Considerable affection is held by many people for Talbot Village: from former pupils of St Mark’s School and residents of the historic village, to members of the St Mark’s Church community, and people whose ancestors are laid to rest in its churchyard.
Our community-based project aims to bring that affection to the fore; hearing, recording and celebrating some of the stories and memories held by local people.
Drawn from across the local community, a team of trained researchers and students from Bournemouth University’s BA (Hons) History course will be collecting interviews, transcribing them and preparing for accession to the county archive at Dorset History Centre.
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Our project forms a pilot which will be used to evidence interest in a larger project, applying to the Heritage Lottery Fund and ideally creating a role for a community history practitioner in the local area.
We’re inviting university graduates to support the community oral history project; working with volunteers to produce a visual and aural exhibition for the public in May 2024.
The work will be based on their analysis of their recordings, research of other materials from the DHC, and potentially the Trust’s own archives.
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Our pilot project focuses on collecting memories of the 1940’s and 50’s, connected with the land owned by the Talbot sisters, that is roughly reaching from Columbia Road (N) to the Bourne Stream in Talbot Heath (S), and from Priestley Road (W) to Boundary Road (E).
Researchers will be listening for the emergence of themes including: the war period, housing, faith and education, key people, minority groups, and key national and life events.
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• Engage the wider community in our area’s rich history
•Bring local residents and organisations together to build relationships and stimulate future opportunities
• Collect and conserve oral histories, creating a rationale for a future larger scale project
• Create an initial project for future graduate cohorts to build upon
• Create educational resources for local primary and secondary schools, and adult community groups
• Create opportunities for graduates to work with the local community
• Draw attention to work being done by Bournemouth University’s BA (Hons) History course
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The exhibition will bring uncovered histories to the wider community, travelling between venues including: Bournemouth University, St Mark’s Church and primary school, and the café in Slades Park Pavilion.
How can I get involved?
