Were pirates in the 17th century anything like the Off the Shelf team’s favourite-ever pirate Captain Jack Sparrow? Adrian Tinniswood’s talk ‘Pirates of Barbary’, part of the Highlighting History Weekend in Sheffield 2 – 4 March, may shed some light. Tinniswood’s rollicking history of seaborne conflict is just one of 23 events on historical themes taking place in Sheffield at the beginning of March. There are other watery themes too: Mick Spick is a local historian and he’ll be imparting some of his knowledge to shine a light on the largely unseen world of South Yorkshire’s canals using photos and film/video footage, whilst on 11 March 1864 the Dale Dyke Dam gave way and caused the Great Sheffield Flood. The deluge was huge and caused immense loss of life (upwards of 250 people), making it the deadliest flood in British history. Local archivist and expert on the Great Sheffield Flood, Malcolm Nunn, will be delivering a talk on the subject with slides and photos.
Local history has a prominent place during Highlighting History: there are talks about the famous and infamous local people who have made their mark on the city – Sheffielders Born or Bred; an evening of ghostly tales of South Yorkshire and Sheffield; and a look at life in the Sheffield Victorian workhouse using drama, monologues and music to show what life was like inside. David Templeman looks at the final journey of Mary, Queen of Scots from Sheffield to Fotheringhay, including her dramatic trial and execution. Approaching it from another angle John Cooper talks about his book The Queen’s Agent where Walsingham, the first English spymaster, was instrumental in bringing about Mary, Queen of Scot’s death.
Ancient history is covered with Egyptian hieroglyphs for complete beginners and the Romans get a look in too with a talk about the Romans who shaped Britain from well-known names such as Boudica to some lesser known but just as influential names. Sam Moorhead – voted Archaeologist of the Year 2011 – is one of the speakers. For those who are interested in more recent times there’s plenty of modern history including talks on wartime evacuation of children and Peak District ramblers of the 1920s and 30s. For the many lovers of crime, Bob Shoemaker talks about crime as public history and how trial accounts have been used as a source for BBC1’s Garrow’s Law and Voices from the Old Bailey on Radio 4.
Personally I am really looking forward to Peter Doggett’s talk “The Man Who Sold the World” – about David Bowie and the 1970s. As a big Bowie fan (early stuff anyway) it will be fascinating to hear what cultural historian Doggett has to say about this most influential artist and those crazy days of flares and strikes which, sadly I am old enough to remember all to well. As an avid collector of 1950s ceramics and first edition books I am also interested in Jacqueline Yallop’s talk about the passion for collecting by Victorian collectors who would travel the globe in the hunt for rare objects – I only have to go on eBay!
Most events take place at the University of Sheffield Student’s Union who are sponsors of the festival. Tickets can be obtained from Sheffield Arena Ticket Shop 0114 256 5567 or on the door subject to availability. More information from www.welcometosheffield.co.uk/events
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This blog entry was written by Maria de Souza, Arts Officer, Events Team, Off the Shelf Festival of Words, Central Library, Surrey Street, Sheffield S1 1XZ