A Castle Mall Meander

It was good to explore the site of the former Norwich Castle earthwork defences with Club members earlier today. Walking around the Castle Mall gardens gave us a clear impression of the huge extent of the original southern bailey. During our exploration I mentioned the breadth and depth of the archaeology that came from the construction of the mall. This is illustrated by the size of the two Castle Mall reports pictured above. Today, we literally scratched the surface of this archaeology. I think we may return at some point in the future.

Colin Howey 

Lifelong Learning

'On the day when the latest GCSE results are out I'm reminded of the fact that my school disbarred me from doing the equivalent of a GCSE in History because it was deemed to be too intellectually demanding for a scumbag like me. Many of us discover a love for history DESPITE, not because, of a sausage machine education system. I hope that my modern-day equivalents don't write themselves off. Learning is a lifelong journey.'

Colin Howey

Chair

Norwich Community History Club

25.08.2016

Help Record Poles' Contribution to Norfolk

We have been contacted by Adian O'Dell from the newly-formed Norfolk Polish Heritage Group who are keen to get in touch with people within Norfolk with a Polish heritage. Here's what Adrian says:

'We would be very grateful if you would forward the attached EDP/EEN article about the newly-formed Norfolk Polish Heritage Group to your members. The HPHG has the support of Norfolk Record Office.

We are keen to contact individuals living in Norfolk who have family connections with Poland or an affinity with that country to help us explore and record stories behind the important contribution that Poles have made to this county since World War II or earlier.

Thank you in advance for your co-operation and we look forward to hearing from some of your members or people they might know in the near future.

Kind regards,


Adrian O'dell (born Zolkowski)
on behalf of NPHG'

If you wish to make contact please email me at howeychoosetouseit@gmail.com and I will forward your message to Adrian. 

Best Wishes,

Colin

Understanding Craft Guilds

       © Norfolk Museum Service 2016

I am in the interesting position of being the founding Clerk of a craft guild - the Norwich-based stonemasons' Guild of St Stephen & St George. 

Next Wednesday (3rd August), 10:30-12:30 on the first floor of the Millennium Library (tables near the stairs) I will be leading a free session about craft guilds - their history and relevance to today's world. There are still some places available. If you wish to attend this, please email me on stonemasontraining@gmail.com to book a place. Hurry up though - places are filling fast!

Colin Howey

ANNETTE CARSON TALK ‘FINDING RICHARD III’

Annette Carson is an award-winning author who lives in Horstead, Norfolk, and has sold over 50,000 non-fiction books on subjects including aviation, music and history. Since 2008 she has been researching and writing about King Richard III and is best known for her book Richard III: The Maligned King which relies exclusively on primary historical sources. 

In 2011 she was invited to join the Looking For Richard Project, to search for the burial place of Richard III, based on her assertion in this book – which turned out to be correct – that Richard’s grave was probably to be found underneath the Social Services Car Park in Leicester. Since then she has published three more Richard III books and gives talks about the controversial king. She’s had particular success with a little book entitled Richard III: A Small Guide to the Great Debate, which explains to the general reader what the controversy is all about. 

Her talk on August 16 is about how it’s possible to find the real Richard III if you set aside the propaganda that gave him a black reputation.

A Winding River Walk

Here are some of our History Club members, posing by Cow Tower, during yesterday's River Walk. We had a good meandering ramble along the River Wensum ('Wensum' Old English, meaning, 'winding'), pausing to note things of interest as we went. Lots of laughter and lots of learning - a great combination! 

Achievements - by Roy Howard

Another inspirational talk by club member, Roy Howard, talking about his life and achievements. What comes across to me is his persistence and irrerpressible sense of humour and entrepreneurship. 

Fierce Light Exhibition Special Viewings

Dear Club members, let me know if you're interested in attending this (howeychoosetouseit@gmail.com)...

FIERCE LIGHT EXHIBITION

 

We would like to invite you and members of your group to a special viewing at East Gallery^NUA of a World Premiere and major co-commission from 14-18 NOW, Norfolk & Norwich Festival and Writers’ Centre Norwich.

 

As we approach 100 years since the Battle of the Somme, Fierce Light brings together outstanding international poets with filmmakers and visual artists to explore the war and its legacy in the 21^st century. This exhibition will be featuring specially commissioned poetry from Jackie Kay, Bill Manhire, Paul Muldoon, Daljit Nagra and Jo Shapcott alongside short films by George Belfield, Tim Davies, Matthew Kay, Joshua Carver and Suzie Hanna. It will also feature Simon Armitage’s collection Still, each poem engraved onto aerial photographs of WWI battlefields. Find out more here. 

 

We are holding special viewings of this exhibition on Thursday for community groups, where members of Norfolk & Norwich Festival and the Writer’s Centre Norwich will be on hand to discuss the exhibition. You will also be able to find out more about an exciting opportunity for you and interested members of your group to become involved in your own writing and filmmaking project later in the summer.

 

Special viewings will be held on:

Thursday 2^nd June, 2-3pm

Thursday 2^nd June, 5-6pm

 

For more information and to book on to one of the above viewings, please RSVP to Ros atros@nnfestival.org.uk by Thursday morning.

 

Kind regards,

 

Ros

Medieval Churches of Norwich

We were delighted to welcome Dr. Kristi Bain, Dr. Helen Lunnon (UEA) and Nick Bond (Visit Norwich) to speak to club members today about the excellent Medieval Churches of Norwich project. 

Here is the website:

Medieval Churches of Norwich

Well worth checking out!

Change Minds Project - Cromer

Change Minds project in Cromer, north Norfolk: changeminds.org.uk/cromer/

Conservation Matters at the Norfolk Record Office

Please click on image in order to enlarge

The Old Courts & Yards of Norwich - Hellesdon Library

Saturday April 2^nd  2-3.30  pm

 

‘Frances and Michael Holmes will be speaking about their latest best-selling book: ‘The Old Courts and Yards of Norwich: A Story of People, Poverty and Pride’. At the turn of the 20th century more than 10% of Norwich's population lived in the old courts and yards. For some they were hell-holes and needed to be razed, but for others they contained vibrant neighborhoods and historic buildings which should have been preserved. Using a combination of archive material and recorded interviews Frances and Michael will tell the fascinating history of the old yards. An account which is about more than bricks and mortar, it is also the story of the communities and individuals who called them home.’

History In Our Heads

Today, History Club Vice-Chair, Ernie Woodrow, gave members a fascinating insight into the life growing up in a rural Norfolk village (Brooke) as one of eight children. Speaking as someone who didn't see a real live pig until I was in my twenties, I was fascinated by Ernie's tales of going into the fields lying under a cow and drinking milk warm from the teat. He described the many village characters to us and we laughed at tales of their boozy indiscretions. Above all else, what sticks with me is the respect and affection that shone from Ernie as he talked about his mum -"a remarkable woman."

I loved this talk, beautifully observed as it was and delivered in a proper Norfolk accent. It just goes to show that we have history in our heads. 

~ Colin Howey ~