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!
Sad news for Marlborough, especially for the tourist industry, as the Polly Tea Room announced its closure today, after 114 years…. The iconic tea rooms popular with tourists and residents announced it was closed due to rising costs. Blaming the cost of living crisis, a note on its door said “it is impossible to run…
Wiltshire Music Centre is delighted to announce the appointment of Ken Scott as Chair of its Board of Trustees…. The appointment comes at an exciting moment for Wiltshire Music Centre as it continues to expand both its artistic and learning programmes. Alongside a programme of ambitious live music that celebrates curiosity across genres, the Centre…
Today is the first anniversary of the Devizes Area Youth Lounge on Sidmouth Street. With free afternoon sessions on Mondays, Thursdays and one for SEND youngsters on Tuesdays, it has become a safe social space for year 7 and up to gather, and shows no sign of flailing in popularity…. I dropped in to meet…
Christmas at the Rowdey Cow; because nothing says Christmas like an ice cream! Or at least, it works for me; I’d eat ice cream through a heatwave, I’d eat ice cream on an Arctic expedition! But there’s more to our lovely ice cream parlour farm cafe than just ice cream; although the ice cream is……
There’s no fooling you; this headline is Mc-deliberately misleading! There’s not even a burger, just a clickbait sesame seeded pun. I had to grab your attention one way or the other because Devizes East has a town council by-election on 12th November. Such things rarely get a good turnout, but I met the clear favourite…
If you came to this monster mash last night you’d be excused for finding it hard to believe it was only a couple of years ago when I published about the formation of Devizes-based band Burn the Midnight Oil, as the high hopes I predicted for them were truly displayed for a Halloween party at…
Real life Little Red Riding Hood, Lille Røde comes to The Queen’s Head in Box on Saturday November 28th; beware wolves! Sounding something like St Vincent meets Chappell Roan and playing on fairy tale origins, Lille Røde, Danish for ‘Little Red,’ is a dynamic, four-piece indie-rock act, delivering sharp, theatrical relief in a world of…
Featured image: Devizes Guardians’ Cllr Sarah Bridewell and former Devizes East Ward councillor, the late Jane Burton, committed campaigners on dog fouling. It was always going to happen. When national politics steps into local issues, it all turns to poop…. Without a shred of science or research, just desperation to retain their depleting seats at…
Nottingham trio Girlband! are throwing open the doors to their debut self-titled album, out 13th November, and taking the party on the road with a run of UK in-store shows. Think less standing around a record shop and more turning up at your mate’s house and accidentally staying until 3am…. The band will kick things…
A Must-see Dazzling Production! by Andy Fawthrop It seems ages ago since I was last listening to the guys and gals of White Horse Opera (WHO) bringing their considerable vocal skills together to bring a new opera production to Devizes. But yet here we are! Following previous recent successes with Offenbach’s “La Belle Helene” and…
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.
The mysterious paperbag-wearing local character Joyrobber has only gone and put a whole album down. It’s called You Need to Stop Doing This, and after…
After five years, a new album drops tomorrow (Friday 23rd October) from southwest Welsh reggae outfit, Captain Accident & the Disasters, and it’s worth the…
Well, what else is there to oyez about? Congratulations must go to our Devizes Town Crier, Charlotte Howard-Macdonald, again today, as Brian Mathew MP tabled…
by Ian Diddamsimages by Gill Morrell and Penny Clegg How all the other passions fleet to air,As doubtful thoughts and rash embraceddespair, And shudd’ring fear, and green-eyed jealousy- Merchant of Venice, Act 3 Scene 2, William Shakespeare O, beware, my lord, of…
