Residents can step back into the past with a series of history themed events, from the Tudors to the Second World War, at The Hive this month.
The University of Worcester, as part of the nationwide Being Human Festival, will provide new insights into the County’s cultural and social past through expert talks by academics, exhibitions, oral history, as well as archive documents and film footage.
The event draws on research and publications by History and Sociology students and lecturers in the University’s School of Humanities.
Professor Emerita Maggie Andrews, who coordinated the project, said: “We hope these events will engage audiences with some quirky stories and events in the history of Worcestershire. This is a chance to gain a greater understanding of the past of this county and its residents. It’s also a great opportunity for staff and students at the University to share their research with the local community."
The University is taking part in the Being Human festival of the humanities for the fourth time. This nationwide festival works with universities and communities across the country to provide engaging activities that make research more accessible and increase understanding of the relevance of the humanities to everyday life. This year’s theme is Secrets and Discoveries.
In keeping with this, an exhibition called Secrets and Discoveries: Histories from Worcestershire and Beyond, features 50 ‘secret histories’ with a Worcestershire connection. This includes the lost village of Croome, a nuclear bunker under Broadway Tower and plans to evacuate the royal family to Madresfield Court, near Powick, in the event of a Nazi invasion. It runs Thursday, November 14, to Saturday, November 23.
Professor of Early Modern History, Darren Oldridge’s talk on Thursday, November 14 explores demonic temptation in the Tudor and Stuart Age and how dark thoughts were attributed to evil spirits
Wednesday, November 20, is a day of drop-in activities focused on experiences in the Second World War. Visitors can watch archive film, answer quizzes, look at extracts from Worcestershire newspapers from the period, learn about rationing and try some typical wartime foods. An evening talk looks at the effect of the Second World War in Worcestershire, detailing some of the inventive dishes people came up with to make the most of their rations.
Academics from the University will introduce a special screening of a new archive film called Protest on Monday, November 18, looking at the history of public protest in the UK back to 1910, from the Suffragettes to miners’ strikes.
This is one of two special screening the University is showing in the upcoming months. Another, called Welcome to Britain, on December 18, charts the arrivals of immigrants to the country over the last century. Lecturers at the University, along with volunteers from the Beacons Development Education Centre, will introduce and discuss the film.
For more information or to book tickets visit www.thehiveworcester.org.