Digital archive helps get the past right up to date

Alan Dennis, the man behind the digital archive, which contains thousands of documents, images and recordings. It can be viewed on multi-platform devices. Image: Dianne Tuckett

A treasure trove of pictures, documents and memories of the area’s past has been created to view online in the comfort of your own home.

Through the joint working of Caistor Heritage Trust and Caistor Local History Society, Caistor Digital Archive has content relating to more than 150 towns and villages situated in the northern half of Lincolnshire and beyond. Among the various topics can be found hundreds of photographs plus video and oral recordings – and it is continually being added to.

The man behind it all is dedicated local historian Alan Dennis, who is keen for as many people as possible to have access to the archive.

He said: “It all goes back to about 30 years ago when people starting handing over things. Prolific amateur historian the Rev David Saunders was concerned all his research would be lost, there was some material from the Rev Peter Binnell’s research of the 1930s and with a number of families having been in town for centuries, they were also handing over items relating to the town and local area.

Waggonette at Pelhams Pillar. Image: Caistor Heritage Trust

“How to keep it all and make it accessible to as many people as possible was important, so for the past two years or so the digital archive has been created, with items continually added.”

There is a wealth of information about communities supported by Caistor Rural District Council between the late 19th Century and 1974, giving among other things the provision of council houses and the installation of WCs. The are also many records and documents relating to the Caistor workhouse/hospital and the Osgodby Isolation Hospital.

Alan said: “All this shows the development of not only Caistor but Market Rasen and a large area of northern Lincolnshire. For many years Caistor had the registration office for births, marriages and deaths, so there is information to help family historians too.”

Alan added: “Thanks go to Caistor Town Council and Caistor Lakes for supporting us with storage of items and to Caistor Arts and Heritage Centre for helping fund the digital side.”

To access the archive, membership to Caistor Local History Society is required – at £12 per year. To find out more or to have a demonstration, email [email protected]