From discovering the horrors of Angel Meadow to why the ice cream cone was invented in Manchester; discussing the Histories of Homelessness to The Seven Ages of Manchester with historian Michael Wood; and from Maxine Peake presenting a talk on writing and producing dramas about ordinary individuals who do extraordinary things to the talk Who do you think you are? Reg Harris?
Manchester Histories Festival’s Celebration Day is a focus of the 10-day biennial Manchester Histories Festival (3-12 June) and brings together nearly 100 histories and heritage organisations from across Greater Manchester including; Back on Track, Greater Manchester Fire Service Museum, Gallery Oldham, Godlee Observatory, the Ramblers, the Royal National Lifeboat Institute, Royal Northern College of Music, Wood Street Mission, amongst many more.
With exhibition stands, games, heritage bus rides, craft activities, film screenings, performances and talks, there will be something for all the family, plus the day also provides a perfect opportunity to find out how you can get involved with these organisations that celebrate, preserve and explore Greater Manchester’s histories and heritage.
# Celebration Day Teasers
11am – 11.50am and 2pm – 2.50pm (BSL interpreted)
Exploding Women with LipService Theatre Company Comedy duo LipService explode the myth of women scientists, exploring the lives of five of Manchester’s finest female boffins: Kathleen Drew, Queen of seaweed, Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw, Rubix cube expert, Caroline Birley, fossil hunter, Marie Stopes, palaeobotanist and Dame Margaret Beckett, metallurgist. Goggles on and pipettes prepared for a bumper Bunsen burner of an afternoon, which will make you explode with laughter. Also introducing Ali Briggs as Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw, Manchester’s maths genius who was Deaf from aged 8.
12 noon – 12.45pm
Using Findmypast to trace your Irish Family History Findmypast has a vast amount of history records that can help you to trace your Irish ancestors from images and maps of plots your family may have leased in 1859 to records of participants in the 1798 rebellion, and the Medical Directory of Ireland 1858 to Farrar’s Index to Irish Marriages 1771 – 1812. Brian Donovan, Head of Irish Collections at Findmypast, will help you to understand how their records can help you to trace your own Irish ancestors.
12 noon – 1.30pm
Manchester’s Italian Ice Cream Families Did you know the ice cream cone was invented in Manchester? Join Tony Rea, from one of Manchester’s original ice cream families, and award winning independent filmmaker Karen Gabay for this talk and short film about Manchester’s Italian ice cream families. Tony will be bringing memorabilia including one of the original Manchester ice cream carts and the audience will even get chance to sample some real Italian ice cream.
1pm – 1.45pm
Detective Jerome Caminada: More Cases from Manchester’s Sherlock Holmes Join crime writer Angela Buckley to discuss her latest novel. Born to immigrant parents in the slums of 19th century Manchester, Jerome Caminada overcame the odds to become one of the city’s finest detectives. A master of disguise and an expert in deduction, Detective Caminada pursued notorious criminals through the seedy streets of Manchester’s underworld. Through his groundbreaking detective work, he confronted his own Professor Moriarty and solved the famous ‘Manchester Cab Mystery’.
2pm – 2.50pm
Ordinary Individuals Doing Extraordinary Things: a talk with Maxine Peake Have you ever wanted to produce a drama about the life of a real person from your local area…that unsung heroine or hero whose story has become a hidden history? Actress, writer and Manchester Histories’ Patron Maxine Peake will talk about how she has written and produced dramas about ordinary individuals who do extraordinary things, in her radio plays Beryl: A Love Story on Two Wheels about cyclist Beryl Burton and Queens of the Coal Age that dramatised the story of true story of four miner’s wives who attempted to say pits from closure by occupying a mine. The session will also include time for a Q&A session where you can ask Maxine about tips or advice in writing your own productions based on the lives of local people.
3.30pm – 4.45pm
Histories of Homelessness Homelessness is becoming a growing issue in Manchester and the surrounding boroughs, and this panel aims to explore if anything is “any better than it used to be?” and what do we want to our future histories for homeless people and our society to look like, guided by the decisions we make today. This discussion and audience Q&A will include panelists – Christian Lisseman, Big Issue North; Jenny Osbourne, Manchester City Council; Actress and Manchester Histories’ Patron, Maxine Peake; Julie-Marie Strange, University of Manchester; and Arthur+Martha.
3pm – 3.45pm
Who do you think you are? Reg Harris? Join riders who trained with, and raced against Reg at the Fallowfield track (also known as the Reg Harris Stadium) as they share their memories, and bring along your own histories and anecdotes about Reg Harris and Greater Manchester cycling too.
3pm – 4pm
The Seven Ages of Manchester One of the country’s best loved historians, Michael Wood will bring the Seven Ages of Manchester alive in this illustrated talk taking you on a journey through the Roman settlement, the Anglo-Saxon burh, and the medieval textile town, the ‘fairest and quickest town in Lancashire” described by the Tudor traveller John Leland; then the mid 18th century and the birth of the Industrial Revolution, to the 19th century ‘City of the World’ and the new post Industrial Manchester of today.
11am-4pm
Heritage Bus rides Make the most of MHF 2016’s Celebration Day by taking a heritage bus ride from Albert Square, outside the Town Hall, up to the Museum of Transport: Greater Manchester and back again. Leaving on the hour from 10am until 4pm, with the last bus leaving the Museum to come back into town at 4.30pm.
More information and booking links at manchesterhistories.co.uk
The full Manchester Histories Festival programme can be found at manchesterhistories.co.uk.
