Research Project Guidance
The main problem associated with starting a research project is often similar to problems that people have when working with an archive: “with so much choice, where do I start?”
The advice that Dorset History Centre staff give in these instances, also mirrors that which is given with regards to research projects, from university study to EPQ’s. Start by broadly investigating a topic which interests you, through internet research or our Local Studies Library, before narrowing down and refocusing on a specific individual, area of land, or issue. This will then determine where your research next takes you. Maybe it will take you into the Family History section to find out where someone lived and worked? Or maybe into the search room, to glean how an area of land was used by studying 19th Century Tithe maps?
Often this will lead you on a trail of your own through the archives, searching for names or other related details on our accessible online catalogue. If the archive doesn’t hold the answers you are looking for, we can often still point you in the direction of somewhere that could, be that other archives or individuals.
Once you have hopefully found the answers that you are looking for, this is where the academic work comes in. After you have gathered the evidence and garnered expert opinion, you can start making suppositions and commentaries- connecting the dots, if you like!
However, obviously this still doesn’t help if you really have no idea what you would like to do! For this reason, we have put together a few ideas from the collection of the Bankes family to get you started. For more information on the Bankes collection and a history of the Bankes family, please visit https://dcc.dorsetforyou.gov.uk/bankes-archive/ and for more information about Dorset History Centre, please visit www.dorsetforyou.gov.uk/dorsethistorycentre.
Thematic Questions Ideas
Thematic questions can be defined in this instance as those which use elements of the collection as case studies, but are connected to a wider theme. These may tap into debates within the wider heritage and/or archive sector, whilst tying into sections of the Bankes collection. These could include:
Plundered or saved? Should the Philae Obelisk stay in Dorset?
William John Bankes (1786-1855) was an eminent Egyptologist who repeatedly visited Egypt and the Middle East between 1814 and 1820. His travels took him and his crew down the Nile on two occasions, drawing and painting as they went (all of which can be found at Dorset History Centre or Kingston Lacy). He visited the island of Philae several times on these travels, encountering a fallen obelisk on each of these occasions. Almost immediately after chancing upon the ancient column, he resolved to remove it and erect it at Kingston Lacy. The question is, was it his to take? The Bankes collection is full of information about the obelisks transportation and location, a location which is now flooded due to the building of the Aswan Low Dam. Anyone interested in researching this topic could also study the arguments around the return of other Egyptian Artefacts, as well as the Elgin Marbles.
Oral History records are more important to the local historian than physical records. Discuss.
Oral History recordings are recorded audio interviews that are stored by Dorset History Centre for use by the general public. What is talked about can range in topic and location, but often revolves around the life of the interviewee. When comparing them to physical documents, both clearly have pros and cons when it comes to questions such as the type and amount of information that can be gleaned from each. This question, or a similar one, may involve talking to Dorset History Centre staff to gain an overview of the types of documents that are available in the Bankes collection and what they can offer, as well as how widely Oral History recordings associated with the project are used in comparison.
Once a document has been digitised, is there any need to keep the original physical copy?
For conservation purposes it is often necessary to create a digital copy of certain documents for the general public to use. This is usually a preventative measure because the document is already fragile, or because the document is likely to be highly used so it would be wise to protect it from potential harm. As such, the argument here would be that, once this has been done, what use is the original? Assuming the copy is of high quality, why not save money and space by disposing of the document? Any students studying this topic would likely need to talk to History Centre staff to discuss the issues and costs of storing archives in comparison to storing digital images. Students would also need to take into account information that cannot be gleaned from digital images, such as corrections or alterations, as well as the material used in a document, and what these can tell you about their historical context. For example, how a document is bound together can tell you how important or valuable the owner thought it to be, as well as potentially dating it.
Document Analysis Ideas
Document Analysis questions would involve a more in-depth study of a single document or a small group of documents within the Bankes collection. This could take the form of a transcription of a document accompanied by a commentary; a comparison of several documents alongside a commentary of the features of those documents; or simply the analysis of a single document focusing on one specific feature, such as linguistic use. Depending on availability, tasks involving transcription could also include a Palaeography workshop (contact Dorset History Centre for more information). Examples of this kind of question could include:
Historic Inventories
When searching the catalogue, several examples of inventories and valuations of items at Kingston Lacy can be found. These span from 1711 (D-BKL/G/B/65) to 1905 (D-BKL/G/B/71) and give us an insight into what items were seen as valuable during those times. By comparing two or more of these inventories, you will be able to identify how certain aspects of life changed for the Bankes family over the years. You may also want to investigate other features that you discover whilst comparing inventories, for example ‘Why is the inventory from 1711 so much smaller than those 100 years later?’ To answer this question, you will have to examine the history of the Bankes family to find out what had happened to the family in that time period, and where they were living at the time.
Land Use Surveys
The Bankes collection contains a significant number of maps, plans and surveys, both local and international. A selection of these can be used to study the use of land in specific locations across the centuries, telling us in many cases who owned houses and land, as well as what the land was being used for. Using the 18th Century surveys of Woodward, the 19th Century Tithe maps, and the 20th Century Vernacular building survey, you can build up a picture of how the land was being used over the course of 300 years, and how it changed during this time. Supplemented with other documents from the Bankes collection and elsewhere, you may also be able to discover information about the individuals who owned specific properties, in addition to families who remained on the land or in the area across the centuries.
To find out more information about the history of the Bankes family, visit https://dcc.dorsetforyou.gov.uk/bankes-archive/ or contact Dorset History Centre for further advice on