School Sessions for West Yorkshire History Centre

Since May I've been working with West Yorkshire Archives Services on sessions for their new building in Wakefield, the West Yorkshire History Centre, due to open early next year. It's been fascinating working in Archives again and I think we've got 4 really great sessions to get started with. The sessions are being piloted next week with local schools and I can't wait to find out how they go.

I was going back through work from my Hull History Centre days (for a presentation today on what to expect from working in schools in a new Archive building) and it's brought back so many memories. Looking through the comments from teachers and pupils, I realised what an impact looking at original documents had on pupils. It really is a unique experience, I hope lots of Wakefield schools take up the sessions and find out for themselves.

http://www.wyjsbig30.org.uk/west-yorkshire-archive-service/

 

M&S and Mylearning

The learning journeys I helped create for mylearning.org and M&S Company Archive on the 'Heart of the High Street' are live. There are lots of images, a timeline of the stores history and activity ideas for a Local History study on Bromley, Manchester, Exeter, Bishop Auckland,Barrow-in-Furness and Glasgow.

 Check them out at http://www.mylearning.org/the-mands-company-archive/heart-of-the-high-street/

Amazing to see how much the stores grew in such a short time, thanks in no small part to amazing team spirit it seems. Favourite story from the archives was the elderly man who returned a sixpence to a store assistant years after he stole some marbles as a teenager. Don't think it could've happened in any other shop.

West Yorkshire Archive Service

I'm delighted to be starting work with the West Yorkshire Archive Service on their new schools programme, watch this space for more details...

With 1 learning journey already live (Sheffield City Archives and the Autugraph Book) and 3 more on the way, work is progressing well with the Yorkshire Archive Learning Network Mylearning project. Its been great to get back in the searchroom and there is some fascinating archival material out there in Yorkshire about WW1 in Yorkshire. Look out for resources coming up from North Yorkshire County Record Office and the M&S Archive. Already there have been some great submissions from other Archives across Yorkshire. 

With help from Archive staff we've found some great suggestions for creatively interpreting archival collections and working towards the Arts Award. Take a look...

www.mylearning.org