History

Barbados and Stroud and Stroud and Barbados

At the solstice, on the longest day of the year, I traced long lines across the Atlantic archipelago From Stroud to Africa, from Africa to Barbados, And from Barbados to Stroud railway station.   I visited Risée Chaderton-Charles’ exhibition: Caribbean Atlantean at Stroud Valley Arts, A multi-layered fusion of art and archive A ‘visual voyage’ to commemorate Those kidnapped Africans who chose death in the carmine deep Rather than enslavement in the plantations. I exchanged emails and ideas with Risée, Before discussing with Jo Leahy at SVA How we could artistically collaborate On presenting the history of our railways. And when I got home, I dug out my notebooks: The 1835 Prospectus for the Cheltenham & Great Western Union Railway: ‘Cheltenham and its Vicinity, embracing not only a large resident population, but also a constantly varying population of Visitors, to a great extent.’   Cheltenham and its spa attractions: Home to so many enslavers and visited by so many too; The records show how many were ‘compensated’ in 1834 – But those records do not always tell the whole story: Charles F. Sage became chairman of the Cheltenham & Great Western Union Railway, A member of the plantocracy, he briefly owned Bennett’s estate in Barbados, Married Frances Gibbes and they had three children there, Before selling the estate four years before abolition; Apart from the railway, he also became a partner in the Great Western Cotton Company; He didn’t die anonymously pursued by sharks in the wake, But lived to a ripe old age and left a fortune. Reimagining how...

Overton’s Window

Overton’s Window Trade Unions and Chartism and Trade Unions and a People’s Assembly The concept of Overton’s Window Connotes some sort of casement on fashion: A window of acceptability And unquestioned validity: A sort of Zeitgeist vista on the Zeitgeist. And so,...

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A People’s History Chapter 5

A MISCELLANY OF HISTORY A TEXTUAL WEAVING OF A CABINET OF CURIOSITIES A TEXTUAL SAMPLER Chapter Five Now to the subject of emigration: I recall meeting a woman in the churchyard at Randwick who had just completed her tending of a grave one early snowdrop day in...

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DIY Christmas Truce

DIY Christmas Truce  Christmas tree(s) or something similar go up on the German line. “Do you like our tree(s), Tommy?” “Merry Christmas, Tommy.” “Peace today, Tommy. No shooting today. Nor tomorrow, Tommy.” “We sing you a carol, Tommy. And then you sing one back. And...

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A People’s History Chapter 4

A MISCELLLANY OF HISTORY A TEXTUAL WEAVING OF A CABINET OF CURIOSITIES A TEXTUAL SAMPLER Chapter Four  A few short years after our walk along Stroud’s High Street in the previous chapter, William Cobbett made his way through Stroudwater, as recorded in Rural Rides:...

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The Heavens in the Snow

Walking into the Past On a winter’s day with friends; The Heavens, where Bisley sat In the cleavage of the hills. Sunlight and clean bright water Pooled together to concentrate life, To bring people, sheep, grass and stone; Final gifting, leats, to complete this...

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The Heavens 2024 and beyond

Emma Kernahan: ‘A packed @stroudtrinityrooms on a wet and windy Sunday night to discuss the future of the Heavens Valley. The agreement to sell to the community is there but @friendsoftheheavens are in a race against time to raise the funds. £850k is the goal. £300k...

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