April 2018
Continuing the recent heritage theme (though I will return to indie businesses soon) I’m looking forward to the last week of April with three interesting events on. I’ve previously mentioned the talk on Medieval Fenland by Sue Oosthuizen with FenArch, at Mendi’s, Old Market – 7.30pm Wednesday 24th April.
The Museum are hosting a talk and book launch with author Diane Calton Smith on the 28th April, 11am. Diane, like Dr Oosthuizen, is a lovely, friendly speaker, both are knowlegeable and keen to share their love of the area. Diane volunteers at Peckover House, so is well placed for historic research, especially the Georgian period (c.1714 – 1830) This new book, “The Quayside Poet”, is based in two time zones – one Georgian – and the talk is about Coffee Shops at that time. We of course have much Georgian architecture in the area, not least the central building known as The Castle.
This talk particularly caught my eye as I’m a Fellow with the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) which started in a Georgian coffee shop, so I wonder what exactly was it about that period, and their coffee shops, that enabled people to come up with plans and ideas?
The RSA produces in-depth research into various social issues, supporting Fellows to work towards solutions. Fellows have included Charles Dickens and Michael Faraday, so it has a rich heritage of people as well as of research and publications. One way they show information and ideas for discussion is through RSAnimates – they can be found on the website, theRSA.org, and on Vimeo. Short animations of notes and drawings explain and discuss various themes, or illustrate talks that have taken place at RSA House in London. One of my favourites, about education, can be found by going to vimeo.com/17439081
I’m part of a new group being set up by the RSA called Heritage Champions so I’ll be connecting and supporting projects across the region in association with other Fellows across the country.
Another event on 28th April is the Family History Society’s Research Day at Wisbech Library, 10-3, a fantastic opportunity to get advice from experienced researchers and use records and websites with their help. There’s a list on their poster (see image) and it will be on social media too, see below.
Family history is something people often become interested in as they get older, but I highly recommend it for anyone as it can cover a wide variety of interests and is often a fascinating detective story with intrigue along the way. Sadly, it also of course leads to finding out about how people died “in the old days”. Recently at the Hard Hat talk at the General Cemetery I talked to a lady who had found a relative who died as a baby and was buried there. It was more common in the past for babies and children to die for all kinds of reasons, but no less difficult to accept. I hope if you’re starting out on your family research that you find some interesting stories in your own past, it would be great to hear of people finding their roots go back a long way in the town, as the records are certainly there for you to research.
Twitter accounts to follow: