Looking ahead - Engagement at Gloucestershire Archives in 2027
From medieval charters and military tribunals to prisons, literature, food and the sounds of the past, 2027 promises to be an exciting year at Gloucestershire Archives.
We have now set the themes for our forthcoming on-site Saturday events, held on the first Saturday in each month. These will continue to showcase the remarkable variety of records held in our collections and find new and imaginative ways for people to explore the county’s history.
There is no event in January this year, so we begin in February with our event Should I stay or should I go? focusing on our First World War military tribunal records. Gloucestershire Archives is taking part in a National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported project, overseen by Wiltshire Archives, to catalogue surviving tribunal paperwork. To bring these fascinating records to life, our event will feature an interactive court scene, with audience participation encouraged! It will offer a different way to discover the experiences, arguments and decisions preserved within these important records.
In March, Incarcerated will delve into records relating to asylums, workhouses and prisons, exploring the stories that survive within our collections and what they can reveal about the lives of people who experienced these institutions.
Across the year we'll be turning our attention to an eclectic mix of other themes, including food, literature, sound archives, estate archives and the Second World War.
2027 also marks two important historical anniversaries with strong connections to Gloucester and the wider story of England. It is 1,100 years since Æthelstan became King of the Anglo-Saxons in 927, while the year also marks 700 years since the death and burial of Edward II in 1327 in Gloucester Cathedral. To commemorate these anniversaries, we'll be holding a special event featuring some of our rarely seen charters. Both anniversaries will also feature again as part of the Gloucester History Festival’s programme in September.
Oh, and have you heard that there's something rather significant happening at Gloucester Docks from April onwards?! 2027 marks the bicentenary of the Docks, and Gloucestershire Archives will be hosting one of the first in a series of events, taking place at various heritage sites throughout Gloucester to commemorate 200 years of this iconic part of the city's heritage.
We’ll also continue to host our Secrets Revealed ‘online’ talks based on Saturday event themes but in the comfort of your own home; will be launching our new offering schools to support GCSE and A level teaching and in January we plan to start a six-week series entitled ‘Film on Fridays’ which will enable people to see some of our rarely accessed film holdings held at Gloucestershire Archives.
Consequently, there’s lots to look forward to here at the Archives in 2027.
Watch this space over the coming months as we reveal more about the programme and how you can take part. Events | Heritage Hub