In 2013 I moved from the London borough of Hackney to the London Borough of Waltham Forest. I may have only moved seven short miles but after six happy years in one of the most vibrant boroughs in Britain it was a massive wrench. Whilst living in Hackney I had some of the most creatively fulfilling years of my life as I built strong working relationships with organisations including The Hackney Museum. Hackney Museum, based in Hackney Central Library is an amazing community resource staffed by knowledgeable and creative people with a passion for sharing local history. I may be biased but I think its one of the best museums in the country.
Working in heritage environments is something I really enjoy. My earliest solo storytelling pieces were based around British history (including a Victorian Classroom session for The Bruce Castle Museum) and this summer I will be helping to lead a creative exploration of the Guilden Morden fire.
Anyway, as I sat watching Lizzy Yarnold, Jade Etherington and Team GB at the Sochi Winter and Paralympic Games I couldn’t help but think back to my time working with Hackney Museum. It was in the build up to Summer Olympic and Paralympics (London 2012) that I collaborated with Hackney Museum on Mammoths to Medals,a presentation which sought to tell the incredible story of Hackney’s history as part of the Museum’s Mapping the Change project. In just 30 minutes we explored 200,000 years of Hackney’s history highlighting the contributions of those people who have called Hackney their home; Anglo Saxon Farmers, Tudor Society, Victorian Industrialists and migrants from across the globe.
In the life of the project I have presented the piece on many occasions at Hackney Museum and in Hackney Primary Schools. Incorporating games and learning activities into a chronological narrative the piece offer facts about Hackney and but also it questions how we will be remembered.
A lot has changed in the two years since we made the piece was documented at Kingsmead Primary School. Hackney’s demographic and landscape have been slowly morphing for 200,000 years but concerns about how communities will withstand the gentrification of East London mean our legacy is once again scrutinised.
When we look at Hackney’s story it shows us that change doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It points to how different traditions, cultures and values have shaped an area into a place people want to live and work. I am incredibly proud of being a part of Hackney’s history and of this piece. I hope that through watching Mammoths to Medals young people recognise how they can shape their community.
Thankfully I haven’t lost touch with Hackney Museum and hope to be back to run sessions as the country prepares to commemorate The Great War. For the moment though I am very settled in Waltham Forest and I’m looking forward to the future.