A Community History Project. 20th Century Lives in a Derbyshire Village

Chrissie is delighted to be part of the team involved in this innovative ongoing Heritage Lottery funded project studying 20th century life from the perspective of ordinary people connected to the Derbyshire village of Borrowash.

The project, is partnered by local arts organisation ‘Wash Arts’ (www.washarts.co.uk) and uses oral histories, original writing and diaries to explore the 20th century as it emerged from the Victorian era, via the course of two World Wars, the swinging sixties to the millennium. It charts changes in housing, sexual mores, economic and social expectations and the world of work.

In January 2015 the project launched a new collaboration with The University of Derby. Students will have opportunities to collaborate with local artists in preparation for a final exhibition at Erewash Museum, conduct and transcribe interviews, learn skills in editing and writing for publication and will have their own space on the ‘Unexamined Lives’ website (www.unexaminedlives.org) Visit the website to read the stories and see the film. It is hoped that ‘The Derby Telegraph’ may publish some student work in the popular ‘Bygones’ pages.

Helen Clark, Director of ‘Unexamined Lives’ said…

“On behalf of the entire ‘Unexamined Lives; team I am delighted to welcome the students and am very much looking forward to working with them. They will add real vitality to this exciting Heritage Lottery funded project and provide a fresh perspective to our study of times that may have been forgotten but have laid the foundations for the way we live now.”

Dr Cath Feely, Lecturer in History at The University of Derby said…

“This is an excellent opportunity for our students to contribute to community history in Derbyshire while gaining hands-on practical experience of interviewing, writing for the public and curating exhibitions. We are very much looking forward to working with ‘Unexamined Lives’ to uncover the extraordinary stories of ordinary people.”