This is the banner of the Order of the Short Stay.
The banner records the name of the Order, the date 1872, and the area of Old Christchurch Road. It is made from cloth, with rope edging and blue lettering.
The banner has been in use since its making. It is now kept in storage and is rarely displayed.
References to the Order appear from the late nineteenth century onwards. Early material suggests that the Order was recognised publicly and that its scope and status were understood at the time. A newspaper cutting from this period is reproduced below.
Later references show changes in how the Order presents itself. These include variations in wording, format, and material. Window stickers and printed notices survive from different periods.
In the 1960s the Order appears in committee papers in connection with a decision that the Mayor would no longer be associated with it. The reason is not set out in detail. Contemporary references note that this followed an incident involving visiting figures whose presence in the town attracted attention. At this time, Bournemouth was visited by many touring performers, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Don Partridge, and Jimi Hendrix.
By the 1990s the Order continued to appear in promotional material, though its language and presentation no longer aligned with prevailing forms of hospitality on the street.
More recent material shows further revisions. These include redesigned stickers issued in the early twenty-first century and later updates incorporating digital references.
