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!
It’s a question I’ve asked Chippenham singer-songwriter Harmony Asia on each rare occasion I catch her for a chat; if she’s planning to capture a slice of her wonderful performances on record. I guess I will have to find a new request now, but judging by her debut single released today, I Could Do This,…
It’s a Friday, just polishing off a big boy breakfast at New Society. Got the window seat; I ponder how beautiful Devizes Market Place looks from up here, and how we often take it for granted. There’s Ben Reed, Wiltshire Councillor for Devizes North, waving at me from below; he’s coming up for carrot cake,…
David slew Goliath with a sling and a stone. Bishop’s Cannings Parish Council used evidence, against a group of Devizes Town councillors’ more circumstantial land grab pitch, at Wiltshire Council’s Community Governance Review, and just like David, triumphantly….. More war of words than any military action, though the latter would’ve made a better scoop for…
The first time I heard the name Bluebeard and the Desperate Hours, I presumed their sound might be folk or blues inspired. Judging a book by its cover, because while this Wiltshire collective’s debut single How it Feels might pertain such elements, I was pleasantly surprised to find it also jumping with feelgood soul…. Taken…
by Ian Diddams images by Richard Fletcher How many Brontë sisters can you name? Which books did the sisters write between them? Can you name them? Did you get that there were three sisters? That wrote seven books? You may have thought of “Jane Eyre” and “Wuthering Heights”, but what about “Agnes Grey”? Or “The…
To clear up any confusion, Trowbridge’s old town hall is no longer the town hall, but The Old Town Hall. I have no idea, nor care to know if there’s a new town hall; that’s irrelevant. Whilst still owned by the council, it was refurbished and reopened as a charity funded arts centre and cultural…
Retrieved footage from a stolen drone of the Wiltshire Hunt Saboteurs reveals the Beaufont Hunt making a fox kill earlier this month, and it’s undeniable evidence of their despicable crimes against our wildlife…. The Wiltshire Hunt Saboteurs have exposed The Beaufort Hunt numerous times, recording a kill on the Fosse Way in November 2025, on…
It was back in October when we revealed CrownFest at The Crown in Bishop’s Cannings was returning this summer, and January when we last mentioned it, because the organisers Stone Circle announced that its proceeds will be donated to Wiltshire Hope & Harmony’s Dementia Choir. I like to tease you during those cold winter months,…
The difference between punk and goth is that as a punk you reject society, as a goth society rejects you. Being society lives mostly online today, that’s probably why my spam filter assumes proposals from exiled middle eastern princes to deposit bitcoin into my bank, and machines to extend one’s manhood are of interest to…
You’re young, stars in your eyes, and you live in Swindon; you are not alone, but you are, unfortunately, up against Kate X! Kate is independently producing contemporary pop RnB of international quality, and she’s riding it. Kate X should, and I hope and strongly predict she will be, a global success story….. James Threlfall…
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.
Just who is Theodore Thump? A wise pet rabbit? The mysterious sixth Beach Boy? This album newly released from Shedric, Swindon soloist and groovist of…
Buzzwords, like “turbo,” or “sonic” are cliche, overused trends which gain popularity because they sound impressive, even if they are empty of meaning. I avoid…
It’s always nice to hear when an inaugural local event is successful, especially one as unique and original as Marlborough School of Languages’ annual Fiesta.…
Right here, right now in Devizes, Palooza spawned and has become the fast-growing house music event brand in Wiltshire. They’ve been invited back to perform at Fatboy Slim’s…
Featured Image: Helen Polaxpix What has Devizes’ greatest millennial musical export, England rugby player Jodie Ounsley’s ghost writer, some scummy mummies, a professor of biology at…
Hurrah, at last! Only The Brave is the debut song from Burn The Midnight Oil’s revised lineup; something I’ve been anticipating since watching them rehearse…
Four Dauntsey’s Sixth-Formers have been awarded travel scholarships, and plan to cycle all the way from their school to Bonn in Germany, shortly after completing…
Leading Wiltshire digital entrepreneur Natalie Luckham, AI Educator and founder of award-winning Wiltshire social media consultancy Naturally Social is hosting a free “Introduction to AI”…
devizine.com 