Wednesday 17 October 2012

Event - Sheffield celebrates 100 years of ‘Heritage Makers’

Sheffield is celebrating 100 years of the Hunter Archaeological Society, fondly dubbed the ‘Heritage Makers’, with a new exhibition charting the history of Sheffield and the surrounding area.


The exhibition, open to the public at the University of Sheffield’s Western Bank Library, is a celebration of Sheffield’s past and the people who have given it a voice. It is also part of the Society’s year-long centenary celebrations in 2012.

In May 1912 the Hunter Archaeological Society held its first meeting in Sheffield, with around 300 members and the Duke of Norfolk as its first president. Involving Sheffield people from all walks of life, the Hunter has served the community with its remit to study, communicate and campaign for our unique heritage.

Important historical artefacts, photographs and documents will be brought together on show for the first time to explore how the Hunter Society has brought the city’s important past to life. Sheffield Castle and Manor Lodge feature prominently and the public will have the opportunity to see finds excavated at both important historical monuments.

The exhibition also delves into some of the fascinating life stories of Society members, including many influential in Sheffield society over the last 100 years.

Ruth Morgan, Secretary of the Hunter Archaeological Society, said: “It’s been an amazing few years building up to the centenary, not only in working together as a team to plan events and in researching the life stories, but in discovering how little the Society’s role and interests have changed over all those years. People have come and gone, and contributed their time and skills, but we still campaign to save Sheffield Castle and raise the profile of archaeological sites on the Moors. This exhibition tries to capture some of that. We have enjoyed it all and learnt lots of new skills, and we hope our activities this year will have inspired many people to take an interest in their heritage and get involved.”

Andrew Moore, Exhibitions Curator at the University of Sheffield’s Western Bank Library, said: “Heritage Makers has given us the opportunity to showcase some amazing local history objects in the new exhibition gallery at the University of Sheffield's Western Bank Library. It has been great fun working with the Hunter Society, Museums Sheffield and Sheffield City Archives to help bring items together to tell some of the fascinating stories of the Hunter Archaeological Society. A great free booklet, available in the exhibition space, also looks in more detail at a number of important and influential Society members over the last 100 years.”

The exhibition is free to visit during library opening hours from now (October 2012) until the 21 December 2012, opening hours 9am – 7pm from Monday to Thursday, 10am – 7pm on Fridays and 12pm – 6pm on Saturdays.

The exhibition is a partnership between the Hunter Archaeological Society, University of Library, Museums Sheffield, Sheffield Archives and Libraries, and inHeritage. It is funded by the University and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

From: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/news/nr/sheffield-celebrates-100-years-heritage-makers-1.216318

No comments:

Post a Comment