We are living in extraordinary times and Bath Record Office is calling on residents of Bath & North East Somerset to help record their experiences so that they can be preserved for future generations to see.
People can record how all areas of their lives are being affected by the current situation: family, travel, work, school, exams, shopping, leisure, etc. Everyone can take part, from the youngest to the oldest.
A variety of different materials can be submitted: handwritten or electronic diaries, sketches, photographs, videos, and even songs.
Councillor Paul Crossley, cabinet member for Community Services at Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “This is a unique period in our history, and Bath Record Office has a crucial role to play in ensuring the events are documented and preserved for future generations. I hope that residents of all ages will contribute by recording their own experiences, which will be of great interest to historians, researchers, school children, students and many others in the future.”
It will soon be possible to upload digital content to the website, www.batharchives.co.uk. And once life returns to normal, people will be able to send their diaries into Bath Record Office, so that they can be preserved for future generations.
To take part, you must be a resident of, working in or studying in Bath & North East Somerset. For full guidelines please visit www.batharchives.co.uk/corona-captured.
This is so important! A record from different areas of the public, who might not think to record their experiences before the pandemic, are even more relevant and important.
It’s also vital, not only for history, for children, youngsters, new adults to be able to read them, but also that we must never allow the unfairness in society that we have allowed with the darker side of capitalism and political ideology. People can be the guardians of future generations just by writing ordinary stories during this pandemic. To be honest, no story is really ordinary, and future generations of people will be astounded by what the ‘ordinary’ people did to step up to protect themselves, their loved ones, their neighbours, the wider community, and all of those on the frontline from NHS workers, other Public Service workers such cleaners, cooks, bus and coach and train drivers, and all those in ordinary positions in local and national government who try to help us away from the distracting politics that has plagued us in one way or another.
Anything and everything will be powerful.
Alan Summers
Call of the Page