Tag Archives: heritage

Books and Postcards, Events, Heritage, Uncategorized

Lewes during the Somme

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Stories Seen Through a Glass Plate, 1916: Lewes Remembers – 29 October to 20 November 2016

An exhibition of 80 light boxes in 65 windows throughout Lewes, 1916: Lewes Remembers will show work from the years of the First World War by Benjamin Reeves, grandfather of the present Reeves owner Tom Reeves.

This will include individual and group portraits of soldiers and their families, as well as civilian life during the war, and photographs of the thousands of men billeted in the town.  To help bring things to life, the photographs will be shown around Lewes in locations relevant to their subjects.

The Lewes Tourist Information Office will supply a free map of the light box trail.

In addition to the lightbox exhibition, there will be:

An exhibition in Lewes Town Hall bringing together photos of men from WWI and contemporary veterans, taken by Benjamin Reeves and Tom Reeves;

An exhibition in the Edward Reeves Studio gallery of studio portraits and town views taken by Benjamin Reeves during WWI;

Study Day in the All Saints Centre on Sunday 30 October 2016, featuring the 1916 War Office film The Battle of the Somme;

Also on Sunday 30 October 2016: Walk & Talk Tours of the light box display; Edward Reeves Studio Open Day featuring WWI exhibits, music, and readings 2-4pm; Town Hall Exhibition 1-4pm;

Remembrance Sunday event at the Lewes War Memorial, 13 November 2016;

Esterhazy Chamber Choir concert, Saturday 19 November 2016 – on the day after the Battle of the Somme ended 100 years ago the choir performs Songs of Farewell at St Michael’s Church, Lewes, 7:30pm.

See more about the Reeves archive here

Events, Heritage, Uncategorized

Free research training for WWI project

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Alice Bamber Munitions uniform.jpgFree Research Training!

** If you would like to get involved with The Orange Lilies project as a participant or volunteer, or have memories or artefacts about The Battle of Boar’s Head, or Brighton and Hove memories of the Somme, then please get in touch, we’d love to hear from you! **

If you’re interested in WWI history related to Brighton and Hove, family history, local research, or working on creative projects with young people, then do get in touch. We’d love to have you involved in this exciting new project.

We’re currently seeking Volunteer Archive Researchers to support knowledge and history throughout this project. If you’re interested in getting involved then do get in touch. Training will be given.

The project focuses on the city’s legacy of the Somme and a significant event on the eve of this (where huge numbers of Brighton soldiers fell), The Battle of Boar’s Head (also known as The Day that Sussex Died), as a key part of WWI, and its’ subsequent impact on Brighton and Hove.

Visit our The Orange Lilies project website here, get in touch and share family history, join in and receive training as a volunteer researcher and attend activities, events and films, all commemorating the city in the Somme.

Email: theorangelilies@gmail.com and we’ll get back to you soon.

With thanks to Mary Funnell  and Patricia Field for permission to use the above images.

https://theorangelilies.wordpress.com/get-involved/

 

Arts, Books and Postcards, Editorial and design, Events, Heritage, Uncategorized

Conversation Cafe – October

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Arts, Books and Postcards, Editorial and design, Events, Heritage

Social Media Co-ordinator wanted

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QueenSpark Books is seeking a volunteer to develop its social media presence and content. We are seeking a self-motivated individual who can spare up to 5 hours per week, for three months, developing ideas, content and traffic for QueenSpark’s Twitter and Facebook accounts.

You will work in collaboration with QueenSpark’s Development Director and Administrator in order to identify the broad content of your role; for this next period, it is anticipated that the majority of your work will be promoting QueenSpark’s forthcoming publication, Brighton’s Graphic War.

You will be able to work from home, although we have office space if required.

Please note: This is a rolling programme, so a new volunteer will be recruited every three months. The role is unpaid, although reasonable expenses will be covered. Ongoing references following your three-month engagement will be provided.

Please send an expression of interest outlining your skills and availability to admin@queensparkbooks.org.ukby Wednesday 28th September. Please indicate whether, if you are not selected for this three months, you might be interested in the role at a later date.

Social Media Coordinator Wanted!

Arts, Books and Postcards, Community Arts, Editorial and design, Events, Heritage, Uncategorized

FIRST WORLD WAR CENTENARY EVENTS IN BRIGHTON THIS AUTUMN

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tol-posterStrike a Light has organised a great programme of WWI themed events for autumn 2016.

For full details visit https://theorangelilies.wordpress.com/events/.

9th September, 6 – 7.30pm – A free WW1 historic walking tour with historian Dr Geoffrey Mead (Boys on the Plaque)

14th September, 2.30 – 4.30pm – Free Conversation Cafe with visitors from the Brighton’s Graphic War book project (Boys on the Plaque)

14th September, 6 – 7.30pm – A free WW1 historic walking tour with historian Dr Geoffrey Mead (Boys on the Plaque)

28th September, 10.30am – 3pm – Free outing to The Day That Sussex Died exhibition, Eastbourne (The Orange Lilies)

12th October, 2.30 – 4.30pm – Free Conversation Cafe on soldiers from the city of Brighton and Hove (The Boys on the Plaque)

12th October, 10am – 12pm – Free outing to Pavilion Blues: Disability and Identity exhibition, Brighton Museum

18th October, 1.30 – 3pm – Free talk, slideshow and Q&A with The Orange Lilies project manager Nicola Benge at Brighton’s The British Legion pop in centre (The Orange Lilies)

8th November, 10am – Free outing to a showing of the film The Battle of the Somme (1916) at the Duke of York’s Cinema (organised by Gateways to the First World War and the Fedora Group)

11th November, 7 – 9pm – Free Brighton’s Graphic War launch for QueenSpark Books at The Lighthouse

18th November, 2 – 5pm – Free study afternoon marking the end of the Somme Centenary at the University of Brighton (The Orange Lilies)

22nd November (afternoon) – Free WW1 Film Club screening – ‘A Testament of Youth’ for secondary school pupils and teachers at Fabrica Gallery

23rd November (details TBC) – Film showing of ‘Oh! What A Lovely War!’

For further information about projects please contact Nicola Benge at theorangelilies@gmail.com

Strike a Light, in partnership with Brighton & Hove Library and Information Service, and Fabrica have received a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for a project, The Orange Lilies – Brighton and Hove Soldiers in the Somme.

The project focuses on the city’s legacy of the Somme and The Battle of Boar’s Head (also known as The Day that Sussex Died – where huge numbers of Brighton soldiers fell). The Orange Lilies follows a successful project, The Boys on the Plaque, which uncovered the stories behind a newly discovered First World War memorial plaque in the Fabrica Gallery.

Arts, Books and Postcards, Community Arts, Editorial and design, Events, Heritage, Uncategorized

Brighton’s Graphic War

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20160914_160355.jpgWe had a really enjoyable Conversation Cafe this week as part of the HLF funded The Boys on the Plaque project in Brighton with local community publisher QueenSpark Books who specialise in projects about Brighton and Hove’s history.

Thanks to QueenSpark Books for coming, our participants loved the session! ‘I thoroughly enjoyed this afternoon. A great idea and well presented. Thank you’.

Writer and mentor Tim Pilcher, and artist and mentor Paul Collicutt presented information to our group about a new WWI themed graphic novel project due for publication this November 2016, Brighton’s Graphic War.

QueenSpark Books have been working with young people (age 15-24) across Brighton & Hove, to produce a print and online graphic novel based on the lives of the people of Brighton & Hove up to and including the First World War. The project involves local stories and images from the period between 1900-1920 to create and tell some of the lesser known histories of the City.

Material has been drawn from the archives of QueenSpark Books, Brighton & Hove Museum and The Keep, to develop creative learning through exploration of the City’s history.

The 100th anniversary of the Great War marks a moment in time where the organisation could creatively engage young people in understanding the lives of their forebears, and the impact the War had on this city and its people. Under the guidance of experienced professionals from the comics/graphic novel world, participants have been encouraged to use their creativity to work on a graphic novel depicting the lives of the ‘ordinary’ people of the time.

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We also discussed our new project read Love Letters of the First World War which looks like it’s going to be a popular book.

October’s Conversation cafe will be on 12th October 2.30-4.30pm and this will be the final session of the project.

We welcome researchers from The Boys on the Plaque project who will discuss their findings about soldiers who served or fell in the Great War but who attended the Holy Trinity Church (now Fabrica gallery).

They will share these findings with the group, and Strike a Light will be compiling these into a small book in 2017, in time for the bi-centenary of Fabrica and its’ venue.

See you next month!

 

Arts, Books and Postcards, Festivals

Conversation Cafe – September

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QS_Twitter Header.pngThis session will host visitors from the WWI themed Brighton’s Graphic War book project from QueenSpark Books, and a look at an earlier book Brighton the Graphic Novel on e-readers.

We’ll be meeting at the slightly later time this month on Wednesday 14th September of 3-5pm at Fabrica gallery, so that those who would like to can attend a related free WWI walking tour of the North Laine part of Brighton at 6pm departing from the gallery with the historian Dr Geoffrey Mead. See details here.

We are looking forward to welcoming writer Tim Pilcher and artist Paul Collicutt, to discuss their involvement in QueenSpark Books’ new World War One themed graphic novel project Brighton’s Graphic War.

9780230772830Love Letters of the Great War.jpgWe will also be reviewing the novel The Suicide Club which we’re finishing, and picking up our new and final WWI era book Love Letters of the Great War, which is kindly on loan from the Brighton and Hove Libraries and Information Service for the project.

Many of the letters collected here are eloquent declarations of love and longing; others contain wrenching accounts of fear, jealousy and betrayal; and a number share sweet dreams of home.

But in all the correspondence – whether from British, American, French, German, Russian, Australian and Canadian troops in the height of battle, or from the heartbroken wives and sweethearts left behind – there lies a truly human portrait of love and war.

This event is part of the The Boys on the Plaque project: Unearthing Hidden Histories of WWI Soldiers from Brighton & Hove, and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

For those interested in finding out more about this project and these themes from WWI in the city of Brighton – join our Conversation Cafes for reminiscence activities, outings and events.

https://strikealight.org/…/the-boys-on-…/conversation-cafes/

Arts, Books and Postcards, Events, Heritage, Uncategorized

Keep the Home Fires Burning event

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Thanks to all who came to our Keep the Home Fires Burning WWI themed Heritage Open Days event last week at Fabrica gallery, part of The Boys on the Plaque project, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

We were pleased to assemble a lovely group of performers – The Close Shaves, artist – Fiona Edwards, collector – Colin Kirsch and historians – Douglas D’Enno, as well as exhibitions loaned from Gateways to the First World War, The Brighton and Hove Libraries and Information Service, and courtesy of Brighton Museum and Royal Pavilion for the event.

We’ve since had some lovely feedback from all those who attended the afternoon on 8th September 2016:

‘Thank you for a wonderful event yesterday. It was all so well put together and very enjoyable.’

‘Thanks for a lovely afternoon yesterday. What a lovely bunch of clients you have there! They really enjoy those events.’

Thanks to all who came!

Arts, Books and Postcards, Community Arts, Events, Festivals, Heritage, Uncategorized

Free events in Brighton this week from Strike a Light

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Free Heritage Open Days events – Brighton & Hove
Thursday 8th, Friday 9th & Saturday 10th September

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Keep the Home Fires Burning event –
Heritage Open Days (Free)

Thursday 8th September 1-4pm (Drop in): 

A creatively curated drop-in daytime event, with free workshops, exhibitions, talks, and cafe.

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We’ll be hosting songstrels The Close Shaves, creative workshops from artist Fiona Edwards, tea and cakes, WWI era bicycles from the Royal Sussex Cycling Battalion, exhibitions from Gateways to the First World War on cinema and theatre, and also from Royal Pavilion and Museums Brighton and Hove.

The event taking place is part of national Heritage Open Days events. During this special drop-in event, Fabrica opens its doors to the public for an afternoon of stimulating and engaging activities and exhibits.

Book your free place here 

WWI Walking Tour – Friday 9th September:  

Dr Geoffrey Mead will lead an early evening tour for The Boys on the Plaque project, looking at the stories from soldiers on a WWI memorial plaque (based at Fabrica gallery), who with connections to this area of the city.

 The tour runs from 6-7.30pm and starts from Fabrica gallery, 40 Duke Street, Brighton BN1 1AG. The event is free but booking is necessary here.

https://boysontheplaque.wordpress.com/

Friday 9th & Saturday 10th September:

Friday 9th from 1-7pm & Saturday 10th from 1-5pm    

An exhibition specially for Heritage Open Days which focuses on the history of brewing in Lewes, East Sussex and its related industrial and agricultural links from the 18th Century to the present day, a period of some 200 years. The exhibition looks at working life in relation to Breweries, agricultural workers and rural life and trades.

Find out more here

A project in partnership with Harveys Brewery.

The Orange Lilies – Brighton and Hove in the Somme exhibition

Friday 9th from 1-7pm & Saturday 10th from 1-5pm
Friday 9th & Saturday 10th September:

FREE Exhibition and Drop in at Strike a Light, Studio 8 (Mezzanine), Open Market, Marshalls Row, Brighton BN1 4JU

Strike a Light showcases its WWI themed project The Orange Lilies – Brighton and Hove Soldiers in the Somme.

The project focuses the city’s legacy of the Somme and a significant event on the eve of this (where huge numbers of Brighton soldiers fell), The Battle of Boar’s Head (also known as The Day that Sussex Died), as a key part of WWI, and its subsequent impact on Brighton.

In partnership with:

Fabrica gallery, Gateways to the First World War project, and Brighton and Hove Libraries and Information Service.

These are funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Arts, Books and Postcards, Events, Heritage, Uncategorized

The Orange Lilies – Brighton and Hove in the Somme

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TOL logoOur project, The Orange Lilies – Brighton and Hove Soldiers in the Somme, in Brighton and Hove continues this autumn with a series of free activities and outings for our project participants and volunteer research group, which is led by our Research Coordinator Ross Hammond.

All our activities and events are on our project website here. You can also check Strike a Light’s Facebook page for events.

If you would like to get involved with The Orange Lilies project as a participant or volunteer, or have memories or artefacts about The Battle of Boar’s Head, or Brighton and Hove memories of the Somme, then please get in touch, we’d love to hear from you!

The project focuses on the city’s legacy of the Somme and a significant event on the eve of this (where huge numbers of Brighton soldiers fell), The Battle of Boar’s Head (also known as The Day that Sussex Died), as a key part of WWI, and its’ subsequent impact on Brighton and Hove.

 

From June 2016 – June 2017, intergenerational arts and heritage organisation Strike a Light and partners will –  through key activities, training, collaboration and mentoring – work with young people to commemorate the effects of the Battle of the Somme on the city, uncovering Brighton’s Great War heritage for future generations.

Visit our The Orange Lilies project website here, get in touch and share family history, join in and receive training as a volunteer researcher and attend activities, events and films, all commemorating Brighton and Hove in the Somme.

Email: theorangelilies@gmail.com and we’ll get back to you soon.

With thanks for the QueenSpark Books Letter in the Attic project for permission to use the above image.

The Orange Lilies project is delivered by

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In Partnership with the following organisations:

Brighton and hove libraries logo (1) Fablogo GFWW

with support from

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