Collections - Dorset Council

Parish registers and records

We hold the registers and various records for many of the parishes in Dorset.
Family and estate archives

A short guide to the family and estate archives held at Dorset History Centre.
Newspapers

Newspapers are a rich source of local interest and historical flavour in their own right.
Photographs

We hold thousands of photographs, including studio portraits, postcards and aerial photographs.
Audio and oral history

We collect any sound recording which relates to Dorset, is unique and of long term historical value.
Books and pamphlets

The Dorset Local Studies Collection contains books and pamphlets on a wide range of subjects.
Business records

We hold records for various kinds of businesses, including brewers, solicitors, architects and more.
Court, prison, police records

Records of crime and punishment include those of the local courts, prisons and police force.
Dorset Authors Collection

A unique collection of works by authors and poets with a Dorset connection.
Electoral registers

Electoral registers are a useful source for tracking individuals or families.
Local government records

Various authorities have been responsible for local administration in Dorset.
Herrison Hospital

Dorset County Lunatic Asylum, founded in 1832, was based at Forston House in Charminster.
Local clubs and societies

Dorset History Centre holds the records of clubs and societies based in Dorset.
Maps

We hold different types of maps, including ordnance survey maps, tithe maps and enclosure maps.
School records

Most Dorset schools kept records fairly systematically from the mid to late nineteenth century onwards.
Wills

There are three main types of probate records - wills, letters of administration and inventories.

Unlocking the Bankes Archive

Alsatian collects the paper D_HBT_3766_a

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