The Main Street We walked around the old town and peered into the small country shop windows and bought – at least Mouse bought some more Christmas Cards, – feeling they were a sheer necessity at this eleventh hour, if only to put inside her own woolly boots! I shall never know why we didn’t… Read more “In Search of Christmas in England”: 25th December
On the following morning we bought snow boots. – for said the mouse, – ‘If I’m to freeze for three hours on the road again, – at least I’ll have warm feet.’ — Mr Lillywhite of Piccadilly produced the finest pair of woolly lined boots you ever saw and we started once more on our… Read more “In Search of Christmas in England”: 24th December
December 23rd 1935. All the Christmas parcels were in the post, so what was there to stop us from making merry in the really old fashioned way in England – at the expense of some one else’s labour! Nice to think we could get up Christmas morning in leisurely mood, pry into “stockings” and eat… Read more “In Search of Christmas in England”: 23rd December
In 1935 an anonymous author penned a journey through Dorset and Hampshire, a journey undertaken between the 23rd and 28th December 1935. We have transcribed this account and we will be publishing an extract each day during this period, 85 years later. Part one of this journey will be published later this morning, and then… Read more “In Search of Christmas in England”: An introduction
The staff at Dorset History Centre would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas. Our opening hours over the festive period are below. If you are planning on visiting during this period, we advise you to pre-order documents by emailing archives@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk Otherwise, we look forward to welcoming you to DHC in 2020!
Christmas is a time where there are so many connotations, through so many associated words that it becomes impossible to read some words in any other context. These keywords, such as “snow”, “Santa”, or “Slade” are all things one can use to search the catalogue of Dorset History Centre. As we looked through our holdings… Read more Dorset History Centre’s Alternative Christmas Highlights!
Part of life at Herrison Hospital involved actively encouraging patients to interact with each other and staff, so that the hospital felt more like a community for the patients. In fact, patients who were deemed fit and able by a doctor would be given jobs within the Hospital such as working in the kitchen, laundry… Read more Christmas at Herrison Hospital
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
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
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
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