Round up of May events

It was a busy week for of events for DAT and the Dorset History Centre. 

Firstly on Wednesday evening saw a packed audience held enthralled by an enchanting mix of music, songs and words. Thank you to the Wessex based Wyvern group for an amazing performance inspired by the works of Thomas Hardy.  Wyvern comprise: Sophia Wright - Director (Voice and Guitar), Sarah Deere-Jones (Harp, Voice, Concertina), Stephen Martin (Narrator), Phil Williams (Voice, Concertina, Melodeon, Guitar), and Steve Potter (Fiddle).

We followed up with another packed house on Thursday 22 May  for the talk by journalist Paul Lashmar on the Drax family of Charborough and Drax Hall, Barbados.  Appropriately, the main focus of Paul’s talk was the different types of archives he used in his research into the Drax family and their holdings in Barbados. He also highlighted the challenges of doing so without access to the family archives which are held privately.

Paul beautifully brought out the immense importance of archives for research into land ownership, economic history and holding the rich and powerful to account. It also was a fascinating insight into the painstaking detective work which goes into any research project. The outcome of Paul’s research is available for all to read in his recently published book “Drax of Drax Hall”, available in bookshops