Renowned professor and historian, David Olusoga will be heading to Frome’s Cheese & Grain on 12 January 2024 to speak on ‘the state of the British Union and why black history matters’….
History is now front-page news, and is contested as never before. Statues have fallen and the reputations of great men have been called into question. In the upcoming talk David Olusoga will examine why history matters, delve into the causes of the ‘history wars’ and question where they might lead us.
David Olusoga is an historian, writer and broadcaster. He is the author of ‘Black and British: A Forgotten History’, which was long-listed for the Orwell Prize, shortlisted for the inaugural Jhalak Prize and won the PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize. As Professor of Public History at the University of Manchester, he is an expert at examining what history reveals about contemporary society and has regularly contributed to the Observer, The Voice, and BBC History Magazine. A BAFTA-winning filmmaker, he is also a contributor to the Oxford Companion to Black British History. In 2019 was awarded an OBE for services to history and community integration.
He is known for presenting the BBC show ‘A House Through Time’ and has recently launched a new BBC series ‘Union’ which explores national identity, social class and inequality. Shining a light on our fractured modern society through the lens of the past, the series exposes the fault lines that still divide the UK.
Fans can catch David speaking at Frome’s Cheese and Grain this January, and he will also be signing books at the event. Full details below and tickets available now HERE.
A quick one from me today, offering our congratulations to our new writer, Helen Edwards from Devizes, who read out her poem “Motherhood,” on BBC Wiltshire this week on James Thomas’s Upload show. “It was fun,” she told us, “except my phone started ringing!”
Listen here from the BBC website, or Soundcloud link, here. I love writing, but poems, hum, something about bacon, not to mention I’m an absolute bag of nerves on radio! The article on the Bournemouth Writing Festival Helen mentioned is here too, and this one worked both ways, also inspiring Helen to write. Well done you, and we look forward to hearing some more soon!
Yeah I know, right, it’s come up on us rather unexpectedly, this Festival of Discovery thing, hasn’t it?! What’s it’s all about then, I hear you ask. With DOCA busy with the hugely successful Confetti Battle and Colour Rush, they’ve not had time to update their website yet, so here’s what we know so far,…
There’s musical acts which play united on equal pegging, and then there’s those which follow the lead of a virtuoso. Be it guitar, like Hendrix, the poetry of Dylan, or trumpet like Miles Davis, any specific field of expertise, but none are so emotively poignant as the human voice…. It would be unfair on anyone…
Tomorrow, Friday 2nd October, sees a new single from Chippenham indie folk singer-songwriter Meg Hoy, or M3G, and it’s called My River….. If you deem songwriters using rivers as metaphors as a bit cliché these days, from Springsteen’s safety net for the burdens of youthful relationships, or Joni Mitchell’s desperate escapism, to Billy Joel’s spiritual…
Chedworth, Gloucestershire; proud village soloist, songwriter and model Flora Fiora is kicking the tyres and smashing windows in with a new single, and it’s about as explosive as female rage sounds….. With Olivia Rodrigo fashioned dynamic and unfiltered sound of Gen Z vulnerability, hints of Florence & The Machine’s baroque indie-pop, and the radical emotional…
The Wharf Theatre in Devizes is thrilled to announce a major new chapter in its artistic programme: the theatre has officially become a registered screening centre for National Theatre Live, bringing world‑class theatre from the West End directly to Wiltshire….. From November 2026, audiences will be able to enjoy up to 12 NT Live productions…
Young, talented, I tick neither box, but I am delighted to tell you Devizine has assembled the very best of emerging musical talent from across Wiltshire, and we’re showcasing them at Albion Place on Sidmouth Street, Devizes, for DOCA’s Festival of Discovery on the 17th&18th of October. From 11:30am until 5:30pm we will squeeze in…
Second single of 2026 from local legend George Wilding, Loser to Loser is a grower which carries a delightful punch…if any type of punch could be deemed delightful, this is probably it! There’s something breezily contented indie-pop about George’s recent releases with more commercial viability, rather than the often whimsically lost or dejected characters of…
A ladies-only club, four gloriously eccentric rooms and a barista in a bowler hat: The Dressing House is anything but ordinary. Devizine contributor Charlotte Howard bought a ticket to its second soft launch to find out what was going on behind the doors….. I’d been dying to know what was happening at 40 Market Place…
Yummy, yummy, yummy, I got love in my tummy! Another great year for Devizes Food & Drink Festival ended on Sunday with the World Food Day at the Corn Exchange. A hugely popular free event which annually sees queues heading out of the Market Place of hungry Devizions prepared to sample small dishes of a…
Witnessed amazing fireworks for Confetti Battle in Devizes, and I hopped eastwards to that sacred hippy haven in the Pewsey Vale, The Barge at HoneyStreet; what better place for equinox? For while there’s always a hedonistic happening here, this particular autumn occasion was unmissable; 3 Daft Monkeys were heading from Cornwall for their final night…
Writer, poet, TV & Film producer, founder of the Manchester Poetry Festival (now the Literature festival) and co-founder of the Nottingham Poetry Festival, Henry Normal brings his new tour, Collected Poems and Other Landfill, to The Assembly Rooms in Devizes on Friday 3rd November.….
In June 2017 he was honoured with a special BAFTA for services to Television, credits roll like the ultimate résumé. He co-wrote and script edited the multi-award-winning Mrs Merton show and the spin off series Mrs Merton and Malcolm. He also co-created and co-wrote the first series of The Royle Family. With Steve Coogan he co-wrote the BAFTA winning Paul and Pauline Calf Video Diaries, Coogan’s Run, Tony Ferrino, Doctor Terrible and all three of Steve’s live tours and the film The Parole Officer.
Setting up Baby Cow Productions Ltd in 1990, Henry executive produced all and script edited many of the shows of its 17-and-a-half-year output during his tenure as MD. Highlights of the Baby Cow output during his time include the Oscar nominated film Philomena, I believe in Miracles, Gavin and Stacey, Moone Boy, Uncle, Marion and Geof, Nighty Night, The Mighty Boosh, Red Dwarf, Hunderby, Camping and Alan Partridge.
Since retiring in April 2016, Henry has written and performed eight BBC Radio 4 shows combining comedy, poetry, and stories about family. His tenth show A Normal Home will be recorded on the 18th November 2022 for transmission on the 20th December.
In April 2018, Two Roads publishers released his book of memoirs ‘A Normal Family’ which was written with his wife Angela Pell, drawing on his family experience. It immediately became a best seller on Amazon and has already been reprinted.
Henry performs poetry at Literature Festivals around the UK and has eleven poetry books available from Flapjack Press including the latest entitled Collected Poems Vol.2.
He was recently given an honorary doctorate of letters by Nottingham Trent University, another by Nottingham University and has a beer and a bus named after him in Nottingham!
Support for Henry Normal’s show comes from very special guest British actor, comedian, musician, novelist, and playwright Nigel Planer, perhaps best known for his role as Neil in the BBC comedy The Young Ones and Ralph Filthy in Filthy Rich & Catflap. He has appeared in many West End musicals, including original casts of Evita, Chicago, We Will Rock You, Wicked, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Doors at 7.30pm, on Friday 3rd November. Tickets (£17.50 + booking fee) are available now HERE.
As you’re probably aware, because there’s been lots of people kicking up a scene, Wiltshire Council’s recycling centre booking system being trialled at Devizes, Lower…
Immediately after the weekend which saw press photographers ejected, so they could savagely beat women at the Birmingham Reform conference, as if someone threw a…
Tributes to Chippenham’s community activist, poet, actor, and event compere Brian Reid poured onto social media today, as the sad news of his passing spreads……
I’ve found myself sympathising about post-punk recently, how they scrambled around in the dark somewhat, taking pot shots at reggae, claiming a “new wave,” or…
Singers and players of instruments of The Southwest assembled for an album celebrating the ninetieth anniversary since Emperor Haile Selassie I was exiled to England,…
by Ian Diddams images by Wharf Theatre An artist expresses their personal thoughts. The rich and powerful use their positions to shut that expression down…
Our trustworthy Gazelle & Herod reported today that “disgraceful” behaviour in Devizes Market Place has elevated into a dental issue…. Publishing an article which states…
