Tag Archives: history

Hope In The Dark by Rebecca Solnit

hope in the dark

“Changing the story isn’t enough in itself, but it has often been foundational to real changes. Making an injury visible and public is usually the first step in remedying it, and political change often follows culture, as what was long tolerated is seen to be intolerable, or what was overlooked becomes obvious. Which means that every conflict is in part a battle over the story we tell, or who tells and who is heard.” Rebecca Solnit

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/jul/15/rebecca-solnit-hope-in-the-dark-new-essay-embrace-unknown

I have yet to read this book but have it on authority that it will blow my socks off so I thought I might take the step of telling you all about it asap as my backlog of books is somewhat chronic as of late!

 

Summer Youth Residency

Toby and Georgie sing a duet

Way back in warm, sunny August, seven young people gathered somewhere in the depths of the East of England; the outskirts of a town called Diss (plenty of puns were made) in a lovely cottage, previously home to the writer Roger Deakin.

Five of us were from the youth organisation Woodcraft Folk, and we were glad to be joined by Molly and Kathleen who we hadn’t met before but quickly made friends with.

We were joined by Robin and Rachel and spent the week reading, singing and learning all about the history of our land and the struggles that have been fought for it. We listened to podcasts, taught each other songs and shared food together between practicing sections of the show ready for a performance.

At the end of the week, we performed a full show of Three Acres and a Cow as a group, complete with poetry, sketches and, of course, singing.

Since the residency, Anna has successfully applied for funding to develop a Quaker version of the show alongside Robin, and I have been involved in various performances of the show in my new role as youth apprentice.

Here is a selection of photos from the week:

– Naomi, apprentice of Three Acres And A Cow

Tidal and Leeds for Change presents – Holy Trinity Church, Leeds – 04/12/15

We are super excited to be heading North in December for a trio of shows in Nottingham, Leeds and Sheffield. For the Leeds show we will be joined by guests Boff Whalley and Brendan Crocker.

Tickets can be perchance purchased via https://www.eventbrite.com/e/3-acres-and-a-cow-tickets-19205227352

3A&aC Leeds low res web flyer

Heading north… Christ Church – Sheffield – 05/12/15

We are super excited to be heading North in December for a trio of shows in Nottingham, Leeds and Sheffield. For the Sheffield show we will be joined by Sally Goldsmith, Tim Ralphs, Naomi Wilkins and Kate Thomas’s singers.

Tickets can be purchased online via – http://www.etickets.to/buy/?e=13213

3A&aC Sheffield low res web flyer

Global Nonviolent Action Database

photo by  Stephen Melkisethian (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

photo by Stephen Melkisethian (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

I just got sent this link by a friend and whilst I have not had a chance to browse all the English entries, what I have read is useful and inspiring – http://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/

Here is a list of 198 different types of nonviolent action – http://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/browse_methods …and here is a map – http://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/map

Origin of the phrase ‘piss poor’ and other historical trivia

A comical and interesting snap shot of some historical facts and trivia…

“They used to use urine to tan animal skins, so families used to all pee in a pot & then once a day it was taken & Sold to the tannery…….if you had to do this to survive you were ‘Piss Poor’

But worse than that were the really poor folk who couldn’t even afford to buy a pot……they “didn’t have a pot to piss in” & were the lowest of the low”

See more at http://www.thisblewmymind.com/origin-piss-poor-popular-sayings/

A Ballad History of England by Roy Palmer

rp---bhA Ballad History of England
by Roy Palmer

Roy Palmer has spent much of the last thirty years hunting for ballads and using them to weave together a people’s history of England. He has mastered the art of this in a number of excellent books of which this is a great starting point.

This book is utterly superb and should be bought without hesitation. Each song has a melody and words, along with a page or two giving its historical context.

This Land Is Our Land by Marion Shoard

marionThis Land Is Our Land
by Marion Shoard

The definitive book on land both past and present, although it has sadly not been updated since the 80’s.

It gets a bit heavy going in places but the first third, which is a history from Roman times to the present, is totally gripping and a must read for anyone interesting in land and land rights.

I had to take quite a few breaks whilst reading it as sections of it made me really angry and/or sad.