Highlighting Northumberland's history and heritage

04 May 2023 ARCHIVED (over 3 months old) - view latest news

Northumberland is celebrating its rich and fascinating past with a series of events to mark Local and Community History Month in May.

For those interested in the heritage of the area and their own family’s origins, the county’s Library Service is inviting people to travel back in time to discover how Northumberland’s legacy was shaped.

From the days of sword fights and skirmishes to the prison camps of the Second World War, with sessions on family history along the way, Local History Month offers something for everyone.

Cllr Jeff Watson, Cabinet Member for Libraries and Culture, said: “During Local and Community History Month we can showcase just a few examples of the history that created this wonderful county.

“A lot of residents are really interested in the heritage and culture of the region and these events make finding out more accessible to all.”

The Time Bandits, aka Bev Palin and John Sadler, bring Anglo-Scottish border history to life in a rip-roaring evening’s entertainment with the aid of balladry, sword and dagger play and enough arms and armour for a decent conflict.

John is the author of “The Hot Trod -a History of the Anglo-Scottish border” and “Hotspur, Sir Henry Percy – the Myth of Chivalry”. The shows are at Morpeth Library May 11, 7pm and Berwick Library May 24, 7pm (from £3).

Author Ainslie Hepburn will share the remarkable story of Herbert Sulzbach (1894-1985) – a Jewish man who helped defeat Nazism.

Sulzbach was the interpreter at the Prisoner of War camp at Featherstone Castle, near Haltwhistle, from 1946 to 1948.

He made a significant contribution to Anglo-German reconciliation by helping German prisoners rediscover democracy and prepare for rebuilding a new homeland. Join the free online event on May 23, 7pm.

Residents wanting to find out more about their own ancestry and needing some help can pop along to Bedlington Library on May 15, 10am, or Newbiggin Library, May 18 at 2pm for a free family history session.

Or, attend a family history talk, to follow the research journey of one of the library assistants. Dee Scally from Alnwick Library has done extensive research into one of her relatives and will share her story - showcasing the variety of resources she has used to uncover some wonderful family stories. The free talk is online, May 16, 2pm.

All events bookable on Eventbrite at www.eventbrite.com/cc/local-history-month-2023-2048949