{"id":4368,"date":"2024-11-29T09:30:04","date_gmt":"2024-11-29T09:30:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/?p=4368"},"modified":"2024-12-04T13:07:53","modified_gmt":"2024-12-04T13:07:53","slug":"life-through-a-lens-a-post-war-dorset-village-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/2024\/11\/29\/life-through-a-lens-a-post-war-dorset-village-part-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Life Through a Lens: A Post-War Dorset Village (Part 2)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Continuing our look at life in the village of Sydling St Nicholas in 1947<\/a>, these images and annotations tell us of the excellent relationship with the County Medical Officer\u2019s team of health visitors.<\/p>\n

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D-3161<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The health visitors would give advice to expectant and mothers of young children and would undertake health checks on the little ones. Methods of weighing a baby have changed somewhat since then, as here we can see a baby being weighed in what looks like a string shopping bag and probably the equivalent to a modern day personal luggage weighing scale! Baby Terence looks perfectly comfortable and mum, Mrs E. M. Swain, is clearly happy!<\/p>\n

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D-3161<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The District Nurse was also involved in the Village Fete, and can be seen here weighing 6 month old Barry Wilkinson who was an entrant, and went on to win the baby show.<\/p>\n

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D-3161<\/em><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The village held an annual Harvest Festival, and the villagers produce would be arranged inside the Church; following the festival, the fruit and vegetables were generously donated to the Dorchester Hospitals.<\/p>\n

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D-3161<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Continuing the topic of growing, the village also had a Produce Association, which according to the information provided with the above photograph was “formed to encourage home-growing of produce, [and] has 60 members in Sydling”<\/em>. \u00a0Each villager would pay a subscription for which they would receive seeds and seed potatoes at a reduced price. Here we can see a van being loaded with the produce in preparation for the Produce Associations\u2019 annual competition, which took place in Weymouth. Does anyone remember this? Is there still a Produce Association today?<\/p>\n