Introduction Christmas, 1856, at Bournemouth drew press attention because of the Sanatorium’s monster tree. Eight years earlier, the Illustrated London News had depicted the Royal Family standing around their Christmas tree. This festive practice, a part of German tradition, gained popularity in the British Isles. A tree at Bournemouth would have suited its image as […]
Introduction Documentary sources under-reported the economic, cultural, and social contributions made by working people at early Victorian Bournemouth. The nature of these documentary sources’ control and usage explains a reason for this omission. Documentary sources Overview To date fifty posts have appeared on this site, that together provide insights on Bournemouth’s history between the 1830s […]
Introduction Conflicts divided several local interest groups as they competed to control early-Victorian Bournemouth’s structure and identity. In several cases, these conflicts became public confrontations, often fought out in the press. This made a sharp contrast to the settlement’s otherwise glittering media image as a tourist resort. Internal initiatives, however, created the basis for social […]
Introduction Servants’ fortunes varied after their working stint at Bournemouth (1851), where data can track them. For some, record linkage enables partial reconstruction of their later life-stages. This analysis studies the later lives of found servants working in the row of sixteen holiday buildings known as Westover Villas. It explores how people comprising this important […]
Introduction Education in Bournemouth and the neighbouring hamlets, during the early period, took different forms, reflecting social variation across the area. Reverend A. M. Bennett applied his organisational talents and drive to establishing National Schools in both town and country. Towards the end of this period, however, some private schools and colleges appeared. Genealogical exploration […]
Introduction Auction advertisements for house contents, published in local newspapers, provide glimpses into the lifestyle enjoyed by early Victorian Bournemouth’s affluent residents. Analysis suggests that the resort’s early retail trade included affluent as well as middling people. Research method A common historical process Using artefacts to learn about lifestyles and social positions characterises most historical […]
Introduction The Sanatorium, opened in 1855, represented a watershed in early Victorian Bournemouth’s positive national reputation. Once mooted, the project engaged the attention and efforts of the great and good, both local and in London. The Sanatorium arrives in Bournemouth Main steps London’s Royal Brompton Hospital decided to establish a branch sanatorium at a south-coast […]
Introduction Lectures provided a means for delivering information across many audience types at early Victorian Bournemouth. For the most part, lecturers instructed or educated but they often introduced entertainment and interest by using visual material. Some used lecturing as ways to educate working people in a controlled context, while keeping them from the tavern. Subjects […]
Introduction The Belle Vue, a prominent hotel equipped with or connected to an assembly hall, featured often in community activities held at early Victorian Bournemouth. These events taken together illustrate the range of activities that gathered the town’s inhabitants, permanent and temporary. The Belle Vue Boarding house, hotel, community centre At first a boarding house, […]
Introduction Crime and punishment in early Victorian Bournemouth featured in the resort’s press coverage. The early settlement lay within the jurisdiction of Christchurch’s Petty Sessions. Felonies ranged from petty theft to arson, the latter causing much concern to local landholders. Magistrates consisted of local prominent men, for the most part landowners, but also a sprinkling […]