At Dorset History Centre, we are keen to encourage guest blogs from our readers detailing the research and work they are undertaking. In this blog, Michael Pitfield explains where fifty years of genealogical research have led him… — For some 50 years, my distant cousin Hugh Pitfield and I have been researching our Pitfield genealogy.… Read more The Pitfield Family of Dorset
Whilst recently searching our smaller collections, we found this archive of six postcards showing different location in Dorset. Though catalogued for the images on the front, it was the messages on the back that piqued our interest. “Dear Racheal. I expect you will be surprised to hear that I am married” starts the 1912 postcard… Read more A Research Rabbit-hole!
In the local studies library at the Dorset History Centre you can find a large collection of journals. These journals are packed with fascinating articles and are often an underused resource. In this series of blogs we will be highlighting some of the interesting articles within them! This is the eighth in our series of… Read more The Journals of DHC: 1970s
When researching your family history, you may discover one or two ‘Skeletons’, one possibly being that an ancestor was illegitimate. This is normally discovered when looking at their baptism record where, not only is the mother the only named parent, but the child is recorded as a ‘bastard’ in the register. In the example below,… Read more Bastardy records – what are they and what do they tell us?
We’re kicking off our archives A-Z with a focus on our ancestors. Family history is still the most common reason for people to use our collections. Records may include information about where and when your ancestors lived, what they did for work, and who they married. Many of the most useful records for piecing together… Read more Archive A-Z: A is for Ancestors
Ever wondered what it’s like working in the Public Access rooms at the Dorset History Centre? From drains to ancient manuscripts, a Dorset History Centre Assistant shares their account of a typical day. Enquiries from near and far It’s a busy start to the day with lots of telephone messages to follow up from when… Read more A day in the life of a History Centre Assistant
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