Dorset History Centre

Dorset History Centre ... a thousand years, a million stories. We house Dorset's local archives - from council records to personal collections.

Dorset History Centre is the archives service and local studies library for Bournemouth, Christchurch, Dorset and Poole.

We wanted to celebrate the F.A. Cup final day today, by taking a look at just some of the old footballing photographs in...
16/05/2026

We wanted to celebrate the F.A. Cup final day today, by taking a look at just some of the old footballing photographs in our collections...

📷 D-HBT/3700: Weymouth Football Ground - Match in progress, 18/10/1958
📷 D-HBT/5850: Weymouth Football Club v Leyton Orient FA Cup, 09/12/1967
📷 D-SLI/199/2: Corfe Castle: Marblers with football in West Street, slide, 22 Feb 1977
📷 D-HBT/3601: Portesham Football Team, 24/05/1958

What's your favourite Dorset footballing memory? Let us know in the comments below!

Over on our blog today we've taken a look at some of the history of smuggling in Lyme Regis, and what some of the record...
15/05/2026

Over on our blog today we've taken a look at some of the history of smuggling in Lyme Regis, and what some of the records we hold tell us about the practice...

Check out the blog here ▶️ https://orlo.uk/DQKWN

📷 D-DPA/1/LR/14: The Cobb, Lyme Regis, 1890. Copyright F. Frith & Co. Ltd., Reigate (27356)

Taken on this day in 1977, this wonderful photograph shows the curve of Weymouth beach from Osmington Hill. Do you remem...
14/05/2026

Taken on this day in 1977, this wonderful photograph shows the curve of Weymouth beach from Osmington Hill. Do you remember when the coastline looked like this? Let us know your memories in the comments below.

📷 D-SLI/221/24: https://orlo.uk/GJTiU

We need you!Dorset History Centre are looking for a Reprographics Assistant to join the team. Working within a close‑kni...
13/05/2026

We need you!

Dorset History Centre are looking for a Reprographics Assistant to join the team. Working within a close‑knit, collaborative team, you’ll combine careful handling of delicate materials with technical precision to create high‑quality digital images for both internal projects and external clients. If you’re someone who values accuracy, enjoys hands‑on work with heritage collections, and takes pride in representing a service with professionalism, this is a chance to make a meaningful impact on how Dorset’s history is preserved and shared.

Further information, including how to apply, is available here: https://orlo.uk/njCE2

The deadline for applications is Sunday 31 May.

Are you subscribed to our newsletter? If not, why not?!We publish a new newsletter on the first and third Thursday of ea...
12/05/2026

Are you subscribed to our newsletter? If not, why not?!

We publish a new newsletter on the first and third Thursday of each month, full of news about what's happening at DHC, events happening in the community, and our regular "where was this picture taken" feature! If you're not already signed up then you're missing out!

To start receiving these jam-packed newsletters, simply follow this link, enter your details, and select "Archives, History and Heritage" from the list: https://orlo.uk/GVtvl

Listen to "The Ballad Singer from Casterbridge Fair" recited by Gertrude Bugler, here: https://orlo.uk/qpsHrAs part of a...
11/05/2026

Listen to "The Ballad Singer from Casterbridge Fair" recited by Gertrude Bugler, here: https://orlo.uk/qpsHr

As part of a National Lottery Heritage Fund regional project, Sounds of the South West (SOSW), we have been digitising at-risk audio materials held in our collections at Dorset History Centre. In January, we received news that SOSW has been given a second phase of funding from the Lottery to continue preserving our sound history. We will be sharing some of the digitised audio clips in our newsletters, so that these audios can be listened to - some for the first time since they were donated! We hope you enjoy listening to snippets of Dorset life.

Join us on Saturday 6 June 2026 for a day examining the Civil War in Dorset. The conference will feature a range of Civi...
10/05/2026

Join us on Saturday 6 June 2026 for a day examining the Civil War in Dorset.

The conference will feature a range of Civil War academics and look at how the conflict impacted different parts of the county. We do hope you can join us for "From Culture Wars to Conflict – Dorset in the Civil War". Tickets cost £12.00 and include refreshments during the day, and the event will run between 9.30am and 3.15pm. It should be a fascinating day!

You can book your tickets here: https://orlo.uk/9x88z

On the last Wednesday of each month we host "From the Stacks", a free lunchtime talk about some of the records held here...
09/05/2026

On the last Wednesday of each month we host "From the Stacks", a free lunchtime talk about some of the records held here at DHC. These talks last up-to 30 minutes and begin at 12.30pm so that people on lunch-breaks, or anyone who might be in Dorchester already can pop along and learn about some history!

Join us on Wednesday 27 May for "Uncovering the Great Temple at Abu Simbel" - a look at some of the wonderful drawings of Egypt in 1819 held in the Bankes Archive.

One of the more unusual recent acquisitions by Dorset History Centre is a slim 20 page booklet entitled ‘The Shapwick Mo...
08/05/2026

One of the more unusual recent acquisitions by Dorset History Centre is a slim 20 page booklet entitled ‘The Shapwick Monster’. Slightly battered and time-worn, as befits something not far short of 200 years old, it was first published in 1841 by Frederick Clemence, a Blandford bookseller and stationers whose premises were in Salisbury Street.

On our blog today, we've taken more of a look at this unusual folk-tale... https://orlo.uk/wlB1p

We publish new blogs every Friday morning, so you'll have something new to have a read of each weekend!

Did you know that we have a second-hand book sale at Dorset History Centre, with all proceeds going to Dorset Archives T...
08/05/2026

Did you know that we have a second-hand book sale at Dorset History Centre, with all proceeds going to Dorset Archives Trust?

Based in reception when you visit the building, why not pop in when we are open and have a browse of the range of books we have for sale, including lots of copies different editions of the Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society.

Our exciting new project "Past Lives, Future Proofed" is about to begin in earnest! The first step is to recruit a Proje...
07/05/2026

Our exciting new project "Past Lives, Future Proofed" is about to begin in earnest! The first step is to recruit a Project Community Engagement Officer (0.8 fte) and Project Archivist (1 fte) positions. Both posts are fixed term contracts for 18 months, funded thanks to the £600k+ grant made possible by players of the National Lottery.

For the Project Community Engagement Officer post we're looking for someone with experience of working with partners and community groups who can help us trial and test activities in preparation for the delivery phase bid. For the Project Archivist we're looking for an experienced archivist who will work with volunteers and colleagues to bring in archives from partner organizations such as Poole Lighthouse and help catalogue them and make them available for the future.

Further information about each post is available through the following links:

Project Community Engagement Officer (applications open until 24 May 2026): https://orlo.uk/8HB2v
Project Archivist (applications open until 17 May 2026): https://orlo.uk/mX8nK

Please share these roles with anyone you think might be interested!

Address

Bridport Road
Dorchester
DT11RP

Opening Hours

Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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