Being on the coast, and having both Weymouth Harbour and Portland Roads on our doorstep, a lot of the local men had always earned their living from the sea, and fiercely guarded their rights to do so. Not least the men who worked the local waters as pilots. These were were the men who from…
Tag: victorian
1859; History of Weymouth’s Swannery.
Growing up in Weymouth, feeding the Backwater swans was a big part of my childhood. Off we’d toddle, me and my Mum, bag of stale bread firmly clasped in my grubby little mitts. The walk down the Backwater road seemed to go on for ever, my short, stubby legs would start to tire…and I’m sure…
Tragedy in Weymouth….boys will be boys, 1882
Children being, well, children, have a habit of being where they’re not supposed to be and doing what they’re not supposed to do….we’ve all done it ! When I think of all the scrapes we got up to as kids it’s a wonder any of us survived. Victorian children were no different, in fact there…
Portland’s Own Glorious Cheddar Caves…Ooopps, But Then Again, Maybe Not! 1869
When ever I research items of local history, it never ceases to amaze me the amount of articles in local papers of the time that tell of new or rare things that the Victorians discovered, but despite all their curiosity of the amazing natural world around them…their first reaction would be to grab their gun and…
Victorian books, their articles and artwork….what to do?
I seem to have somehow accumilated rather a humongous stack of Victorian, mainly religious, weighty tomes, purchased primarily for the artwork they contain. However, reading through them revealed a vast amount of interesting articles on people, places and social history, which I’m still pondering what to do with. These are articles that I feel sure someone,…
Weymouth 1866. A Cruel Life for Victorian Beach Donkeys
Donkeys on Weymouth beach can boast a long history, they are an iconic image of traditional seaside holidays dating right back to the mid 19th century when sea bathing and beach holidays became a booming trade. (image © Channel Coast Observatory) Small children (and many adults) adore them, love to stroke them, and if lucky,…
Great Western Trippers flock to Victorian Weymouth 1870
One example is July of 1870, almost the entire factory of the Great Western Railway’s carriage and locomotive works set off on their hols on the same day. Nearly 6,000 of them left Swindon station for their various destinations.
Some headed for the bright lights of London, some for the bustling city of Bristol, a few even ventured to Swansea.
An unlucky few were left behind at the works to keep things ticking over at the factory.
That week nigh on 1,500 men, women and children swarmed into Weymouth on the special trains that were run to carry them.
Victorian Firework Night 1866
On the 5th November 1866, the annual ‘Protestant’ fete was celebrated with great gusto by the folks of Weymouth.
Most of the activity was confined to the sands, with two large bonfires burning down by the shore. For some strange reason a large hulk was described as being well ablaze in the water, with reflections of the flames rippling in the swell.
Portlands own Jurassic finds 1837
One day, while quarrymen were hard at work, a large block of stone was removed from its bed some 40 odd foot below the surface. To everyones amazement it’s removal revealed a hidden and secret world, for beneath was the opening to a huge cavern.
Reluctant Weymouth Voters of 1835
But despite the committee’s numerous efforts to rouse any interest in what should have been a grand occasion, out of the 600 people eligible to vote in the town, only 53 of those could be persuaded to attend to meal…and they even had to give the tickets away to entice them to the event.
VICTORIAN TALES FROM WEYMOUTH AND PORTLAND 