City Voices
One of the highlights of September is Gloucester History Festival and this year was no different. The festival became (mostly) a virtual feast of talks, tours, exhibitions and online delights. And, even though we are now well beyond September. much of the City Voices strand of the festival is still available to view online for free. www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk/city-voices/
The Heritage Hub and its partners played a very important part in making this year’s festival such a success. The Family History page is full of wonderful vignettes by local historians filmed in the Heritage Hub community garden and covering an array of subjects from tragic accidents to Button Gwinnett, from Police collar numbers to Gloucestershire’s memorial inscriptions. The films also include lots of information about how to further your own family history research with Dr Nick Barratt, historian, genealogist and broadcaster drawing on his experience with the popular TV programme, ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ to look at the future of family history and by providing tips on getting started with your own family history.
Click image to watch Nick Barrett’s presentation
The interactive map gives everyone, wherever they are, an opportunity to tour some of Gloucester’s very well known heritage sites (including amongst others the Cathedral, Blackfriars Priory, The Folk) and some not so well known (All Nations Club, the Olympus Theatre, Over Bridge). The Heritage Hub features too. So if you haven't visited us yet now is your chance!
Artists (funded in part by Historic England), contributed much content and as a result a fabulous collection of stories, illustrations, films and exhibitions were made and are still online for everyone to enjoy. These include:
Exhibitions and films curated in response to the Black Lives Matter movement and Black History Month
Signs of History is a tour around the city with Olivier Jamin and includes seven British Sign Language films for the deaf and hard of hearing, exploring Gloucester Cathedral and the city centre.
A life in Lockdown captures Gloucestershire’s response to recent events including interviews with Gloucester’s black elders
....and Karl Whiteley’s wonderful illustrated lockdown reflections.
Included here is just a taster of the events available, there is so much more to see and hear. For the full programme visit www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk/ and discover the wonderful heritage of Gloucester..
In 2020 people who would not normally be able to access the festival have been able to attend. People from across the UK and from much further afield, including Australia, Canada, Holland and North America have visited. 17,000+ people have so far enjoyed the festival.
We are already looking forward to next year when we hope, as well as online content we can have the live talks back at Blackfriars Priory, but whatever happens there will certainly be a Gloucester History Festival 2021.