June is Gypsy Romany and Traveller History Month, and during the month we will be sharing four blogs written by a DHC volunteer and professional genealogist about the challenges and unique features of researching GRT family. You can find further information about researching GRT ancestors and about some specific families at The Romany and Traveller… Read more Gypsy Romany and Traveller History Month at Dorset History Centre
Last month we were looking through a file of order papers for patients at Herrison Hospital, the Dorset County Lunatic Asylum. Order papers were created for all patients who were admitted to Herrison and they are the best place to start when looking for information about particular cases. They state the reasons for a patient’s… Read more A Man Unknown
After seventeen years working for Dorset History Centre, our Reprographics Officer, Jo has retired, leaving us with a large hole in our team. Before she left us, Jo left us some of her memories of her time at DHC and some of her favourite documents from the collections… — I joined Dorset History Centre in… Read more A Fond Farewell to DHC
This account appeared in the Dorset County Chronicle on 16th June 1842: Marshwood- Unlucky Accident- a young man of this parish had the misfortune, about a fortnight since, to cut off two of his fingers, with a hook, whilst engaged in chopping a stake to assist him to carry his box home from his late… Read more A Marshwood Accident and a Mysterious Family
In the previous blog we looked at the first three monarchs who reigned in the 20th Century, and in this post we will take a look at the other two ahead of the Coronation of King Charles III… King George VI (1936-1952) Following the abdication of King Edward VIII, his brother Albert who, using his… Read more Coronations in the Archives – part 2
During the 20th century we had five monarchs and Coronations for three. In the first of two blogs this week we will take a look at how Dorset celebrated these occasions through the archives we hold. At the start of the century, Queen Victoria, who had reigned from 1837 until her death on 22nd January… Read more Coronations in the Archives – part 1
Sitting next to Bournemouth University, you might not realise the history of Talbot Village. Did you know this green and shady suburb was established by the philanthropy of two women, Georgina and Mary Anne Talbot? Early Days The heathland where Bournemouth now stands was once common land which provided the local community with turf, game,… Read more The Evolution of Talbot Village
At over 33,000 records and counting, the Bankes collection is rich with stories about all sorts of things relating to Dorset, Britain, and the wider world. Following its cataloguing between 2015 and 2018, the collection has gone on to regularly be one of our most popular collections; with hundreds, if not thousands of documents from… Read more The Bankes Associates
In March, Dorset Archives Trust held a series of lectures relating to Thomas Hardy, exploring different themes of his life, his work and his interests. The lectures were held to help fund-raise for our Thomas Hardy project and to demonstrate the multi-faceted nature of one of Dorset’s most famous sons. Dorset Archives Trust Vice-Chair, Sara… Read more The Hardy Lectures
Dorset’s outstanding landscapes have long been a draw for tourists, and we are sure that there will be a great many who will be visiting different parts of the county during this Easter Bank Holiday weekend! Visitors currently spend around £1 billion in Dorset, with many supporting small and medium sized businesses across the county.… Read more Steaming along the Dorset coast
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