Friends of St.James' Park - History Events
What's Happening Next?
Updated: 29th January 2012
| 2012 | |
| Mondays, 9th January to 26th March 1.00pm - 3.00pm |
Make Do & Mend - Mending & Darning Clothes
Craft and Sewing classes for all abilities: Spring term. Mondays 1.00pm - 3.00pm in the ParkLife Community Room at St.James' Park. See also Summer term dates below. £6 per session (£5 concessions and FoSJP members), paid for in 6‑week blocks. 2 free places available to those with World War II "Make Do & Mend" experiences to share. For more information and to register for a place on the course, please contact course tutor Hilary Moore via hilary@moore‑inspiration.co.uk or 023 8070 4441. This course is part‑funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. |
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| Saturday 3rd March 3.00pm - 5.00pm |
FoSJP History Research Group Meeting at ParkLife Community Room, St.James' Park The ninth meeting of the FoSJP History Research Group. |
| Mondays, 16th April to 16th July 1.00pm - 3.00pm |
Make Do & Mend - Sewing Machine Skills
Craft and Sewing classes for all abilities: Summer term Mondays 1.00pm - 3.00pm in the ParkLife Community Room at St.James' Park. For more information, please see Spring term above. |
| Sundays 7th October, 4th November, 2nd December 3.00pm - 5.00pm |
Autumn 2012 Public History Talks
at Shirley Parish Hall This will be the fourth such series, following on from the success of the first three series. Please put these dates in your diary; we'll be publishing more details later in the year. |
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Many of our History-related events are held at Shirley Parish Hall, which is just down St.James' Road from the Park: the next building on the left after the Church, at the end of Colebrook Avenue. See here for a local street map. |
What's Already Happened?
Updated: 29th January 2012
Select a link for more information.
| 2012 | |||||||
| Saturday 28th January | FoSJP History Research Group Meeting
The eighth meeting of the FoSJP History Research Group. New members Patricia and Erica will be sharing their fascinating research on Nathaniel and Catherine Jefferys during the forthcoming Shirley Heritage Project's Autumn Lecture Series. |
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| Monday 9th January | Make Do & Mend Spring Term - Mending & Darning Clothes - Lesson 1 Those people attending the first class of the Spring Term were in for a surprise treat when FoSJP member Richard Sawyer popped along to the ParkLife Community Room bringing with him a spinning wheel. Richard demonstrated how to spin the raw wool and yes, we were allowed to have a go. If FoSJP ever decides to have an event with traditional crafts in the park, Richard may be persuaded to bring his spinning wheel along.
on how to darn a hole.
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| 2011 | |||||||
| Mondays, 31st October to 12th December |
Make Do & Mend Autumn Term - Making Jewellery Craft and Sewing classes for all abilities, with a different theme each term. Here are some examples of the fine jewellery work produced by this term's attendees:
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| Sunday 4th December |
Shirley Heritage Project - Autumn 2011 Public History Talk #3
"Always a Tram in Sight" 
The history of trams in Shirley and Southampton, part 2, following November 2010's popular presentation. Speaker: Jeffery Pain Click here for an illustrated report on this talk |
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| Sunday 6th November | Shirley Heritage Project - Autumn 2011 Public History Talk #2 "Andrew Barlow, Brewer and Benefactor" 
A fascinating talk about the life of Andrew Barlow of the Barlow and Ellyett Homes, Church Street, Shirley. The audience learnt about local breweries and how Andrew Barlow's philanthropy stretched far and wide across Southampton and also to Kent and South Africa, with which he had links. He funded the building of schools in the area, contributed to the building of churches, and made donations to the Shirley Children's Hospital, the Royal South Hants, and Southampton Hospital, to name but a few. Speaker: Madge Heath |
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| Sunday 2nd October |
Shirley Heritage Project - Autumn 2011 Public History Talk #1
"Art in the Park" 
An illustrated talk showing how memories of Shirley Recreation Ground from the 1920s onwards have been represented in the new art in St.James' Park. Speakers: Anna Vickers, Don Smith, Michaela Lawler‑Levene |
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| Saturday 10th September |
The Making of "Mitchell's Wings" - Turning Testimony into Theatre
An evening event with light buffet and refreshments, at the ParkLife Community Café in St.James' Park. This event was part‑funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. |
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| Monday 15th August | Heritage at Jamie's Playtime Jamie's Playtime is a play scheme for parents and pre‑school children aged up to 5. All sessions take place in St.James' Park. FoSJP History and Drama celebrated the Park's World War II heritage at this session of Jamie's Playtime. |
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| Saturday 16th July | Play in the Park! The FoSJP History Research Group showcased Local History at this event, which was held to celebrate the Park's re‑opening after the restoration and improvement works, including Pete Wardall's "Then & Now" slideshow of local scenes. |
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| Saturday 11th June | FoSJP History Research Group Meeting The seventh meeting of the FoSJP History Research Group. |
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| Sunday 22nd May | Foyes Corner Community Festival
The FoSJP History Research Group showcased Local History at this year's Foyes Corner Community Festival. People were keen to find out more about local history and to take a good look at the World War II local bombing maps that the group had prepared. Thank you to all our volunteers who made the day such a success. |
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| Saturday 16th April |
Southampton History Fair
The FoSJP History Research Group had a stall at this year's Southampton History Fair at Townhill Park House. 
'Twas a grand day: even Henry VIII stopped by to view our pictures of "Shirley, Then and Now" (an exhibition of Edwardian postcards and their current day photos). It was good to meet people from other parts of the city who were brought up in Shirley and who were able to add to the memories of St.James' Park. A lovely day, lovely people. |
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| Saturday 19th March | FoSJP History Research Group Meeting The sixth meeting of the FoSJP History Research Group. |
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| Sunday 6th March | Autumn 2010 Public History Talk #3 "St.James' Road Conservation Area: an Appraisal" Kevin White from Southampton City Council - Historic Environment Planning and Sustainability Division gave a brief history of the development of the St.James' Road area since the mid 19th Century, and explained the concepts behind Conservation Areas, which are not intended to block all development but rather to manage change in a way that is sensitive to the character and history of the areas. His team will shortly be publicising a draft appraisal for public consultation. Spitfire Production in Southampton during World War II - a Local Tribute 
Michaela Lawler‑Levene presented an oral history recording of Don Smith's
memories of local Spitfire production during
World War II - including in Shirley Parish Hall itself - and added further
insights on the roles that women played in the local
war effort, to respectively mark the 75th anniversary of the first flight
of the Spitfire from Eastleigh Aerodrome (now Southampton Airport) and
International Women's Day on 8th March.Fairtrade refreshments were provided, courtesy of the Co‑operative Group, as part of this year's Fairtrade Fortnight initiative. |
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| Saturday 12th February | FoSJP History Research Group Meeting The fifth meeting of the FoSJP History Research Group. |
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| Saturday 22nd January | FoSJP History Research Group Meeting The fourth meeting of the FoSJP History Research Group. |
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| 2010 | |||||||
| Saturday 20th November | FoSJP History Research Group Meeting
The third meeting of the FoSJP History Research Group. |
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| Sunday 7th November | Autumn 2010 Public History Talk #2
"Always a Tram in Sight" The history of trams in Shirley and Southampton. Jeffery Pain treated us to a history of the Southampton trams, in which we were taken - with the aid of a slide show collection of stunning images - on a delightful tour of our Victorian and Edwardian City. Our audience included an ex‑tram driver and several other people who remembered using the trams (which last ran in 1949), which led to some lively audience participation. Picture: "The Last Tram in Southampton" by Ken Conway |
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| Sunday 3rd October | Autumn 2010 Public History Talk #1
"Tips on Researching the History of Your House" Michaela Lawler‑Levene & Madge Heath from the FoSJP History Research Group gave a well‑illustrated presentation and talk, sharing tips on how to research your own house with or without the property title deeds, using two local examples - Hanover Lodge, opposite St.James' Park, and Trafalgar Lodge, by Shirley Pond Park - and how to use genealogical resources, highlighting sources to be found on the internet. |
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| Saturday 10th July | Bourne Avenue Street Party The FoSJP History Stall was on display at the Bourne Avenue Residents' Street Party celebrations, just around the corner from St.James' Park. FoSJP would like to thank Bourne Avenue residents for their warm welcome, hospitality, and generosity. Special thanks go to Margaret, who looked after us so well, and to Carolyn, who donated to FoSJP an 1871 map of Southampton for us to share at our history talks. |
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| Saturday 19th June | Shirley Infant/Junior Schools Summer Fair
The FoSJP History Stall was on display at the combined schools Summer Fair, with illustrated information on our latest research findings, a photographic quiz "Where in Shirley were these photographs taken?", and a collection of photographs entitled "All Around Our World in Shirley", based on 1905 postcards of Shirley and photographs of the same scenes taken in 2010. For younger visitors there were History-themed Wordsearch and Quiz activities. |
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| Sunday 13th June | FoSJP Family Walk
A total of 28 people, aged from 10 weeks to 87 years, joined ecologist and local historian Dr Mary South on an historically-themed walk from St.James' Park along Lordsdale Greenway to Shirley Pond, where a picnic was enjoyed by all. |
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| Saturday 12th June | FoSJP History Research Group Meeting
The second meeting of the FoSJP History Research Group. |
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| Sunday 23rd May | "St.James' Park in World War II"
University of Southampton student project A group of students from the University's History department has been researching the history of St.James' Park (Shirley Recreation Ground) during World War II. As part of their project brief, they presented their findings in a public talk at Shirley Parish Hall. |
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| Saturday 8th May | "Shirley Remembers"
Memories of World War II and VE Day 1945 We marked VE Day by hosting a "Shirley Remembers" afternoon at Shirley Parish Hall. |
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| Sunday 25th April | FoSJP History Research Group Meeting
The first meeting of our newly-formed FoSJP History Research Group. |
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| 2009 - 2010 | |||||||
| October 2009 to March 2010 |
Shirley Heritage Project - Public History Talks
As part of the Shirley Heritage Project, FoSJP organised a series of five public talks on local history topics, with presenters ranging from academics and local historians to FoSJP members. Visit our Public History Talks page for a report on these talks, and to find out what our audiences thought. |
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| 2009 | |||||||
| Saturday 16th May | St.James' Park History Exhibition
Shirley Parish Hall played host to an exhibition of historical information related to the Park and its surrounding area. |
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| Saturday 28th March |
Bitterne Local History Society - History Fair
The FoSJP History Stall was present at the History Fair at Townhill Park House. |
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| 2008 | |||||||
| Tuesday 13th May to Friday 16th May |
Parish, Paupers and Poo!
For four evenings in May, the Park played host to the Sarah Siddons Fan Club's outdoor production of Parish, Paupers and Poo!, an historical and dramatical performance based on the history of Southampton. |
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| 2007 | |||||||
| Sunday 30th September | "Meandering with Mary"
A walk & talk tour of the buildings around the Park, led by Mary South, local historian and tour guide, and followed by a history exhibition and refreshments in Shirley Parish Hall. |
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| Saturday 7th July | Park100
The FoSJP History Stall was on display at Park100, a major Summer fun event to celebrate 100 years of St.James' Park. |
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| Sunday 6th May | FoSJP's First Birthday Party
The FoSJP History Stall was on display at FoSJP's First Birthday Party event, at which we also organised a fun History Quiz with prizes for the winners. |
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| 2006 | |||||||
| Saturday 27th May | Reminiscence Day
In May 2006, shortly after FoSJP was founded, we organised a Reminiscence Day event in the Park, at which members of the community were invited to share their memories and historical knowledge of the Park. |
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