We are delighted to announce that from April to October 2024 we will be running a project under the title of ‘Tolpuddle Family Lives’ funded by Historic England’s Everyday Heritage grant programme, celebrating working class histories. This is about imagining the past as experienced by the Dorset rural working-class, those who laboured in the cottages and on the land – who were, in the 19th century – among the very poorest working people in the country. 

The project will uncover largely overlooked parts of Tolpuddle and the surrounding villages’ histories with a particular focus on women and children. It will cover a wide period span through to the 20thC, and collect evidence and family stories from a variety of sources. This will not be ‘dry’ history; we will explore creative ways of bringing the past to life, and activities will include celebrating the skills and cultures of rural labourers through craft workshops, concerts and related events.

All are welcome to participate in this free programme, a key element of which will be ‘co-creation’ – participants will be offered opportunities to influence the direction and the delivery of the project. Further details will be published soon on this site. In the meantime, please feel free to add your details to the mailing list.