One Square Mile: Heritage on our Doorstep
by Laura Davison
Over the last 18 months, Colchester Recalled has been supporting St John's Green Primary School's National Lottery Heritage Funded project One Square Mile: Heritage on our Doorstep. Patrick has been working in the school with 8 pupils and their parents, training them in recording oral history interviews, transcribing them verbatim, and even editing excerpts and illustrating them with photographs.
They have interviewed friends, relatives, staff, and alumni. Ivy interviewed her 91 year old Great Grandfather Michael Beattie who attended St John's Green School during WWII. He described the air raid sirens and shelters in the playground (listen to this interview).
Jasmine interviewed Marion Murray and learnt all about the different types of lessons including handwriting and arithmetic (listen to this interview). Awana and Maria got the honour of interviewing their headteacher Simon Billings and finding out all about his job.
They have also been listening to Colchester Recalled's oral history recordings of people who attended St John's Green School. The recordings have helped to make history more meaningful. Using logbooks from the school's archive and illustrating these records with oral histories, the pupils have learnt what life has been like at school right from its opening in 125 years ago in 1898 through to today. They have thoroughly enjoyed learning about their historic school building, and everyday life in the school, such as lessons, plays, assemblies, playground games, lunch times, and about the different headteachers and teachers.
They have been an incredibly dedicated and enthusiastic team. All this learning came to fruition when the pupils delivered a talk at our Monday morning meeting, showcasing a selection of the oral histories they have recorded, transcribed and edited. The work these 9 and 10 year olds have achieved, is truly impressive. This approach to training young people in oral history is extremely rare and we are proud to have been a part in the project.
Headteacher Simon Billings congratulated the pupils:
A huge well done to the girls, who not only presented in front of members of the public, but have worked extremely hard, putting a lot of time and effort into interviewing past and present members of the St John's Green community.
Jasmine with Marion Murray
image courtesy of One Square Mile: Heritage on our Doorstep project.
Ivy with her great-grandfather Michael Beattie
image courtesy of One Square Mile: Heritage on our Doorstep project.
Lydia interviewing John Worland
image courtesy of One Square Mile: Heritage on our Doorstep project.
the three images above are courtesy of One Square Mile: Heritage on our Doorstep project.
Harwich Road Primary School 1940 - girls sitting in air-raid shelter with their gas masks