If you’re kicking your heels during lockdown, we’ve got something to lift your spirits and help you happily while away the hours.
A long-running Isle of Wight project that’s been gathering the memories of Islanders who have worked the land and the seas is ready to share all of their gems.
Through two new Websites – Farming Memories and Memories of the Sea – you’ll be able to listen to dozens of interviews, learn about those who took part and gaze through the over 800 photos of years gone by.
600+ audio snippets to listen to
Helpfully the interviews have also been divided into over 600 bite-sized chunks of 1-2 mins, so you can easily drop into a wide range of themes, be that the old Newport Market or the Island’s glorious boat building history, listen to memories of them, as well as look through the fabulous photos.
Funded as part of the five year-long Down to the Coast project by the Heritage Lottery fund, Peter Fellows, who heads up the project is clearly pleased with the results,
“In the last year, what happens locally has become more important and closer to our hearts, so it’s been fascinating listening to the people recounting stories of years gone by, reflecting on the changes that have happened over their working lives.
“All of those wonderful voices and local accents, combined with the fact that most of these photos will have never been seen before as they come from the personal collection of those who took part, make this a very special project.”
Previously unseen historic photos
Lots of people and Island organisations were involved with creating this. IWC Heritage Service and Carisbrooke Castle Museum (CCM) were very generous in sharing some of their fantastic collection of historic photos, as were:
- Classic Boat Museum
- East Cowes Heritage Centre – Isle of Wight Society
- Bembridge Heritage Centre
- RNLI HQ
As well as the private collections of those interviewed.
A sister company of OnTheWight was proud to have been involved in the project, designing and building both Websites.
“The real story is the people who lived it”
Looking at the Website, the portraits of those interviewed are striking. Shot by star Island photographer, Julian Winslow, they fulfil the project’s desire to capture a moment in time and add a distinguished edge to the project. He captures why the project is important,
“It changed the way I think of history. We’re taught about kings and queens and Governments, but the real story is the people who lived it.”
It wasn’t all one way. Julian said,
“I loved meeting the people who were all such rich characters with such human stories – sometimes funny, others tragic, but all of them fascinating, even those that were just everyday life.”
Upcoming exhibition
The projects are part of the growing oral history archive that Lisa Kerley and her band of volunteers at Carisbrooke Castle Museum (CCM) has been quietly building up. When lockdown loosens, CCM have a Farming Memories project exhibition planned for later in the year.
Before then you can visit and explore the websites FarmingMemories.com and MemoriesoftheSea.uk
