Working Lives of the Thames Gateway
A three year scheme to celebrate East London’s working history will soon be underway after a major lottery boost. Tower Hamlets based Eastside Community Heritage has received a £530,500 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to record and share the stories of the area’s industrial past.
Working Lives of the Thames Gateway will document the past and present lives of the people of Newham, Tower Hamlets, Barking and Dagenham, Bexley, Greenwich and Havering. Looking at the impact that transport, manufacturing, food and drink, energy and textiles industries have had over the decades, a series of workshops will be held with community groups to record their memories of days gone by.
Up to 250 interviews will be carried out to preserve local people’s stories and experiences, and the resulting reminiscences shared with as many people as possible through a touring exhibition to partner boroughs, a website and publication. The scheme will provide the first detailed look at the major industries of the area and how they continue to influence the lives of people living in the Thames Gateway as the area undergoes rapid redevelopment.
Sue Bowers, Heritage Lottery Fund Manager in London comments; ‘Parts of East London will be undergoing enormous change over the next few years because of the 2012 Olympics and Thames Gateway development initiative. This project will unveil the stories behind the industries that made the area one of Britain’s major gateways to the world.’
Judith Garfield of Eastside Community Heritage adds; ‘Working Lives will record and make accessible the "within living memory" work experience of the population and communities of the London area of the Thames Gateway. The rapidly changing nature of the Thames Gateway means many of these memories will be lost if they are not recorded and classified now.
‘The project will reconnect communities by providing a strong intergenerational element and enabling young people to share in the past experiences of their local community, creating a sense of civic pride and understanding of the historical importance of this particular region on a local, regional and national platform’.
Two full time staff will be employed for the duration of the project, with an additional four part-time officers and eight volunteers taken on to deliver the project.