Chairman’s Note
Welcome to the Winter 2023 edition of our magazine. As it again is the time of year for short afternoons and long nights, we reflect a little on the year that has gone and the year ahead.
For the Society we have pressed ahead with two major projects, the Heritage Lights along shore Road and the organisation of Beating of the Sea Bounds. The heritage lights have gone well, as I write this, they have not been returned to their plinths but having seen them being renovated I am sure they will look fabulous. We have however also worked behind the scenes to press ahead with another Blue Plaque, opening the Guild Hall for Dorset Heritage Week and through the Planning Committee, continued
to comment on the plan for Poole and specific planning applications.
We also continue to share talks with the Pole Maritime Trust and to develop closer links with them as well as share articles with the Poole Museum. However, it is the state of the heritage of Poole as a whole which is of most concern. The BCP Council appear to have abandoned any notion of the protecting the heritage of Poole as BCP gets distracted by other issues. With this in mind, it is increasingly difficult to talk to individuals within BCP about heritage issues or to identify people who have specific heritage and cultural sway. As such there is a real concern that Poole’s history will be eroded and diluted as we lose any heritage champion.
This is manifest by simple things like the regalia of Poole’s Mayor being locked away in Bournemouth and some of the items such as the mace not now seeing the light of day. The fact that the Mayor is now not the first person of Poole, this is now the Chairperson of BCP! Subtle it may be, but when Royalty visit Poole the Mayor is not the person to welcome them. This is a situation which it is hoped can be changed with the potential creation of a Town Council for Poole (within the existing BCP set up) The Society supports this initiative and hope that we can, by small steps, continue to make a difference.
Mike Pearce
Chairman
[email protected]
August 2023
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