IT was a surprise and a delight to have a visit from Looking Back reader John Dumpleton.

John came to our offices armed with a copy of this very newspaper's first edition!

And what with the Dorset Echo having just turned 96 on May 28, it seems timely to take a look at what was making the headlines in our very first edition.

Back then the paper was known as the Dorset Daily Echo and Weymouth Dispatch and cost a princely one penny!

The paper was written by reporters at our former offices at 2 St Mary Street, Weymouth and was printed in Bournemouth.

John used to live at Wilmslow Road in Chickerell and came across this paper in the back of a drawer.

He found it 25 years ago but only decided recently to donate this little bit of history to the Echo.

He said: "I found it when we moved down to our bungalow in Chickerell from St Albans. We moved here because my sister Mary used to run the post office.

"I have now moved and had the Echo in mind all this time to give the paper to!"

So without further ado, here's a look at your news from 1921.

Looking Back has had its magnifying glass out for this one because the text is much smaller than the font size you see in your Echo today.

The Echo began by informing readers that a newspaper for the area was meeting a 'long-felt want'. It describes itself as bright, breezy and up to date. The paper seemed to cover most of the county with circulation areas as far afield as Shaftesbury, Broadstone and Parkstone. It also advertises itself as the 'people's popular penny paper' and offers readers the chance to subscribe for the bargain price of 2d a copy including postage!

Part of the front page is reserved for Late News, in which we learn of horse racing results and cricket scores. The rest of the front is taken up by classified adverts.

Among the highlights of these are a 'furnished beach tent for let near Boscombe Pier, a situation vacant for a 'betweenmaid, chambermaid and laundrymaid at the Waverley Hotel in Bournemouth' and 'a superior person required for an invalid lady, one who can lift and make herself useful daily'.

Inside the paper in the news pages, the deputy town clerk of Dorchester, J. Adnan Hands, writes an appreciation of Dorchester.

He writes: "It has occurred to me that the impressions of Dorchester formed after two years' residence here might be of interest. When I came down here I was prepared to find anything - or nothing. I have found everything.

"First the volume of business conducted in the town is amazing, and the clean, deft-handed way in which it is carried out makes one wonder why the town is no larger. Then the typical attitude of mind of the Dorchester man to a newcomer is refreshing, and ought to be stimulating.

"He says in effect, as the Yankee does "You've got to show me." When he realises that you have something to show, and can use that something for the benefit of his town he will go further to giving a helping hand than any other man I have ever met.

"There is a solid, quiet, good fellowship about the people here which makes one glad to have come amongst them, and must make one sorry to leave. We have a clean and pretty town surrounded by incomparable scenery."

Meanwhile, the big stories of the day were trials for shopbreaking and bicycle thefts at which it was reported that two women jurors were sworn in!

There was also a report on Blandford Camp becoming a training centre for boys. Provision will be made for the training of some 1,800 or 2,000 boys as artificers in the Army, the report says.

Next week we'll be taking another look at some quirky stories from the Echo's first edition.

CONTACT ME:

t: 01305 830973

e: joanna.davis

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