Women played an important role in Dorset during the First World War. Dorset History Centre holds an information booklet issued by the War Office to local officials in September 1916. It aimed to demonstrate that women had successfully taken on jobs formerly occupied by men, and thus encourage the release of additional male workers into the… Read more Women in the war
One of the most unexpected items within Dorset History Centre’s collections is a small black and white poster dating from 1796. It advertises a fencing match in Southampton by a woman; Mademoiselle Charlotte Genevieve Louis D’Eon, also known as the Chevalier D’Eon. A life less ordinary By current classification, Mademoiselle D’Eon would likely be considered… Read more Gender Recognition – at the Point of a Sword
Records in the Borough of Poole archive reveal details of the first policemen to be employed in the town, including their uniforms, expected conduct and rewards. A paid police force Organised crime prevention has existed for centuries, beginning with the early night watchmen and parish constables appointed by Justices of the Peace and other town… Read more Law and order in Poole
Amy Ridgway shares her experience of working at Dorset History Centre during a placement for her history PhD. My usual use of Dorset History Centre (DHC) is as a researcher in the search room. As a history PhD student at the University of Exeter, I have been using documents from the Bankes Archive, namely account… Read more On the other side of the desk
Our Archives Project Technician, Amber, continues her journey into the Herbert Photographic Collection. She discovers the surprisingly labour-intensive processes behind transporting Portland limestone off the island in the 1960s (reference: D-HBT/5275). Today, the process of moving, lifting and carrying quarried stone is a relatively simple affair: forklifts, conveyors and front end loaders make easy work… Read more A special shipment of Portland stone
Weymouth and its inhabitants suffered greatly during the war; its proximity to the naval base at Portland and its well-protected bay left it at the receiving end of several bombing raids. The worst affected area in the borough was Chapelhay, residing on the southern side of the harbour. Photographs taken after the war show the extent… Read more Destruction and Creation
Our archivist working on the Poole Borough Archive sheds some light on her daily activities. A dual role I have two roles at Dorset History Centre – from Monday to Wednesday I am the Project Archivist responsible for sorting and cataloguing the Poole Borough Archive. This is quite a job as the collection includes over 1500… Read more A day in the life of a cataloguing archivist
Amber, our newly appointed Archives Project Technician, recommences work digitising the fascinating Herbert Collection. She shares some specially selected snapshots of Dorset from times gone by. As one of Dorset History Centre’s newest additions to the team, I find myself with the fascinating privilege of delving through three decades of local Dorset history, as documented pictorially… Read more Delightfully retro festive photography
Inspired by the popular festive song, staff at Dorset History Centre bring you our own version of the Twelve Days of Christmas! On the twelve days of Christmas, my archives gave to me… A parchment in a brown box Dorset History Centre holds over 50,000 acid free boxes in environmentally controlled repositories – each one containing… Read more Twelve days of archive Christmas
The Christmas Truce of 1914 has passed now almost into legend. Great armies engaged on the Western Front in the bloodiest of all wars called a ceasefire and instead came together in a spirit of peace to exchange gifts, play football and sing carols. Diaries held at Dorset History Centre provide a first-hand account of… Read more Christmas Truce recorded in WW1 diary
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