Victorian Bournemouth Weekend 12/13th October
The BNSS presented a special ‘Victorian Bournemouth weekend’ giving an appreciation of how Bournemouth was established and grew in the Victorian era. The stage was turned into a tableau of contemporary life, with images of Victorian Bournemouth projected on to the screen and the stage filled with Victorian artefacts, from costume, horse saddlery and a cartwheel, china, wooden carpentry tools, models of Bournemouth buildings, Victorian newspapers and more. The hall was filled with stalls manned by local historians with exhibits including local health and medicine, architecture, old maps and books, a stereoscope and slides, a bathing machine, model, paddle steamers and more, but a special highlight was the vast array of toys of the type played with in the period, which was hugely popular. Elsewhere were featured smuggling, poaching and fishing, famous people associated with the town, and a quiz. No social media or iPads on show here! Thanks especially to Sue Newman for organising this fabulous collection, and the many experts and volunteers who helped to run this event. Here are just a few photographs, more will be featured in the BNSS Newsletter.
Report by Sue Newman & Ian Julian
Picture credits: Ian Julian, Sue Newman, Natasha
