A newsletter for Dorset History Centre, the Historic Environment Record, Portable Antiquities Scheme, and Dorset Archives Trust: working together to support the preservation of Dorset's history.
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So Much Is Going On!
** Welcome to August's newsletter!
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As we move into the summer holiday season, we hope that all of our readers are able to enjoy some sunshine and a bit of a break from daily routines! Despite the summer season, staff at Dorset History Centre continue to work hard behind-the-scenes. There's lots to tell you about this month, and we do hope you'll join us for Dorset's Summer Past in the middle of the month...
** Dorset's Summer Past
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Poster advertising Dorset's Summer Past event on Saturday 17 August, 10am-3pm, at Dorset History Centre
Over-dressed Victorian summers, hard-working Edwardian summers, chilly fetes from the fifties and sporting lasses from the twenties - Dorset History Centre houses thousands of photos, and on Saturday 17 August we will be displaying images drawn from a wide range of archive collections illustrating summers in Dorset over the last 150 years. This is an opportunity to see unique material, including photographs, slides and postcards not available in digital format.
You’ll also be able to find out how to care for your own photographic heritage, and how photography developed (excuse the pun!) Perhaps you will even investigate how to add your own photos to the county’s archive collections to enthral generations to come.
In addition, we are delighted to be hosting a display of more contemporary Dorset photography from the Dorchester Camera Club – itself more than 100 years old.
A spotting activity for the whole family will ensure that you peer at the photographs and you’ll be able to see a film of old-time cider-drinkers at ‘Will’s Surgery’ - perhaps before popping into the Borough Gardens for a pint at the Dorset Cider Festival.
This is a free exhibition, 10am-3pm on Saturday 17^th August, at the Dorset History Centre, on the Bridport Rd, Dorchester, DT11RP.
Do come and join us for a glimpse into summers long vanished.
** William Barnes Fundraising
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William Barnes fundraising logo
The William Barnes Society supported by Dorset Archives Trust, Dorset Museum and DHC has started a campaign to raise funds in order to catalogue the Dorset dialect poet’s archive which is held on deposit at DHC.
We hope that we will be able to fund a project similar to our current work on Hardy
– resulting in a public catalogue with the whole collection described and open to discovery by anyone interested in Barnes and his literary legacy.
For more information or to find out how to contribute, take a look at the Barnes Society website.
Learn more and donate here
** Heritage Open Days - Sunday 17 September
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Heritage Open Day logo
The Dorset History Centre is a fascinating building. How do we maintain the correct temperature and humidity to care for documents more than 1,000 years old? How do we protect our heritage from bugs, thieves and fire? What sorts of things are in the brown boxes??
Join us on Sunday 15 September for Heritage Open Day to find out!
You will also be able to view a selection of DHC's many architectural plans, see exciting archaeological finds from around Dorset and join in with a children's activity. Behind-the-scenes tours will be happening every hour between 10am and 3pm, but booking is essential as places are limited. Otherwise if you're just interested in having a look at some of the plans, or talking to a member of the team, then feel free to just drop in!
Book your spot to see behind-the-scenes at DHC!
** We are hiring: Principal Archivist
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"We Are Hiring" image
Dorset History Centre (DHC) is seeking to recruit a dynamic, and highly motivated individual in the key role of Principal Archivist.
This is a role that will allow you to have the opportunity to help drive change and to explore new ways of engaging audience with the physical and digital collections within our care.
The successful candidate will lead a team of at least six, overseeing the operational management of DHC whilst contributing to and supporting the strategic development of the service.
DHC was an early adopter of digital preservation practice in local government and you will be responsible for helping to develop this further whilst supporting colleagues working across a range of activities ensuring that our service meets high standards in all areas of its work.
For more information and how to apply for this position, click here
** Finding Dorset:
Introduction to metal detecting
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Banner for the HER/PAS team
New to detecting?
An event for those new to metal detecting, or anyone who would like a refresher. Come to the Dorset History Centre to learn about some of the ‘dos and don’ts’ with short presentations on topics including the Treasure Act and the Portable Antiquities Scheme.
Saturday 7 September 2024, 10am to 12.30pm
Dorset History Centre
We’ll be talking about:
* The law and finding out about protected monuments and areas
* The Portable Antiquities Scheme
* The Treasure Act 1996 and how to report your finds
* How to do grid references
* Basic care and storage of finds
Experienced detectorists will be on hand to chat about their experience of starting the hobby. The event is free to attend but numbers are limited so booking is required.
To book your place, please contact Claire Pinder on 01305 224921 or email via the link below.
Get in touch to book your place!
** Join in with Talbot Village Trust
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Image of people playing in a swimming pool
It's been great to work with the Talbot Village Trust as they collected stories and photos and worked with Bournemouth University students to create an exhibition of the hidden history of the Bournemouth neighbourhood. If you'd like to know more about this unique landscape and the communities who share it, why not head out on a tour of Talbot Heath on Tuesday 6 August. Meet at L’Arte café on Gillett Road at 1.30pm, or earlier if you'd like lunch, and the group will leave promptly together.
Discover more about Talbot Village Trust
** Dorset History Centre Car Park
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Dorset History Centre building from Bridport Road
A reminder for all customers and visitors to Dorset History Centre that we are in the middle of extensive building works. Unfortunately, for reasons beyond our control, these works have slipped, which means that until October 2024 there will be no public access to the car park at the centre. We ask visitors to exercise caution when moving around the outside of the building, and we apologise for any inconvenience these works might cause.
If you want to visit Dorset History Centre before October, there are local car parks at Top o'Town and Fairfield Road, which are a short distance away.
Please get in touch if you have any queries about visiting before October 2024.
Get in touch about visiting Dorset History Centre
** Do you know where this picture is?
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Exterior of the former school building at Nether Compton
Last month we shared this photograph with you and challenged you to identify where it might have been taken.
We had a range of guesses, but only a few people correctly spotted that this is a picture of the former school at Nether Compton.
Thank-you, as ever, to all those who sent in a guess!
Black and white image of a street scene from the 1880s
This month we have what might be the oldest photo we've ever shared as part of this feature. It's a little bit grainy, we know (it was taken in about 1880) but if you think you might be able to work out where it was taken, then let us know!
As usual, we will reveal the answer in next month's newsletter.
Where was this picture taken?
** Social Media updates
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Banner image of DHC activities
On our blog in the last month we have shared a couple of posts from our Work Experience student Bia. She spent a month with us, and explained more about what she was doing during that time:
* Work Experience 2024: Bia
* Bia's Work Experience 2024: Thoughts at the end of a busy month!
We also shared with you information about a recently catalogued collection of photographs relating to Askerswell over the last 100 years
.
On our X/ Twitter page we also shared other things, including:
* History Begins at Home's tweet highlighting Punch and Judy on Weymouth beach
* Somerset and Dorset's Notes and Queries message about archival film footage of the GWR through the south-west
* The news that a large collection of photos from photographer Peter Thomas have now been catalogued
* And busy work on a hot day, as staff and volunteers got to grips with mountains of OS maps
Follow us on X/ Twitter!
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