Introduction Two rural kinship networks, detected amongst the dairymen working in Stour valley villages, may offer insights into the societies in which they lived. The terrain and the people Settlements in rural Greater Westover ‘Milk, butter, and farm-house supplies of the very best description, the valley of the Stour abundantly yields.’ Dr A.B. Granville included […]
Introduction Rural poverty affected Greater Westover as it did other parts of the country during the early Victorian period. The defined area of ‘Greater Westover’ consisted of villages lying just to the west of the Stour river as well as the fledgling settlement at Bournemouth. Most of these villages fell within the orbit of the […]
Introduction The career of Bournemouth’s media entrepreneur John Sydenham illustrates how commercial and social success might result from marketing the written word. His main business established at Poole, the new resort, nearby at Bourne Mouth, attracted his attention. He lost little time in establishing a presence at the affluent colony. The press reported his opening […]
Introduction Little opposition prevented the Reverend A. M. Bennett from achieving early success at expanding the size of Bournemouth’s St Peter’s church. Later attempts to extend an ecclesiastic presence within the resort’s social fabric did not have such a smooth run. Zeal for the Lord Energetic support for the church building Reverend Bennett, taking up […]
Introduction The well-connected Alexander Morden Bennett’s social position would have matched well with the affluent visitors who came to early Victorian Bournemouth. This position, combining marriage connections with political associations, provided him with good social capital during his long career as Bournemouth’s perpetual curate. A.M. Bennett comes to Bournemouth Bournemouth’s early church building loses momentum […]
Introduction In the early Victorian period shops described as fancy repositories might sell a very wide range of merchandise, offered for the most part to middle-class women and above. The goods covered the expressive arts and crafts, personal items, stationery and trinkets. Business owners included both genders, people having a wide social background as well […]
Introduction Samuel Ingram, builder and businessman, a member of early Bournemouth’s property meritocracy, appears to have created an ‘urban clan’, whereby relatives and employees dwelt nearby in his houses. Samuel Ingram’s early background The family of Samuel Ingram, carpenter and builder, active in early Bournemouth, came from Moor Crichel and its neighbourhood. Crichel House, the […]
Introduction Retail analysis provides clues as to the nature of visitors who came to Bournemouth during its early period. Comparison with a sample of other contemporary watering places adds further insight. Bournemouth’s retail economy a microcosm of other spas The comparative sample consists of 15 watering places. They range in size between Bath and Brighton, […]
Introduction An established media property, Dr A. B. Granville, answered an invitation to visit the fledgling Bournemouth in 1841. A respected society medical man, well-published, his reputation flowed through a network featuring the royal family and aristocracy. He gave a positive speech about the site’s convalescent qualities. The press reported this. Later, he devoted a […]
Introduction A recent post highlighted infrastructure problems in early Victorian Bournemouth. Details came from letters written to the press. Deeper analysis of one letter raises an interesting consideration about how to see Bournemouth at its outset. One place in several places Economic factors often explain the origin of settlements. Medieval foundations might begin when a […]