Where's Our Spake Gone?

17/07/2019

25/03/2019

Save the date - it's going to be a great evening at Tipton Library!

21/03/2019

Do you have any photographs and memories of living in Old Warley. Then come along to our Sharing event at Bleakhouse Library Tuesday 26th March 10.00- 12.00 and Tuesday 9th April 2.00-4.00

10/08/2018

just to remind all our followers that our current project Living Memory about photographs and life stories from across the Black Country is going down well. Follow the link to find out more, and please like the page to see a new photo and story every day!

It was quite a famous shop. Well, he was quite famous because he was doing so much for cycling in the area and there weren't a lot of people doing it at that time. And he used to do lots of things for the kids as well. So there weren't that many people that were prepared to organise the races. Consequently, he was well known all over the place.
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Photo: Bob Mansell Cycles, 504 Oldbury Road, Smethwick, Staffs. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Bob's daughter Juanita remembers: "Falcon bikes, probably Brookes saddle in the window. Grandad and dad used to sell Esso Blue paraffin out of the back of the Morris Traveller. The floorboards were bare and there was a cellar with an opening at the front of the shop. Dad was always repairing wheels in the back, I remember the big tin tubs of l**e and ball bearings rolling around, they were so little."
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---- This week we are sharing parts of the story of the late Bob Mansell from Smethwick as told by Cath Mansell. Part 4/6.

To see a new Black Country photo and story every day please like and follow our Living Memory page https://www.facebook.com/LivingMemoryProject/⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Living Memory is a Heritage Lottery Fund supported project celebrating life stories and photography collections from across the Black Country. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
www.livingmemory.live

11/12/2017

Dear 'Where's Our Spake Gone?' friends and followers. We are delighted to announce an exciting new project called Living Memory: Photography and Life Stories from Across the Black Country.
We were lucky enough to get some funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund for this 2-year project. We have a brand-new page which we invite you to follow and like - linked below. We will be updating regularly as the project gets going, and announcing various public events, workshops and presentations. We officially launch on the 9th January at Smethwick Library - details on the new page.
This project follows directly on from the great work we made together for 'Where's Our Spake Gone?' and we really hope you will join us again on this new journey as part of Living Memory.

https://www.facebook.com/LivingMemoryProject/

The Living Memory Project (CIC) specialises in celebrating the stories of individuals and communities to create publications, exhibitions, films and events across the UK.

26/10/2017

Hello 'Our Spake' FB followers! We have been quiet for a while because we have been busy cooking-up something new that you might like. Please watch this space for an exciting announcement in the next couple of weeks!

In the meantime, team member Geoff Broadway is giving a new talk next Tuesday 31st October about different kinds photography collections in the Black Country as part of another project called Made In Oldbury - please join us if you can. It's at 11.30a.m. at Hope Church, Oldbury - details are on the flyer. We hope to see some of you there!

13/06/2017

One of the Spake project organisers Geoff Broadway will be doing an illustrated talk called 'The People’s Voice - the fascinating story of Oral History'
Tuesday June 27th at 11.am Hope Church, St James Road Rounds Green Oldbury B69 2DX. He will be talking about the Spake project, and showing some of the films we produced as part of our project.
See the flyer for more details. Do come along if you can!

26/05/2017

Hi everyone - calling all budding crafters and makers, here are details of a lovely opportunity to get involved in a project called 'Made in the Black Country'. Have a look at the flyer, lots going on so get in touch with [email protected] if you are interested.

22/03/2017

There is some great activity going on with our friends making the Made In Oldbury project. If you are feel please come along to these free workshops at Sandwell Community History & Archives Service, Smethwick Library, High Street, Smethwick, B66 1AA. (Limited Spaces - so to book a place please ring CHAS on 0121 558 2561)

Explore the Archives, 2 pm, Tuesday 28th March
An opportunity to discover some of the wonderful and unusual historical materials held in local collections with archivist Maureen Waldron and Ian Gray from Sandwell Community History and Community Archives.
Using Oral History, 2 pm, Thursday 30th March
Come along and find out about how to work effectively with oral history: find out some top tips including recording,location and equipment, researching themes and preparation, open and interrogatory questions, developing listening skills. Presented by film maker Geoff Broadway, who recently worked on the amazing ‘Where’s Our Spake Gone’ project in the Black Country.

11/01/2017

Looks like a really good event on at Glebefields Library, Saturday 4th Feb! It's always worth going to hear Keith Hodgkins speak.

01/12/2016

It is December! Lets share this all over again.

A short film featuring the voices of people across the Black Country reading Michael Prescott's interpretation of the story. Photography: Kate Jackson (http://www.katejacksphoto.co.uk/) Editing:…