogue, we hope that many of you have now taken the opportunity to have a browse through our collections. If you’re not familiar with how archive catalogues work, they may seem rather strange at first glance so let us explain how through arrangement and description archivists create a… Read more How We Catalogue Archive Records

Explore Epexio: DHC’s new online catalogue!

Our new online catalogue launched last week. This is the place where you can find descriptions of over 360,000 items in our collections.   We have been working with the team behind Epexio Discover to deliver a modern archival discovery platform which makes it easier for you to find what you are looking for within Dorset’s archives.   More dynamic searching…  The new catalogue offers a more intuitive and user-friendly experience. You… Read more Explore Epexio: DHC’s new online catalogue!

Cyber Trees and Virtual Woods: Looking after your digital records

Whilst many people have used the past few months to sort out their physical belongings, it is easy to forget that our digital estate also needs managing. So, we’re sharing some practical tips to help manage your own digital information. This can be anything from research notes and family photos to emails and financial spreadsheets.     Why?   Digital information is more fragile than paper stored in… Read more Cyber Trees and Virtual Woods: Looking after your digital records

The Challenges of Reopening Dorset History Centre

On Tuesday 7th July Dorset History Centre reopened in a limited capacity following the Covid-19 lockdown. In this blog, we wanted to explain a bit more about how we reopened, our concerns and processes, some of the lessons learned from the first month of reopening; as well as examine how the service might look in… Read more The Challenges of Reopening Dorset History Centre

My Favourite Record – Collections Assistant Clare

Today, we have chatted with Clare, our Collections Assistant in Digital Preservation, who lets us know about how she has been working remotely and her favourite document from our collections…  — During lockdown I had the chance to work remotely with our digital archive, taking the opportunity to tidy up digital files behind the scenes, ensuring that… Read more My Favourite Record – Collections Assistant Clare

Mapping the County: The Thornford Estate

Thanks to the Dorset Archives Trust Document Purchase Fund the Dorset History Centre recently purchased a beautiful 1802 manuscript map of an estate in Thornford.  Thornford is in the north west corner of Dorset near Sherborne.  It was prepared for George Tilly Gollop and surveyed by John Davioge of Ansford (probably near Castle Cary) in 1802.   George Tilly Gollop was a Dorset landowner who actually lived in Netherbury but, in common with most 18th and 19th century landowners, held lands… Read more Mapping the County: The Thornford Estate