Local History/Heritage Talks, Walks & 'Experiences' - June & July

Explore, be curious...

A great series of history/heritage related events shared by Liz Budd from the Norfolk Record Office...

'We have some great new events to tell you about today as we look across the rest of June and into July.

‘Norfolk’s War’ Community Conference at the Forum, Norwich

On Friday, 20^th June, the Forum is hosting a conference aimed at individuals and groups with in interest in the First World War. The programme includes speakers from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the UK Government, Heritage Lottery Fund, Norfolk Record Office, Norfolk Library and Information Service and Norfolk Regimental Museum as well as local heritage groups and historians.

The event is free and includes a light lunch. It starts at 9.30am and finishes at 3.30pm. Please email rachel.harrison@theforumnorwich.co.uk or telephone 01603 727966 if you are interested in attending. The Forum Trust are organising this event on behalf of Norfolk County Council and Keith Simpson, MP.

A Walk with Frank Meeres

To mark Refugee Week, Frank Meeres will be leading a walk around Norwich on June 22^nd at 2pm. The walk starts from the Forum and will look at the lasting impact of refugees in the city over hundreds of years. More details here.

House and Military History Workshops

From June 14^th to June 20^th we are running twelve free workshops about house or military history in twelve Norfolk libraries including Gorleston, Mundesley, Hellesdon, Thetford (x2), Taverham, Harleston, King’s Lynn, Hunstanton, Downham Market, Costessey and Attleborough. More details here.

UEA meets NRO

Starting this evening, we have three lectures from UEA researchers on subjects as diverse as Latino identities, politics, conflict and communications. All start at 6pm on weekday evenings in June at the Millennium Library. More details here.

Heritage Hour

New topics for our September Quarter include a talk from the curator of Norwich Castle’s Wonder of Birds exhibition, smallpox and vaccination in Norwich, resources of the Regimental Museum and the 2^nd Air Division State Registers. Heritage Hour happens every Wednesday at 12.30pm and every Tuesday at 5.30pm at Norfolk Heritage Centre, on the second floor of the Millennium Library. Full details will appear on our events page shortly, or pick up a leaflet at any of our locations.

If you have queries about any of the above events, or other questions about using Norfolk Record Office, please email norfrec@norfolk.gov.uk.

We hope to see you soon!

Norfolk Record Office'

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Change of Cafe Meeting Place

IMPORTANT NOTICE: From next week onwards, we will be meeting in the cafe at St Stephen's Church on Rampant Horse Street (at the usual time, 10:30-c11:00). This was decided by an (almost) unanimous vote by club members at today's meeting

The Archaeology of Norwich, 1066-1536

Brian explaining how archaeological analysis is
revealing the shifting patterns of fishing in the
North Sea during the medieval period

Last week we were very pleased to welcome the archaeologist and author, Brian Ayers, to speak to us. He delivered a presentation about the archaeology of Norwich in the period between the Norman Conquest and the beginning of the Reformation. As ever, Brian was authoritative and entertaining and everyone was immensely impressed with his scholarship and eloquence. This feeling was summed up by History Club member, Maggie, who said:

"Yesterday's talk was absolutely illuminating. He's such a good speaker. That's where years of practice get you!'

Indeed!

World War One at Home

On Saturday 31st May, several members of the Norwich Community History Club volunteered to support the BBC's 'World War One at Home' event outside the Norwich Forum. Not only did the sun shine, but the people came - in fact, they turned up in droves. We were designated as volunteers to support to people who were queuing up to access the WW1 at Home website and to discover more about (mostly) relatives who were involved in the war. 

The basic idea of the WW1 @ Home project is that it is an online resource where members of the public can add information about individuals involved in WW1. This might range from include, for instance, letters, postcards, service records etc. The idea is to build an online archive that forms a permanent online resource recognising the contribution of that generation. 

Back to the queue... we volunteers were completely whacked by the end of the day. We'd talked to hundreds of people, all with their special stories and memories. One that sticks in my mind was a lovely man called Len, who told me about his great-uncle who was protected then smuggled out of occupied Belgium by none other that Edith Cavell herself. Amazing! I took Len's number and I'm hoping that he will come and talk to the History Club about this and other memories at some point soon. 

Here is the World War One at Home website:

World War One at Home

Register on it and then search for people you are interested in adding to the archive. Remember too that it isn't just about men who served in the armed forces. The BBC are equally interested in recognising the contribution of those who worked on the home front - an undertold story. 

Thanks!
Colin