New projects celebrate stories of England’s working class
The lives of slaughterhouse girls, colliers and ironworkers will be remembered in a series of projects celebrating the heritage of members of England’s working class.
Public body Historic England is awarding a total of £774,000 to communities across the country to help them preserve their forgotten and often-overlooked histories.
Subjects include the communities that used a tin tabernacle in the Forest of Dean, and the distinct history of the Dunston Staiths – a coal drop for ships in Gateshead.
Historic England hopes that the 57 projects will help further the nation’s understanding of the past.
Chief executive Duncan Wilson said, “These community-led projects demonstrate that heritage is all around us and accessible to everyone. They will highlight that wherever people live, they are surrounded by historic buildings, landscapes and streets, and industrial and coastal heritage that can bring communities together.”
The successful projects were selected from 500 proposals and awarded grants of between £6,000 and £25,000. Among them is ‘Hidden Deptford’, focusing on the ‘gut girls’ who worked in the offal yards. It will also feature the histories of those who worked in the docks, mills and tanneries along the Thames and Deptford Creek.
A project focusing on Ripon Workhouse aims to uncover the stories of inmates and staff who had disabilities, while another will highlight the experiences of the workers at Peel Street Mill – a former textile mill in Heywood, Greater Manchester.
A major photographic collection showcasing working-class jobs in the Cornish town of Bodmin will also be exhibited, and the history of Bilson Mission Church in the Forest of Dean – a tin tabernacle that served colliers, ironworkers and Travellers – will be preserved.
“This is a fantastic initiative that will help communities from across England engage with the workingclass heritage in their area in new and exciting ways,” said heritage minister Nigel Huddleston.
You can see the full list of projects at tinyurl.com/he-working-class.