A day of celebration at the Museum

So many groups have taken part in the project that the celebration had to be run in two sessions across the day. Some participants came in fancy dress, including Brenda Seymour of the Southsea Friends group, who bore a Union Jack flag and a gas mask holder.

Dr Jane Mee, manager of the Museums and Record Service offered her congratulations and thanks to the participating groups: the Wednesday Club, Welcome Club, Southsea Friends, Portsea Friday Club, Paulsgrove Monday Club and Fratton Live at Home.

“It’s brilliant to be working with community groups from across the city,” said Dr Mee, “Projects like this bring the museum to life, and it’s really important that you’re involved in that because the Portsmouth City Museum belongs to you!”

Lord Mayor, Cheryl Buggy, congratulated all the community groups on their hard work, and is proudly displaying the calendar made by the Wednesday Club in the Lord Mayor’s Parlour.

“The creative work we see here today is fantastic. The sad thing is that Dickens himself would recognise many of the social problems we still have today, so there’s lots more work to be done,” said the Mayor.

Lady Wendy Elizabeth Leggatt from Southsea Friends group congratulated Portsmouth City Council and the Museums team on their work with the local community.

“We’ve enjoyed such happiness, fulfilment and the wonderful experience of finding out about our local history. It’s provided real ‘oomph’ into our lives!”

The celebration gave all the groups the chance to see each other’s work on display for the first time. Everyone taking part has gained something, from challenging stereotypes about older people, sharing memories and telling stories, to discovering

family histories, growing pride in the city and learning new skills.

“Most of all, we are very proud to be a part of Portsmouth and very proud to have taken part in this project,” said a member of the Monday Club.

Julie Roberts, from Portsmouth City Council’s HIDS Service, said “The end results really speak for themselves. I think everyone here has come away with the local history ‘bug’ now!”

Sue Wright of the HIDS team said, “We often wrongly think of older people as having nothing to offer, and many older people can find themselves quite isolated. Projects like these are not only good at combating that

isolation, but they’re also good for the city and the Museum. The groups are contributing to something important and beneficial for everyone in Portsmouth.”

Julie Roberts of HIDS agrees, “This project will preserve the memories and stories of the participants, and that will be a legacy that lasts forever and won’t be lost.”

News

PPortsmouth Museums and Records Society

M&RS

A day of celebration at the Museum

Issue 4, May/June 2012

The Dickens Community Archive Project

Community groups involved in the early stages of A Tale of One City came together to celebrate their contribution at a party at the City Museum in February. The Lord Mayor and her Consort, A Tale of One City team and managers and officers from Portsmouth City Council’s Health Improvement and Development Service (HIDS) came along to join them.

It wasn’t just participants who feel the benefit of A Tale of One City.

Continued on next page

Dickensian mice hiding in the City Museum

“I’ve been working with the team on some of the seed projects on display today,” said local authority Community Support Officer, Rod McLean, “Many of the group members are now making plans to continue with their own local and family history projects using all the skills they’ve learned during A Tale of One City.”

Community Development Officer, Linda Long, said “The day was a real showcase for community archiving and a resounding success. We’ve really enjoyed working in partnership, and it has been really good for club members to be active participants in their very own part of history.”

A Tale of One City will also leave a lasting legacy across the council for partnership working. Linda believes the project “has gone from strength to strength in developing great community links with the Museum and it would be so nice if this continues in the future.”

Over 300 people came to the Charles Dickens Birthplace Museum in Old Commercial Road on the 7th February to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to the great writer. The event launched the Portsmouth birthday celebrations across the city, including a dedicated memorial service at St Mary’s Church featuring a special message from Prince Charles to the city.

The Lord Mayor, Cheryl Buggy, and members of the Dickens Fellowship gave speeches outside the Birthplace. Charles Dickens’ great-great-grandson Ian Dickens also spoke of his pride at the continuing popularity of Dickens’ work as costumed actors walked amongst the crowd, preparing for a day of performances.

Visitors received free entry to the Birthplace all day, while a variety of performances took place outside, including music, scenes from Oliver

Twist and even a personal appearance from Fagin himself (actor Brian Conley, who is playing Fagin in the touring production of Oliver!)

Dr Jane Mee, Museums and Records Service Manager said, “The Birthplace received 635 visits on the Birthday itself, although the Museum was so busy all day, it felt like many more!”

The popularity of the Birthplace continued throughout February with over 3,150 visits during the month.

Many intriguing tales from the lives of Portsmouth residents never get written down and are sadly forgotten. How can we make sure that these tales are preserved for the future? Portsmouth City Museum is working with community groups to collect oral history interviews – recording people speaking about their memories and experiences .

The African Women’s Forum and Aspects of Jewish Life group both

took part in oral history workshops during February, finding out more about the technique and how to go about it. The African Women’s Forum are creating a history of the group, sharing how and why they formed and the events and activities that they take part in together.

Aspects of Jewish Life are keen to record the stories of the Portsmouth Jewish community. The group hope to interview many

younger people who have now moved away from the city, as well as the older generation who are resident in Portsmouth.

Telling Tales

Birthday Boost for the Birthplace

News

Queue for birthplace

Go on a Guided Tour of A Tale of One City

Members of staff from the Museums and Records Service will be taking to the gallery to provide tours of the A Tale of One City exhibition from 13th April to 26th October 2012.

The tours will take place at 10.30 every Friday, giving visitors the unique opportunity to hear more about the exhibits on display.

Tickets are available at Portsmouth City Museum and cost £3. Discounted tickets at £1 are available to Leisure Card holders and members of Portsmouth Museums and Records Society. Accompanied children go free.

To find out more telephone the City Museum:

023 9282 7261

Updates on these projects will feature in future editions of the newsletter, so watch

this space!

Continued from front page

Over the last twelve months many of our partners in the ATooC project have been learning much more about archives, including community centres, libraries and community groups.

The Archive Training Days run by Anna Delaney look at various aspects of the archives kept at Portsmouth

History Centre and how they can be used. Participants gain practical skills in handling and looking after the archives, including unlocking the secrets of old handwriting – an ability known as palaeography.

During the sessions, participants also find out more about the history of Portsmouth and the thousands of stories

tucked away in the archives. You can discover this history for yourself at Portsmouth History Centre in Central Library, Guildhall Square. For more information telephone 02392 688046, email [email protected] or see the website at www.portsmouthrecordsoffice.co.uk

Crash course in Archives

Portsmouth Reads Dickens

New Dickens 2012 Writer in Residence Steve Tasane will be producing a selection of new work inspired by Dickens through a programme of regular community workshops at the City Museum.

Working with local writers and residents, Steve will build up a unique story of Portsmouth and its people.

“I’ll be capturing the

To celebrate the anniversary year, the city has teamed up with Vintage Books for a huge Oliver Twist giveaway. Oliver Twist is Portsmouth’s One City, One Read for 2012, encouraging as many residents to read the book this year as possible. For more information, visit the Vintage Books website: http://www.vintage-books.co.uk/classics/PortsmouthReadsDickens/

In addition, five reading groups in the city have become Dickens Champions and will be reading David Copperfield, Little Dorritt, Martin Chuzzlewit, Nicholas Nickleby and Great Expectations. If you’d like to be involved or would like more information on the Champions, contact [email protected]

history and personality of the city,” said Steve, “As well as the characters and lives of Portsmouth’s community.”

The workshops will be run fortnightly on Wednesday’s starting on the 11th April until 29th August, giving residents the chance of a lifetime to be involved in the creation of a brand new work inspired by one of the nation’s favourite writers.

A Tale of One City hits the web!

The brand new A Tale of One City website has just launched at www.ataleofonecity.portsmouth.gov.uk

The website is packed with tales of Portsmouth places, people, facts and most of all, fun! Best of all, opportunities abound for you to tell your own favourite stories and memories of the city – you can even upload your

own pictures – though make sure they’re yours to upload first!

There are also plenty of chances to talk to other members on the Forum, where you can contribute to other people’s posts or create new ones of your own. Current topics being discussed include the ‘Greatest ever Portsmouth gig’ and ‘The Best View in Portsmouth’.

A whole section of the website is designed especially for children and young people, who can also contribute to discussions on the site.

Here at the ATooC newsletter, our favourite feature is the Famous Facts section, provided by local history blogger ‘Snippets from Portsmouth Past’, including that Portsmouth inhabitants

have felt earthquake tremors on a least 4 occasions, in 1692, 1734, 1750 and 1834.

This and even more earth-trembling local facts can be found on the website. It’s really easy to use and your chance to be part of Dickens Community Archive forever.

So, what are you waiting for? Be a part of it today!

News

Welcome Steve Tasane, Dickens Writer in Residence

At the Community Day, members of Southsea Friends were happy to talk about their experiences of the A Tale of One City project. “There’s a real joy in just being together as a group,” said Lady Wendy-Elizabeth Leggatt, “We all laughed a lot.”

In the first round of projects, the group created a presentation exploring the theft of vegetables in the 1800s. Many members were surprised at the harsh punishments received for the theft of even a single potato. Penalties for such crimes included whipping and even deportation.

“I was shocked at the severity of the punishments,” said Lady Wendy-Elizabeth.

Fellow group member, Eileen Bradshaw agreed, “A lot of those crimes would go unnoticed today.”

Brenda Seymour talked about how she had enjoyed the sessions working with archives at the Portsmouth History Centre, which brought back memories of her own childhood.

“We had wonderful childhoods after the war. We didn’t have anything, but neither did anyone else!”

Now, Southsea Friends are continuing their hard work as part of A Tale of

One City with a brand new board game of Portsmouth in the time of Dickens.

“It’s a souped-up version of the classic Snakes & Ladders,” said ATooC’s Anna Delaney, “It features real life crimes taken straight from the city’s archives.”

Members of the group researched crimes from days gone by. They then worked extensively with local artists Jane Kilford and Julie Graves on the design of the board and accompanying cards. The artists have also designed a special wax seal for the Southsea Friends as part of the project.

Fifty copies of the game will be made and copies will go to all the members of the Group as well as to some of our community partners. A copy will also go on display at the City Museum during May so you can check it out for yourself.

Southsea Friends are on Board with Dickens

The Alderman Lacey group has combined its talents to create a unique sound and crafts display, on show at the City Museum from 17th April on the theme of crime and education.

Part of the display will feature handmade contributions from the group, including maps, a knitted noose and cat of nine tails and even a cross stitch blood stain. Alongside the display will be a ‘sound shower’ featuring quotes from the group and folk songs.

Every member of the group has had the chance to showcase their talents. Some concentrated on researching in the archives whilst others used their skills at knitting, sewing and singing.

Meanwhile, the Landport Community Centre group is busy creating a cross-stitch embroidery on Dickens and Portsmouth, including images of Portsea Workhouse. Children’s Easter holiday activities at the centre featured maps from the archive and aspects of Portsmouth life in the time of Dickens, including crimes of the day, housing conditions, disease and even Mrs Beeton’s cookery.

Fratton Community Centre – who created the now famous mice on display at the City Museum (see picture) are also running their own Dickens Day in October. Officers from Portsmouth History Centre will be there with items

from the archive.

“We’re really excited about all the new activities and contributions coming from all the community groups in the city,” said Anna Delaney, “I’m looking forward to seeing them on display.”

News

Community groups get Crafty and Noisy

www.portsmouthcitymuseums.co.ukPortsmouth City Museum, Museum Road. Portsmouth PO1 2LJ

The Alderman Lacey Project

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Dickens 1812 - 1870

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The Artful Dodger

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Dickens Birth Place

A Tale of Two Cities - Oliver Twist - Great Expectations - A Christmas Carol - David Copperfield

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A day of celebration at the Museum