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Christmas at a Victorian Fort; December 1878-1898

Christmas at a Victorian Fort; December 1878-1898

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Late 19th Static Defences; 'Quick-firers v. Torpedo-boats.'

Late 19th Static Defences; ‘Quick-firers v. Torpedo-boats.’

This article is take from Her Majesty’s Warriors dated 1899. It is a piece that resonates with the Nothe fort as arming these static defences was an ever changing minefield. When they thought such matters had been cracked, so technology comes running up behind to give them a kick in the pants. The type of demonstration described in this piece was also witnessed in our own waters, “infiltrators”…

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Weymouth at War; WWI and We Welcomed with Open Arms.

That was the case during WWI when Weymouth & Portland on England's south coast was in the front line of any invasion. thankfully it never happened on our shores, but we sure made certain that those arriving, fleeing the fighting, often with little more

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Military Dramas; Theatres and Thespians.

Military Dramas; Theatres and Thespians.

During the writing of book I and II I frequently refer to those thespian Tommies that walked the boards in Weymouth and Portland. One person in particular attracted my attention, Captain Pat A’Beckett He was based at the Nothe during and after WWI. A man of many talents, particularly when it came to performance. Captain A’Beckett, or to give him his full name, Patrick Albert Forbes Winslow…

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The Buffs on Portland; Authors and Convicts

The Buffs on Portland; Authors and Convicts

While doing my research I sometimes stumble across some real gems. I was in the midst of seeing what I could find out about the 2nd Battalion Buffs (East Kent Regiment) based at the Nothe and Verne from 1923-1926, when I came across to a link for back copies of The Dragon, the Buffs Newspaper that had been placed online and what a resource! Because they were stationed there during this period,…

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Radipole Gardens Crocus Walk Weymouth stunning in the sunshine ❤️#Weymouth #outdoors #walking #springiscoming #feelinggood @weymouthdorset (at Weymouth, Dorset) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLydmgsJ7raQvZwQbcMDrVj4h0wBcbfiHt6-SE0/?igshid=120wf9xu13xy0

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The Dorsets Invade Wyke Regis; WWI

In WWI the Dorset Regiment was billeted in and around Wyke Regis.During their posting at Wyke ‘many thousands have been trained here and have departed for the various fronts. To feed the four active service battalions.’ (Western Gazette August 191

There is so much I’m learning about my own town and surrounding area as I research for book II. I’m presently writing about the times my father (Albert Darch b1910) would have been a child, growing up in Weymouth during WWI. You know that old saying about talking to your parents before its too late…well do it! I so wish I’d listened to my old Dad, as many a time he tried to tell me about the…

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Soldiers Twixt Shore and Sea;Gun Drill 1896

Although primarily a sea service corps, their knowledge of land service artillery drill has proved of the highest use on several occasions during recent years-notably in Egypt. At Tel-el-Mahuta and Kassassin in 1882, and at El Teb in 1884, they rendered

A couple more images from the good old Navy & Army Illustrated 1896. This time it shows men of the R.M.A. practising ashore at Fort Cumberland, Portsmouth, built to guard the entrance to Langstone harbour. In 1859 it became home and headquarters to the Royal Marine Artillery, those men who fight twixt shore and sea. Now a Grade II listed building. *** Of course, footie being the favourable…

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Toll Out the Old-Ring in the New;Weymouth 1890/91

A well respected local businessman, Thomas Hole, was stood in the dock garbed only in a sheet and rug, much to the amusement of the court's public attendees, in stark contrast his hands and face were blackened. Thomas was accused of being drunk and disord

Will admit I’ve not been active on here recently, but my conscience getting the better of me I’ve been scrolling the old Newspapers again looking for local fodder. For this post I’ve chosen the Southern Times and Dorset County Herald dated 3rd January 1891. What follows reveals a snippet of late 19th century commercial and social life in Weymouth over that Christmas/New Year period as…

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Tommy's Christmastide in Barracks and Forts.

It is Christmas morning and the orderly men have fallen in to carry the rations to the cook-house, where the "Roast Beef of Old England" is destined to frizzle in a friendly spirit with turkeys, chickens, hams, and-but here we pause as dinner is not yet s

I was lucky enough to be given another edition of The Navy & Army Illustrated for Christmas to add to my collection. (Vol III Dec 1896 -May 1987) Within its tattered covers lay a plethora of fascinating articles, and starting in December 1896 that included a few on how various sections of the services celebrated their Christmas. No matter where in the world they were, how far from home and loved…

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History Repeats; Soldiers & Pandemics

The clip-clopping of horse’s hooves on the cobblestones and the beat of muffled drums. Coming into view along the harbour-side is yet another funeral procession. There are sometimes three or four a day. The horses with their black plumes pulling a gun-car

How ironic that the year I’m (still) editing book II Nothe Fort & Way Beyond I should come across this passage.

           ‘ There was to be one more devastating event to be thrown into the mix before the world could settle down to peace again. Another invasion. This time something that man could do absolutely nothing to halt. The 1918 flu pandemic, or as it later became known as, Spanish flu.…

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Bands and Bells; Weymouth's Christ Church Gets Ringing. Royal Madras Fusiliers.

Bands and Bells; Weymouth’s Christ Church Gets Ringing. Royal Madras Fusiliers.

Having the army in town had many advantages, especially music wise, not least to the local community, as demonstrated by just one of many occasions where military bands were called upon to play.

They were more than happy to oblige.

Taken from book II Nothe Fort & Way Beyond (under editing) with extractions from local papers of the times. (1874)

Bandsmen took up their instruments once…

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Weymouth Defences before the Nothe Fort.

Weymouth Defences before the Nothe Fort.

I while away many an hour browsing the old newspapers. In all probability searching for something in particular, but more often than not getting totally distracted and wander off on a tangent.

Sometimes it does pay off though.

I came across this brilliant article in the Illustrated TimesAugust 2nd 1862, the very period when Weymouth and Portland’s fortifications were taking shape, arising…

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Weymouth's Long Lost Estuary

Weymouth’s Long Lost Estuary

The Backwater.

During the long process of applying for a lottery grant for our park and gardens we created a historical document that reveals the life of what was once a bustling sea faring tidal area.

Parts of these articles will be appearing in the Dorset Evening Echo as a series provided by Weymouth & Portland Heritage group.

You’d probably have to be of a certain age to know what I…

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2020; Lottery Bid Presentation & The Year We Realise the Importance of Green Spaces

2020; Lottery Bid Presentation & The Year We Realise the Importance of Green Spaces

Hands up, I’ll admit to having deserted my scribings on our website over the last few months. It’s been a hard one to focus on, hence most of our postings have been on our Facebook page.

The year 2020 has been one hell of a ride so far. We are all living through something previously unimaginable, life changing, that’ll go down in world history much the same as the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918.

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What More Can We Say? Thank You For ALL Your Support

What More Can We Say? Thank You For ALL Your Support

It’s that time of year, Christmas done and dusted, visiting families returned from whence they came, beds stripped, washed and remade, cats enjoying last remnants of the turkey, me praying for a swift return to those lighter evenings, and our thoughts turn towards what was and what will be.

For the Friends of Radipole Park and Gardens committee it’s been a busy year. We are literally a team of…

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Nativity in Radipole Gardens 2019

Nativity in Radipole Gardens 2019

Well, things have been coming along in leaps and bounds behind the thespian scenes so to speak.

All manner of preparations have been taking place in St Aldhelm’s and various secret locations for this year’s

Nativity in the Gardens.

Give a man his power tools and hey presto, walls being created…

Eco-friendly, reusable glow sticks being stuck (mostly to the table!)

A few shepherds and camera shy…