Heritage from Home - Issue 1

Heritage from Home

About the Project Hello and Welcome to our first Heritage at Home newsletter!

This has been inspired by a project our company has been working on for the last six months. Things to do in a Blackout was and is a project about the rise in crime during World War II and has been funded by Heritage Lottery Fund. The project looked at the things people do in extraordinary situations - both good and bad.

There was going to be a performance at the National Archives on the 8th May, the evening of VE day. However, of course, Coronavirus has changed the course of our everyday lives for the foreseeable future and now that won’t go ahead.

Just before lockdown, I worked with a group of teenage boys devising scenes about the lack of toilet roll in Tesco. We all saw a surprising new relevance to our project. So rather than stop completely, we All photos from the project with young people

decided to start this newsletter, as a way of celebrating the heritage elements of this project but also to find a way to creatively connect and come together digitally during this moment.

In each of our weekly newsletters we’ll be including creative challenges that we’d love you to get involved in as well as articles and research about the parallels between our present moment and World War II. We’d love you to contribute research, memories and images to enrich our material for a new performance in the Autumn. All of the work from the project will also go on exhibition at the National Archives at the end of the year. We’ll also be hosting an afternoon tea for all of our newsletter participants there and we very much hope you’ll join us so we connect in person!

With love from Louise, Holly-Anne, Henry and Sharon at Bounce Theatre.

Things to read Heritage with Henry

Researching the 1940s Hello!

My name’s Henry, and I’ve been working as a researcher on Bounce Theatre’s project ‘Things To Do In A Blackout’ since the autumn. This project was centred around the rise in crime during WWII, looking at the context, and if there were similarities between rising crime then, and rising crime in recent years. The idea behind the research was to examine to what degree rising crime, in wartime or today, is about opportunity, and to what degree it’s about necessity.

WWII has always fascinated me, and was the pinnacle of my interest in History at school. Although I’d always enjoyed History, I think WWII captured my imagination because it was comparatively recent, and I knew people, such as grandparents, who had lived through it as children.

That part of history therefore seemed less remote. I was inspired by the stoicism and bravery of people at the time, whether soldiers, those on the home front, women workers who filled gaps in the labour market, and children who adapted to upheaval and changes in quality of life - often for the better, but with many smaller luxuries they may have taken for granted gone. I remember my Grandpa once showing me how much butter he was allowed under rationing (a typical butter

ration was only 2 oz, or 57g), and given how much we both liked butter on our toast, I was horrified!

It’s not difficult to see parallels between WWII and the coronavirus outbreak. The stockpiling and panicbuying that has taken place so far is clearly not a crime. But the images we’ve seen, on social media, or in the news, of the consequences - elderly people finding empty shelves when they get to their own shopping - are nothing short of criminal. Indeed, many supermarkets have introduced rationing of goods, albeit nothing as extreme as the war, to combat this.

Due to coronavirus, much of the work done on the project is being adapted, so each week I will share some of my research and knowledge with you of different crimes that took place in WWII. One of the things that has particularly interested me about that time is how new legislation made criminals of ordinary folk, ignorant of the new laws, or people were charged for reasons that, in normal times, may seem excessive.

In 1942, one Cecil Hughes was

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charged with ‘making a statement likely to cause alarm’, when, while reading an elderly lady’s electricity meter, he joked about Nazis invading Britain - he was fined £5 (£281.74 in today’s money). Meanwhile, a farmer in Darlington was fined £1,000 (£47,426.81 today) for failing to grow two acres worth of potatoes when ordered by government. That’s an entire football pitch’s worth of potatoes!

Whilst panic-buying hasn’t been criminalised, and rationing yet to be nationally imposed, as it was in WWII, much of the problems that have emerged since the coronavirus outbreak are arguably due to public ignorance about the virus, social distancing, or rules around selfisolation. Fines are already in place for breaking the rules - a man was recently fined £60 (the standard penalty fare) for non-essential travel between London and Nottingham, and repeat offenders are expected to pay up to £960. Greater Manchester police, meanwhile, have already had to break up over 600 parties that were breaches of social distancing - parties which, in normal circumstances, would have been perfectly fine within the law.

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This serves to underline that, in times of crisis, it’s more important than ever the government clearly communicates what it wants citizens to do, and that citizens understand it.

But just as much, it’s important we as communities pull together, as many did in WWII and thereafter.

Obvious comparisons abound; people signing up to join ‘the front line’ - in WWII, it was the army, in the modern day, it’s supermarkets and delivery drivers. Just as people crowded around the wireless to listen to the Prime Minister on the BBC, so too the nation gathers in their homes to hear the Prime Minister, on radio, television and online - often, again, via the BBC. Just as Churchill formed a coalition government of national unity, rumours and discussions abound that this government may do the same. The quarantine and social distancing of many people has similarities with the Blackout in WWII - although no curfew has been imposed, our movement and freedom to travel has been severely restricted, in the way it was during the Blackout and the Blitz at night.

Like Things To Do In A Blackout, Heritage At Home will continue highlighting the multi-faceted story of crime in WWII, shining a light on this oft-neglected side of history. But we also hope, when the crisis is over, and further comparisons between the war and modern day are made, that there are similar stories of coming together in community spirit, friendship, and solidarity.

Memory lane

Letters, memories and photos from our participants As part of Things to do in a Blackout, a number of people kindly shared their memories. Here’s an excerpt of an interview with a lady called Ursula.

How old were you, Ursula, at the start of World War II? I was two years old.

And, you lived with your mum and dad?

Yes, and my sister in New Malden.

What about a toilet, if you needed a wee?

Well, you had to either go back into the house or we had quite a big garden so you just squatted outside! [laughter] I can remember that!

What were their occupations?

My father was a police officer, and my mother was a stay-at-home mum.

So your dad had a big part to play in the whole war?

We just knew Daddy went to work.

We used to see him go off every morning. I would stand at the window and wave him off, because he always turned and waved to me because he went on his bicycle.

Did you ever witness a bombing?

Only later on when it was the flying bombs. We called them the Doodlebugs.

Do you have any memories of the war?

I don’t ever remember being really frightened. My father built an air raid shelter in the garden. I can remember having to go out from the house in the dark to get into the air raid shelter, even when it was raining.

What do you remember about the air raid shelter?

Dad built us…my sister and I…a little bunk bed and mum and dad had mattresses on the floor. I remember, when it rained, they had stacks of newspaper to push up into the roof of the air raid shelter.

It was covered with soil of course so rain penetrated through the soil and that was one thing, trying to keep us dry.

And what happened there?

We were in the garden. It was a very bright, sunny day and we had a little girl friend over. My mum was in the kitchen, the dog was in the garden, my dad was mending his tyre on his bicycle. We saw it coming towards us, the buzz bombs, as we called it, and then it cut out. When it cut out you were never sure when it was going to drop, because it could keep going with the momentum. We saw this one coming right for us, my father said, “no time to get to the shelter,” which was round the other side of

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Memory lane the garden, which was quite a big garden as I said, and so we all ran… and got into the house, and the safest place in the house was under the stairs.

Goodness me.

So we all squeezed in under the stairs but our poor dog didn’t make it. Suddenly we heard a, “whoosh,” and a, “bang,” and then there was silence. Dad let us out. All the glass had blown in in the house.

The tiles had come off the roof, a lot of the ceilings were down. My poor dog was blown through the house and was in the front garden, because the doors on the house had been blown off. She was only stunned and she came round. My mum was really upset because the oven door had been blown off and her rice pudding was upside down on the floor and at the time it was rationing, so all food was very precious. And then we went out into the garden, and the house on the other side of the road, sort of, in front of us was no longer there.

Just dust.

Each week we will be sharing memories from our participants.

If you would like to be interviewed for the project please email louise@ bouncetheatre.com

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Things to write Creative writing with Sharon

The History of Your Name There’s a lot that our names can tell others about who we are. Let’s celebrate that as it’s part of our identity and our heritage. Jot down the answers to these questions on here, or grab a bit of paper.

Write your first name here:

Do Do

ow

it h

kn

es

u

yo

ea av

hy

w u

me

yo

ing

an

e

yo

er w

uh

it?

ny n

d

lle

av ea

?

ca

Do

ick

na

m

es

?

Doe s cult your n u con ral me ame ha not atio anings ve any ns? w or c ultu ider ral

Are th er the sa e any famo u me fir st nam s people wi th e as yo u?

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Celebrate your name!

Things to do with your name • Draw around your hands and fill the template with all the answers.

Give this to someone that you love, because they will cherish it.

• Write a letter to someone you love, tell them where you name came from, maybe also their own name.

ur yo t’s ha W

Do

yo

uh

av ea

su

mi

rn

dd

am

le

e?

na

me

?

• Research your surname further.

e

h et

er h w ? w o from n k u me o y ca o D me na

ou

if y e ng

a ch e m na d? r u yo arrie d i D re m we

le r examp t o f , g n i n a e a mea resent a job th v a h t i p Did ames re r a place that n r u s e do som stors di e c n a r you from? e m a c they

Things to write Poetry Writing Our second task this week is to make a list poem! A list poem is a simple way of recording all the elements that make up our personalities.

So, to make up your list poem, answer the questions below. There’s no right or wrong answer. Write as little or as much as you like. Don’t worry about making it rhyme or using poetic language, just see what comes out.

Jot down your ideas on here or you just need to find some paper.

Describe

How to start the lines

what you look like the town you grew up in where you live now an important person in your life your favourite food and when you like to eat it your favourite song and when you like to hear it an unusual place you have been to a memory from a holiday that you lived your favourite hobby a bad habit that you have three good things about you something that lots of people don’t know about you your religious belief something you are afraid of something you are grateful for something you are hopeful for

“I am ....

“I am from...

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“I am “I am “I am “I have been “I have been “I am “I am “I am “I am “I am

Things to make Art with Holly-Anne

A collage of YOU Create a collage using unwanted magazines, books, junk mail and any printed materials you have laying around the house. Cut out images that relate to your life, think about a mood board of YOU all the things that make up you.

Things to consider – Are you a brother, sister, wife, daughter, table tennis player, retired teacher, Eastenders viewer - etc.?

Check out Holly-Anne’s collage -

Take a blank piece of paper and lay out your images while you collect them and cut them out.

Make a pleasing design and stick it down with a gluestick when you are happy with it.

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Things to make

Gratitude Collage A gratitude collage is a great way to focus on things for which one is grateful. Gratitude, the feeling of appreciation or thanks is an excellent way to keep upbeat during the pandemic.

Take your materials and flick through the pages finding images of things you are grateful for. Cut them out and make a pleasing layout on a black piece of paper.

Glue them down when you are happy and keep you collage somewhere where you’ll see it to brighten your day.

Ask yourself: - What are the things you are grateful for in life?

- What do you love?

Make a gratitude collage and add to it every day.

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TOP TIPS

Our top tips for feeling connected and creative We are experiencing a lifechanging and challenging moment in human history. We’ve come up with some top tips that been useful for us in this time so far and that might be helpful for you too.

We’d also love to hear from you, what are your top tips for making the most of this difficult time?

For our older readers, what have you done in the past to get you through difficult situations? Tell us what’s been working for you and drop us a line on louise@ bouncetheatre.com

Top Tips • Try to have a routine and make a plan for the day. Waking up and going to bed at the same time each day can give you a sense of structure. Planning activities and goals, no matter how small or big they are, can help to give you a sense of achievement.

• Connect with family and friends. Have a chat over the phone or a video call on skype, zoom or whatsapp. Organise a phone rota with a group of friends and schedule in calls in advance.

• Get moving your body- and your brain! If you can’t get out then you can still do exercises from your armchair or online workouts from gentle yoga to PE with Joe Wicks!

If you’re able to leave the house then go for a socially distanced stroll or a bike ride. Schedule in a time for your exercise every day.

Keep your brain occupied with a crossword, book or a puzzle.

• Be selective with your news and social media intake. It’s good to keep updated but reading the news too much can leave you feeling overwhelmed so try and find a happy medium.

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TOP TIPS • Get some fresh air. The weather has been lovely so get those windows open and the air a flowing! If you can leave the house then try and do so every day for at least 30 minutes.

• Enjoy some music, whether it’s a favourite album or radio show. Mix up your music choice, sometimes it can be refreshing to listen to something out of the ordinary.

• Think of a project you’d like to work on during this time to give you a bigger point of focus.

It might be writing your life story, reading that book you’ve meaning to read for the last year, learning to cook a good curry, doing a good clear out or writing physical letters to friends. Is there something you’ve always wanted to learn about? Now’s the time to do it!

• Get creative, whether it’s through cooking, drawing, journalling or writing. Make yourself a special book to write or draw in.

• Do something nice for someone else. Maybe it’s through a phone call to a friend or volunteering for a charity, sometimes helping others can make us feel happy too.

• Focus on the positives and the present. Think about what’s going right and what you’re grateful for.

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