Dorset Local History Group Working Party: Report on the Local History Questionnaire, February 2004

1 Introduction

1.1 A working party of the Dorset Local History Group was established to carry out a questionnaire of the DNHAS Membership to gain feedback about the group's outreach programme. David Reeve, Ann Smith, George Mortimer and Merry Ross agreed to stand on the working party. A meeting was held and a questionnaire prepared.

1.2 The Friends of Dorset Archive agreed to pay for the printing of the questionnaire and a copy was sent to out to all members of the DNHAS in the November 2003 Newsletter.

1.3 Forty-eight replies were received, 42 by form and 6 by internet. Not all the questions have been answered so a percentage has been worked out by the actual number of entries. The first section of this report contains the results of the questionnaire. The second section pulls together some suggestions for the Dorset Local History Programme.

2 Results

Section 1: The lectures

At present we hold two lectures in November and April on Saturdays at 2.30pm.

1.1 What is the best time for a lecture?

Saturday afternoon 29 60.4%
Weekend evening 4 8.3%
Week day evening 15 31.3%
Total 48 100.0%

Comments include: Parking is easier during week day evenings, A lot of adults have work commitments in a Saturday and if we change to a week day evening be careful not to clash with other organisations events.

1.2 How frequently would you like our lectures to take place?

Twice a year 20 44.4%
Annual 1 2.2%
Quarterly 17 37.8%
Monthly 7 15.6%
Total 45 100.0%

Comments include: A monthly programme may increase attendance, the more meetings the better, DLHG should become self sufficient with its own subscription and own membership.

1.3 What subject areas should we have?

Dorset specific 18 37.5%
Wider interest areas 2 4.2%
A mix of both 28 58.3%
Total 48 100.0%

Comments include since we are called the Dorset Local History Group that is what we should do; what about looking at the interaction between neighbouring counties; if we do quarterly meetings how about two on Dorset, two wider interest areas.

1.4 What local history topics do you enjoy?

Answers included:

Domestic, social (but not political or military)
Local politics and military
Land-owning families
Quarrying
Maritime Geology
Neolithic/Early History
The Iron Age, hillforts
Roman history
Saxon Period
Norman Period
Medieval
Early Modern Period
Victorian Period
Local Social history, social conditions
Aspects of Rural History
Class division
Place-names
Folklore and tradition
Parish histories

1.5 Should we be aiming to get a 'national' speaker once a year?

Yes 29 78.4%
No 8 21.6%
Total 37 100.0%

Comments included: as long as the speaker is of good quality; that the talk is relevant to Dorset; if the attendance justifies it; and it may help to bring in the crowds.

Section 2: Day School

At present we run a very successful Day School in February. Previous topics have included Maps, Maritime history, the Development of the Town, Law and Order, the Poor Law etc.

2.1 What topics are you interested in?

Maps
Health and illness
Dorset at War
Agriculture/Rural/Village life
Industrial
Famous Dorset People
Work and Leisure
Local History Sources
Origins of Settlements
Recent local history research
Local Politics
Effects of the Reformation on Dorset
Position of children
Nonconformity in the 17th-19th century
Roman/Post Roman Dorset
Domesday Dorset
Roads/Railways/Communication
Social history

2.2 Should we run a second Day School each year instead of the lectures?

Yes 11 30.6%
No 25 69.4%
Total 36 100.0%

Section 3: Field Trip

We have a field trip once a year, usually in June. We have run them during the week and also the weekend. This years was on a Sunday afternoon.

3.1 Are you happy with the field trip taking place on a Sunday?

Yes 36 75%
No 12 23%
Total 48 100%

3.2 If not when would you prefer to meet?

5 people suggested Saturday

3.3 What sort of event do you enjoy?

Visiting a house/garden 13 27.1%
Town Walks 6 12.5%
Country Walks 4 8.3%
Mix of both 25 52.1%
Total 48 100.0%

Comments included ideas to visit churches (on a Saturday), geology, archaeology or industrial sites. A comment was made that more field trips were needed since DNHAS has abandoned field trips, and another was the wish to have a 4 day trip as has been arranged before (though not by this group).

Section 4: Publicity

4.1 Where do you find out about our events?

Society mailing 42 89.3%
Publicity in the local media 2 4.3%
Posters 2 4.3%
DLHG Internet site 1 2.1%
Total 47 100%

4.2 Do you think you receive enough publicity about our events? If not, how could we improve this?

13 people thought that publicity could be better. One person thought that whist for members publicity was probably OK for non-members there may well be a problems. Suggestions included local press and radio, email reminders/updates for members, better posters (with dates prominent) and having a separate DLHG advertising sheet so it doesn't get lost in the Newsletter.

4.5 Would you use the Dorset County Museum website to look for our events?

Yes 17 53.1%
No 15 46.9%
Total 32 100.0%

3 Working Party Suggestions

3.1 The first important conclusion is that the returns reveal a broad satisfaction with the format of the group's outreach programme. The questionnaire reveals that 60.4% were happy with the twice-yearly lecture taking place on a Saturday afternoon and 75% were happy with the field trip on a Sunday afternoon. It is recommended that we carry on organising the events on these days.

3.2 The response to the frequency of events was surprising in that people appear to be happy to support more events. For instance whilst 44.4% were happy with lectures twice a year 37.8% stated that they would like quarterly meetings. A further 15% wanted monthly meetings. There were also two requests for more Field Trips, particularly because the DNHAS has cut down on these activities. The working party does not feel that the group in its present format should take on quarterly or monthly meetings. As a committee we would need to meet more often and would need a programme secretary. One of the reasons for the Questionnaire was to look at the question of falling numbers and it would seem a bit too ambitious (at present) to take on more before we can increase our numbers.

3.3 It was interesting to note that 78.4% would like to have a 'national' speaker to come though there were a number of provisos. The speaker should be of good quality and the talk relevant to Dorset (or at least the south west). Some thought that this might help to raise numbers, others thought that we should wait until numbers rise before asking anyone. The working party thinks it prudent that we wait to see if the numbers continue to rise at our meetings before getting 'big name' speakers.

3.4 It was encouraging to see that the majority was happy to have a mix of lectures on both Dorset specific and wider interest areas (58.3%) with a further 37.5% who wanted just Dorset specific lectures. We think the message from this is that we do not need to have a Dorset lecture every time as long as it has some local history relevance. For instance we can recognise that a lecture on a local aspect of life in Northumberland would have little bearing to a Dorset audience however a talk on the Bristol slave trade may have more relevance since most of the Dorset families involved in the slave trade operated out of Bristol Port.

3.5 The majority of returns relating to the subject area of the field trips were happy with a mix of house/garden, town and country walks (52.1%). It is clear that 27.1% enjoy the house/garden visits. These are probably the most difficult to organise but the group will make every effort to provide some more of these.

3.6 The February Day School is at present the most popular event and the questionnaire set out to see if people would prefer a second day school instead of the lectures. With 69.4% saying no it is clear that the lectures and one Day School is the preferred option. A number of people would like two lectures and two day schools a year ('the more events the better') and suggest that we could do it with other societies and organisations to spread the load. Again this is a big commitment at present and would need carefully planning with the Museum and other Dorset events.

3.7 When it came to where people find out about our events 89.3% stated from the society mailing. Only 5 people noticed publicity in the local media, posters and Internet site, a very worrying trend. Thirteen people thought that the publicity could be better, this being highlighted by one person not knowing of our existence until the questionnaire. Others thought that whilst publicity for members was probably OK more work was needed to encourage non-members using the local press, radio and better quality posters. Others suggested that email reminders of events could be sent to DNHAS members. 53.1% stated that they would use the Dorset Local History Group website to see what events were coming. These findings support the recent Dorset Local History Group decision to carry out more of the publicity themselves, particularly in advertising to non-members. Since the membership relies heavily on Society publicity the Local History group needs to look closely at the amount it does. A number feel that reminders through newsletters (and emails) is very important.

3.8 The Museum are concerned that they can not afford to pay for advertising apart from the Day School, though they are happy to do a black and white poster for the 'Octogan' noticeboard in South Street/libraries etc. It has been suggested that we try and get hold of contacts in the main towns and send them posters to put up. The Museum are happy for us to put in a separate sheet advertising our year's events. In the May newsletter. They also think that it is difficult for them to cater for non-members.

4 Conclusions

4.1 It is recommended that the Dorset Local History Group continues with two lectures (Spring and Winter) with a Summer field trip and February day school. It appears from the questionnaire that the number and type of events is fine (in fact more would be better) and not the reason for falling numbers. It looks as if more time needs to be spent advertising the events both to the membership of the DNHAS as well as the public. It is recommended that the Local History Group concentrate on publicising its own events in two ways. Firstly by using the society calendar of events but importantly with reminders as well during the year. Secondly through the local media and with better quality posters.

Valid XHTML 1.0!