Restaging The Past — The Story of Historical Pageants

Restaging the Past — The Story of Historical Pageants

A new film from King’s College London and Windrose Rural Media Trust

Originating in Sherborne, Dorset in 1905, the pageant movement swept the country and was imitated abroad, engaging local people to re-enact the history of their towns.

Restaging the Past, made by Windrose Rural Media Trust for Kings College London, reveals how towns and cities developed the pageant idea, both in style and scope, until some pageants had casts of many thousands. The film shows some of the amazing ephemera that was produced and features the experiences of people who were closely involved.

On Wednesday, 7 June 2023, between 5-7pm, there will be a screening with talks and a Q&A session with the film makers.

The event is being held at Bournemouth University, Fusion Building, Fern Barrow, Talbot Campus, and  is sponsored in conjunction with Dorset History Centre.

Taking part is Trevor Bailey, Director of Windrose Rural Media Trust, who has created many media based projects, including an Internet radio station for farmers, a film archive, support and training for community broadcasters, media commissions for musicians and poets, oral history recording, and opportunities for new radio playwrights and documentary makers.

Also speaking at the event is Paul Readman, Professor of Modern British History at King’s College London.  Paul was Principal Investigator on the Redress of the Past Historical Pageants project. With members of the project team, he co-edited Restaging the Past: Historical Pageants, Culture and Society in Modern Britain (UCL Press, 2020).

Alongside Paul will be Mark Freeman, Professor of Social History and Education at UCL  Mark was a co-investigator on the Redress of the Past project.  He is the author of books and articles about aspects of modern British social history, including, most recently The St Albans Pageants: An Illustrated History (St Albans: Regents Court Press, 2020).

For more information, and to book tickets, visit the Restaging the Past — The Story of Historical Pageants Eventbrite page.