Presently researching the past      
                    for future generations

Once again a full house for our Tuesday evening meeting, even as the room was being prepared folk were arriving early to get a good seat. Paul Sturgess was the speaker with a slide presentation of historical photos entitled Dorset of old. Using a camera with a macro lens Paul had used his photo editing skills to produce in may cases an enhanced image of the postcard, thereby enabling presentation of quality images.

We were treated to an archive of pictorial delights from 19th and early 20th cent Dorset:- Haywain, Ox-carts, Ploughmen, Steam engines, Sheep shearing, Harvesting, Milling, Cider making, Horse sales, Fairs, Paddle Steamers, Dairymen, Butchers Wagon, Ironmongers, Postal workers, Charabancs, Old people, Young children, Bridport, Portland, Wimborne, Bere Regi, Witchampton and much more

Be sure to note our next meeting, one not to be missed!

Tuesday, 13th April 2010 - Discovering Dorset-part 3; by Rev. Stuart Timbrell, everything you never knew about deepest darkest Dorset ! —

We enjoyed a memorable and hilarious evening on Tuesday 2nd February as we listened to Alan Hyde and some of his sound recordings from early broadcasting days. Acquiring these clips has been his life long passion, and his collection of now over one thousand forms the basis of valuable sound archive which otherwise might have been lost. His presentation was both informative and full of humour.

We were introduced to Gracie Fields the singer offering Mirro free if you purchased two cartons of Fairy soap, Lord Belisha (as in Belisha beacons) speaking to children in 1938 urging them to collect a free copy of the Highway Code from their local post office, Max Bygraves, commissioned by the National Coal Board to sing about safety in the mines.

The British Broadcasting Corporation did not escape as we listened to a news bulletin about a huge hole ‘big enough to swallow a double decker bus’ that had opened up on Wimbledon Broadway during Wimbledon tennis week. Traffic chaos ensued and listeners were urged to take the bus!

We heard the story of a couple that had queued for over two hours at the Antiques Road Show who upon arrival at the china stall discovered their carton did not contain their china but the families hibernating tortoise!  Who says history is not fun? Why not join us on Tuesday 2nd March for our next meeting. See the events page for details.

Christchurch Library will be closed from 4pm on Saturday 6th February 2010 for the installation of self service technology. It will reopen at 9:30am on Monday 15th February 2010.

During this closure period the Reference room cannot be accessed.

A reminder to our members there is still time to book a place for the Society Dinner on Tuesday 16th February 2010 7:30pm at Tyrells Ford Country Inn.

The cost is £17:00 and cheques should be made payable to Christchurch Local History Society and sent in a SAE to 7, Hursley Close. Bournemouth. BH7 6SE

With snow and ice closing in, fewer members than usual turned out for the Christchurch Local History Society meeting on the evening of January 5th. Those that made it were treated to an excellent talk by John Smith, entitled ‘Keeping it in the family’.

Relating the fascinating history of how the Beaulieu Estate and Palace House came into the hands of the Montague family, we were taken back eight hundred and fifty years when the land was owned by the Crown, was King John’s hunting ground and Cistercian monks were in residence.

Explaining how the property changed hands, was developed, and passed through thirteen generations, we were brought right into the present decade.

Intriguing snippets about Bucklers Hard, the origin of the saying ‘Your numbers up’, and the Rolls Royce Spirit of Ecstasy mascot were all revealed.

The next meeting on February 2nd Alan Hyde will be speaking on ‘Not for sale’ (recording gaffs).

May this New Year prove to be a happy and peaceful one for you all.

Our first meeting of 2010 will be on Tuesday 5th January 7:30pm when John Smith will be talking about Keeping it in the Family, the history of the Beaulieu Estate from Cistercian Monks to the Montagu family. The venue is Christchurch Junior School, Clarendon Road, Christchurch.

See you there?

Thank you for visiting our website and this particular page.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

from

Christchurch Local History Society

Thanks to Ian Stevenson for sending in these photo captions.

‘CLHS members thought it was all part of the mystery tour fun when the bus roof was ripped off going under a low bridge’!

‘The Down Farm sheepdog showed its skills by herding the visiting CLHS members into a pen’!

Tuesday November the 3rd saw our second members meeting of the year enjoying a talk on Thoma Hardy with over one hundred people in attendance.

Anne King gave an informative and lively talk on Thomas Hardy’s, life, landscapes and laughter. bringing  alive his origins, social background, novels, poems and place names.

Few of us would have associated humour with Thomas Hardy, romance and tragedy, yes; but by the end of the evening we had been introduced to this other side of the man, with his dark ironic humour ably demonstrated  through snippets of  his poetry.

Why not join us for our next meeting Tuesday December 1st when Peter Welton will be opening up to us some aspects of The History of Portland.

In excess of 200 men from this village went to war, and thirty eight did not return. Who were they? How did they die? Where are they buried. What was life like in Highcliffe during that war? What did the children of Gus Common do? Take a glimpse into the forgotten past.

New information is always coming to light, see the November Christchurch Local History Society Journal for an interesting update on one of the men who did not return from the Front.

As with others of our books, it’s available from local bookshops, the Tourist Information Centre. Red House Museum and the Local History Room in Christchurch Library.

Why not whilst on this page click on Research Resources and select Books and Publications to see our wide range of books and publications?

The Journal, free to members, can be purchased for £1 at the Tourist Information Centre or from the Resource Room in the Library.