VINTAGE FOOTAGE WANTED! by Nottinghamshire YMCA

Nottinghamshire YMCA has launched ‘A Century of Youth’ – a new film project exploring the lives of young people in the East Midlands over the past 100 years.

Combining archive footage and new interviews, it will be led by 16 young people who need your help!

Anyone with footage which could help tell this exciting story is asked to get in touch with the project team. If you have old cans of film, VHS tapes or photographs that offer an insight into growing up in the East Midlands at any point over the last century, they want to hear from you.

Nottinghamshire YMCA is working with the Media Archive of Central England to safely view and transfer relevant archive footage into digital formats, so your footage is in safe hands. Footage can either be returned to you or can be placed into safe storage and preserved for future generations to enjoy.

The young people from across the East Midlands will be led by professional film makers, who will guide them through the process of planning, filming, editing, marketing and distributing their film creations.

Over 100 people of all ages and backgrounds will share their memories and experiences of their youth for the film, which will be screened in several cinemas across the region.

If you have a hidden treasure, please call Rebecca Lawson or Thomas Hall at Nottinghamshire YMCA’s Film and Video Department on 0115 855 3365 or email film@nottsymca.org

This project has been enabled by EM Media and the UK Film Council’s Digital Film Archive Fund supported by the National Lottery.

Comments from Rebecca Lawson, Film Production Manager:

“We’re really hoping to uncover some hidden film gems, and are looking forward to seeing what people have stored away in the attic.”

“Old films and even VHS tapes are at risk of being lost forever unless they are stored correctly and copies are made. I would really urge people to dig out any footage that might be of interest and give us a call so that we can preserve this precious footage for future generations

War Memorial Desecration

I heard on Hallam FM this morning that one of the plaques of Denaby Main's war memorial has been stolen. The plaque which covered one side of the memorial has been taken leaving a unsightly gap that will probably take thousands of pounds to replace. With Remembrance Day being only days away it would be impossible to fix in time. I'm guessing the local inhabitants are outraged by this mindless desecration and hopefully these ignorant people who have taken it will return it to the community.

So not only are our churches being ripped apart by these money grabbing scum but now our countries brave heroes who died for our freedom are no longer respected. I'm not sure which names have gone but a complete list of the names on the memorial is available at http://joseflocke.co.uk/heritage/memorial.htm

If you have any information relating to this burglary please phone the local Safer Neighbourhood Team on 01302 385178 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
http://www.hallamfm.co.uk/Article.asp?id=2006936&spid=25619

Flags, Robbers and Murder!!!

Flags
Nottinghamshire is going to get its own official county flag it was reported by the BBC today, three designs will be put forward for the public's approval at the end of the year by the council.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/nottingham/hi/people_and_places/newsid_9147000/9147052.stm

Robbers
The council have also been slated by not publicising Robin Hood enough it emerged on the "This is Nottingham" website. Why this has been brought up is not clear especially after Robin Hood week which marked the release of the film. (To be honest,and this is my own personal opinion and nothing to do with the group but the council wastes way too much time on this fictional character and not enough on its real history)

Murder
A new book called ' Murders In and Around Derbyshire' by Scott Lomax has been released by True Crime (ISBN). The book contains 13 unsolved murders during the 20th century ranging from 1908 to 1982. This fascinating book for all mystery and history fans also carries the story of Samuel Fell-Wilson who was gunned down near Church Warsop in 1930. Further details are available at: http://sclomax.co.uk/unsolvedmurders.htm

Conisbrough Castle gets Lottery funding

Conisbrough Castle has just received £60,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to improve the facilities for this important South Yorkshire attraction it was reported by the BBC yesterday.

Doncaster Council and English Heritage (who manage the site) will be looking for a further £1 million grant in the next year and a half.

Further details on the castle can be found on their website:  http://www.conisbroughcastle.org.uk/ or via the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-11658657

Battle of Worksop 16 December 1460-Now on Wikipedia

I'm still trying to hack into the history of the Battle of Worksop and have now added a Wikipedia page.  This is how it's going at present: 

'''Battle of Worksop''' is a skirmish during the [[Wars of the Roses]], near the town of [[Worksop]], [[Nottinghamshire]] on December 16th 1460 which became the precursor to the [[Battle of Wakefield]] on 30th December 1460.

There is very scant evidence of what happened during this event and the only contempory account comes from [[William of Worcester]] in his book [[Annales rerum Anglicarum]] where he states “The Duke of York, with the Earl of Salisbury and many thousand armed men, were going from London to York, in December 1460, when a portion of his men, the van, as is supposed, or perhaps the scouts… were cut off by the people of the Duke of Somerset, Edmund Beaufort at Worksop” (2). Is is worthy to note that Edmund at this time was not the Duke of Somerset, this position being held by his elder brother [[Henry Beaufort]] (1436-1464) who was one of the principal commanders at the [[Battle of Wakefield]] (5).

It is not known why Richard of York's men decided to come to the Lancastrian stronghold of Worksop. It could have been to get food for the Yorkist army marching north, to check on the forces situated around the town or retribution towards [[Worksop Manor]] where the 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury/3rd Earl of Waterford (Ireland), [[John Talbot]] (born c.1413) and his younger brother Christopher Talbot had been killed at the [[Battle of Northampton]] on 10 July 1460. Revenge was certainly in order as John had been given Richard's land in Wakefield in 1459(4).  Also Richard had a personal vendetta against the Earl's of Somerset, possibly due to Edmund's father [[Edmund Beaufort]]'s disastrous campaigns which ended the [[Hundred Years War]]. 

There is no physical evidence of the battle except perhaps a section of skull in [[Worksop Priory]] with a bodkin arrowhead lodged firmly in it.  This is visible to members of the public and located in the north aisle of the church towards the west end.


== References ==
(1) The Battle of Wakefield Revisited: A Fresh Perspective on Richard of York's Final Battle, December 1460  by Helen R. Cox
(2)Annales rerum Anglicarum by William of Worcester
(3) Battle of Worksop-A Personal Interpretation by David Cook. Priories Historical Society January 2010 Newsletter
(4) luminarium.org/encyclopedia/johntalbot2.htm
(5) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Beaufort,_3rd_Duke_of_Somerset

Priories Historical Society talks 2011 (Part 2)

11^th April 2011

 DEATH & DYING. The resurrection Men - Talk by Joan Grundy

Have you recently seen the film Burke & Hare? This is the true story of the grisly trade of body snatching, once a huge problem for churches and mortuaries to deal with.

9^th May 2011

LIFE OF A NATIVE AMERICAN - Talk by Roger Boshauer.

Another amazing insight by this real life descendant of the native American Pocahontas.

Come and find out the REAL history of the Native Americans!

20^th June 2011

ANGLO SAXONS & THEIR DRESS – Talk by Sam Glasswell

The history of the Anglo-Saxon period in England, their lives, dress and decoration.  Sam is the Head Curator of the Bassetlaw Museum at Retford. www.bassetlawmuseum.org.uk/

 

18^th July 2011

THE FURNIVAL FAMILY. A MEDIEVAL DYNASTY IN YORKSHIRE & NOTTINGHAMSHIRE – Talk by Ron Clayton

One of the local important families of Norman descent, many of whom are buried in the priory at Worksop. They were Lords of the Manor at Worksop and Hallamshire for many decades. A return of this excellent speaker. 

12^th September 2011 - TBA

10^th October 2011

LIVING IN HOPE – Talk by Sue Allen

This talk coincides with the launch of the new book by this internationally known author and expert. The lives of three women including the wife of a Napoleonic Soldier are brought back to life in this amazing talk.

7^th November 2011

MONTHLY MENU OF MIRTH - Talk by Margaret Harrison.

Margaret is a very popular and well known speaker. This talk takes a look at the calender months with their history, myths and legends.

When did you last see a church dedicated to St. Valentine?

19^th December 2011

CHRISTMAS SOCIAL

Come on by relax and talk about whatever you want to.  Make sure to bring some cake!

 

Sherwood Forest Doomed?

The ancient forest of Sherwood could be doomed to logging and development it has been leaked in the press.  Despite prices for British wood being far less competitive than that of the Scandinavian countries the government has decided as part of its austerity plans that it may sell thousands of acres of Forestry Commission land.  This change will also change the protection rights of this world famous woodland habitat protected since the Magna Carta.

 

This sale could possibly destroy hundreds of important sites with untapped archaeological interest as well as destroying the ancient characteristic of the Bassetlaw area.  It would also remove vast swathes of the roughly 1,000 hectares of important natural history of the county which would be irreplaceable.  So if you’re interested in saving rainforests you may need to look closer to home and quickly to protect the few remaining areas of large woodland in the UK.

 

DEFRA have so far refused to comment but it is likely to in the next few days.