photographs

Memories of a Small Village

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A small collection regarding Askerswell Village has recently been donated to Dorset History Centre. The collection was compiled by Askerswell resident Martin Evans and shows a great insight into the village life throughout the twentieth century. In 1993, Evans created the Focus 1893 exhibition – an exhibition that looked back at the last 100 years of… Read more Memories of a Small Village

Albumen Prints of Bournemouth and Beyond

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Dorset History Centre acquired this album of beautiful albumen prints recently. Whilst the front cover is missing and there is some foxing to the pages, the prints are in remarkably good condition considering the age of them. Albumen prints date from 1850 when they were invented by Louis Désiré Blanquat-Evrard and were in regular use… Read more Albumen Prints of Bournemouth and Beyond

Capturing the Blaze: Fire on Weymouth Seafront

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Let’s take a trip back 70 years to 1954, when The Pavilion Theatre on Weymouth Pier was destroyed in a devastating fire. History Sat in a prime position in Weymouth Harbour, The Pavilion opened on 21st December 1908, offering locals and tourists a go-to spot for performances. Over the years, it evolved from hosting lively… Read more Capturing the Blaze: Fire on Weymouth Seafront

Where was this photograph taken?

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**This blog post was edited on 30 May 2022 to give the answers at the end of the competition. The competition is now closed. Thank-you to everyone who took part!** — Subscribers to our newsletter may recognise the feature ‘where was this photograph taken?‘ through which we have sent snapshots of Dorset to our readers… Read more Where was this photograph taken?

Archival Types – Photographs

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The invention of photography coincided with an unprecedented advancement of technology and science, transport and communication.  It was also a time of great inequality, poverty and the desire for social reform.  Photography allowed the documentation of all of this as ‘real-life’ images, having previously relied on artists interpretations.  It changed the way people perceived themselves and the world around them.   We are all likely… Read more Archival Types – Photographs

Archiving the Archive

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As well as collecting archives from all around the county we are keen to preserve materials from a little closer to home. For many years archivists have been adding to the Dorset Record Office collection (D-1931). Yes – we archive ourselves!

As with other organisations, we are interested in keeping records which reflect the activities we are engaged in and the decisions we make. This includes projects we have led such as the Unlocking the Bankes Archive project and the Diary of RSM George Beck.

A recent office tidy-up revealed a rather fun group of photographs of the Record Office of yesteryear. We think they were taken in the 1980s – when the Record Office was based at County Hall. The service moved to the current Dorset History Centre building in 1991.

The searchroom of course looks slightly different – then featuring drawers of index cards rather the computers we use now. However the interest in curious documents – whether they be long, small, holey or nibbled – remains to this day!

Keep an eye on our Twitter account (@DorsetArchives) for more from this collection and how things look now!

Archives A-Z: H is for houses

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House history is something we frequently get asked about here at Dorset History Centre. There are a whole variety of reasons why knowing about a property can be important, be them legal, academic or just plain curiosity. We hold a range of sources which can help house historians find more information about their property. Maps… Read more Archives A-Z: H is for houses