Strike a Light – Arts & Heritage hosted our final public facing event for the 1921 Census project (in partnership with the University of Brighton) in St Leonards, Sussex on Saturday 23rd July.

This involved our two Hastings and St Leonards groups who have been attending sessions with researcher Lucy Daish and artist Lorna Crabbe to explore local history and findings from their explorations of the newly released 1921 census and links with the area locally.

This was a chance for everyone to present their research and discuss findings, as well as new discoveries and quirks from the area a hundred years ago.

We also welcome some new creative work made by artist Lorna, who created puppets based on 1921 characters appearing in the research. These have sound files secreted inside them which offer recordings of memories of different lives from the past and are a unique, accessible way to experience this history.

Strike a Light – Arts & Heritage were pleased to partner once more with the University of Brighton’s Centre for Memory, Narratives and Histories in Summer 2022 to deliver a new series of workshops, training, schools activities, public talks and webinars on key themes around the 1921 census.

Using Find My Past, the National Archives and other more regional archives such as The Keep and West Sussex Record Office, we explored hidden histories from the census from 100 years ago.

Images courtesy of Lorna Crabbe.