A Ship, A Gate and a Country Estate

A wander through some of Dorset's imperial connections. 

In researching Dorset’s maritime heritage Steve Richardson stumbled across Bridport's history as a major centre of shipbuilding in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Its importance was such that ships for the Royal Navy were built there. Following the details of one Bridport-built ship led to a chain of connections which linked Dorset to the American “colonies,” piracy in the Arabian Sea, a Bombay shipping company, The Summer Palace in Beijing, and finally to the Caribbean and various “small wars” fought towards the end of the 19th century. The talk will explore the connections between a ship, a gate and a country estate, starting and ending in Dorset. In so doing, it will show how empire is woven into the fabric of the British Isles today.

Steve Richardson was a teacher but now devotes his time to cycling, painting and researching the past - in particular Britain’s imperial past and its legacies. 

Tickets include tea/ coffee and refreshments.

This event is being held in support of Dorset Archives Trust, a charity that works to preserve and promote Dorset's rich archival heritage. Its strapline is 'Saving Dorset's disappearing history' and it undertakes this work by fundraising, holding events, supporting projects and promoting the value of archives. DAT works closely with the Dorset History Centre in Dorchester which holds archive collections dating back over 1000 years from across Bournemouth, Poole and wider Dorset.