28
Apr
Harrogate, Ripon and Knaresborough libraries announce events for local history month
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Libraries across the Harrogate district are set to showcase local history as part of a month-long initiative.
Every May, libraries mark Local and Community History Month by holding events such as talks and exhibitions to get members of the public into branches.
The aim of the month is to increase awareness of local history and encourage all members of the community to participate.
Several libraries will be hosting special events to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day on May 8. In Knaresborough, staff from the town’s heritage centre will be delivering a free talk about life during the Second World War at 2.30pm. There will also be a month-long display from the local history group detailing properties linking to the census records.
Harrogate Library will host an illustrated talk by Paul Jennings at 2pm on May 14, exploring the hotels available to those staying in Harrogate from the 17th century to the present day. At 2pm on May 23, Graham Roberts will give a talk on the construction of the town’s war memorial and some of the 1,163 names listed on the plaques.
From May 3 to 5, Ripon Library is celebrating the history of Skell Voices through spoken recordings of growing up in the Skell Valley, using historical maps and animations, alongside display materials from West Yorkshire Archives.
Cllr Simon Myers, executive councillor for libraries at the North Yorkshire Council, said:
We know that local residents are always keen to engage with their local heritage, and, with the poignant 80th anniversary of VE Day coming up in May, we hope more people than ever get involved.
Our libraries boast a range of resources from local history collections to maps. We also offer online research tools including the British Newspaper Archive, Ancestry and Find my Past.
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