Fabrica, in partnership with Strike A Light and Brighton & Hove Library Services, ran a two-year Heritage Lottery Funded project, The Boys on the Plaque, in Brighton & Hove. The project highlighted a recently uncovered WWI memorial plaque situated in the former Holy Trinity Church which houses Fabrica gallery.
Supported by a team of archivists, artists and historians, the local community came together through research, creative activities and heritage events to discover the hidden histories of the 95 soldiers commemorated on the plaque and consider the personal experiences of ordinary people during the war.
A team of volunteers received training and accessed local archives to research and collect the stories of The Boys on the Plaque through genealogy, photographs, newspaper clippings, documents, letters and photos of keepsakes, as well as family tales passed down, to help them build an understanding of what life was really like during this time.
Activities with local older and younger groups used creativity and reminiscence to further explore these experiences and create new legacies for our local history. A series of Conversation Café’s explored local knowledge, personal mementos and family history through discussion and shared discovery. Younger people connected to the personal histories of The Boys on the Plaque by attending creative graffiti workshops, considering commemoration and identity through contemporary practice.
A range of public events for all ages shared what we have found and provided opportunities for our local community to come together to remember and learn more about the First World War.
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- The original plaque – Image provided by Clare Hankinson
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- A creative workshop at a Heritage Open Day 2016 – Image provided by Clare Hankinson
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- Graffiti workshops exhibition – Image provided by Clare Hankinson
The Boys on the Plaque represent so many of the sons, brothers, fathers and uncles who fought and fell in the First World War, and this project paid tribute to these men by telling their stories and considering the wider impact on the local community.
In 2017 it is the Bi-Centennial of Holy Trinity church and is a fitting time to honour and celebrate the history of the building and its continuing presence as a place of contemplation and community in Brighton & Hove.
Find out more on our project blog here: https://boysontheplaque.wordpress.com
For further information, images and interviews, please contact Clare Hankinson, Project Manager – The Boys on the Plaque.
Fabrica, 40 Duke Street, BN1 AGH
01273 778646 / [email protected]
boysontheplaque.wordpress.com
@fabricagallery #boysontheplaque
