Norwich in the Blitz

On Thursday 3rd April 2014 I attended the Norwich in the Blitz talk by Steve Snelling at The Curve at The Forum, Norwich. This event presented by the author of Norwich A Shattered City was a well informed and interesting talk.

During two nights of intense bombing in April 1942 Norwich suffered its worst ordeal of the war as Hitler targeted the cathedral city for destruction as part of his vengeance campaign designed to lay waste Britain's cultural centres. Known as the Baedeker raids, the German bombers tore the heart out of the city, turning the commercial centre to a near wasteland, and leaving entire streets in ruins.

Yet, ironically, though there was heavy loss of life, with over 200 deaths caused by these raids alone, the majority of the city's most historic buildings, including its Norman castle and cathedral, escaped the bombs and the fires that ravaged so many shops, factories and homes. The author has made much use of records in the National Archives together with Mass-Observation diaries held at the University of Sussex to tell the full story of a ruthless bombing campaign that continued into the summer of 1942. His research, combined with vivid eyewitness accounts, offers a fresh perspective on the raids as well as setting them in their proper historical context.

The Dragon's Spell at The Assembly House

On the evening of Tuesday 18th February 2013 I attended The Dragon's Spell - a reading by George Szirtes and Friends at The Assembly House, Norwich as part of the Norwich Dragon Festival 2014. The powerful and fascinating symbol of the dragon is an ideal way to explore and promote Norwich's rich cultural heritage.

George Szirtes, winner of the T S Eliot Prize for Reel and shortlisted again in 2013 for Bad Machine, launched The Dragon's Spell with a reading from his work. This event organised by Writers' Centre Norwich in the elegant surroundings of The Assembly House was full of wonderful poetry and music.

The Dragon's Spell was curated by the singer-songwriter Robyn-Astrid and featured readings on the theme of dragons and monsters by Meghan Purvis and Keiron Pim. This was a night at The Assembly House when the mythical symbol of the dragon captured our imaginations.

Long Reach or Down to Earth?

On Thursday 4th July 2013 I attended the Long Reach or Down to Earth? talk by Dr. Graham Cross at the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library. This was the third in a series of talks to celebrate 50 years of The 2nd Air Division Memorial Library. This event was about the importance of 8th Air Force Fighters during World War Two.

The Memorial Library is a unique “living memorial” to nearly 7,000 young Americans in the 2nd Air Division of the US 8th Air Force who lost their lives during the Second World War. Located in the landmark Forum building in the centre of Norwich, the Library have a lending collection of over 4,000 books covering all aspects of American life and culture, and a specialist collection devoted to the history of the 2nd Air Division.

These talks have been a fantastic way to celebrate 50 years of The 2nd Air Division Memorial Library. This was another interesting talk as Dr. Graham Cross told us about the use and tactics of 8th Air Force Fighters during World War Two. VIII Fighter Command was the fighter arm of the Eighth Air Force during World War Two. Its primary mission was to escort the heavy bombers of VIII Bomber Command to their targets in Occupied Europe, providing protection against Luftwaffe interceptors.

Poetry Unbound at the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library

On Thursday 20th June 2013 I attended Poetry Unbound at the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library. Poetry Unbound is a free event aiming to open up poetry to a new audience, and provide local poets with a platform to showcase their work. A selection of the poems are displayed in the library and added to an ongoing digital archive, where they can be shared and read by everyone.

Julia Webb moved to Norwich in 1991. She has had work published in various journals and anthologies and in 2011 she won The Poetry Society’s Stanza competition with her prose poem Lent. She has performed at the Ely River Rhymes Festival and Wymondham Words Literary Festival.

Meirion Jordan grew up in South Wales. His first collection of poetry, Moonrise was shortlisted for a Forward Prize for best first collection in 2008 and his pamphlet-length collection of poetry, Strangers Hall was shortlisted for an East Anglia Book of the Year award in 2009. His most recent collection, Regeneration is a double volume of poems exploring the literary worlds of the medieval Welsh tales of the Mabinogion and Welsh Arthurian stories.

This was a fantastic and fun night of poetry at the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library which included an open mic. I really enjoyed Meirion Jordan's poems from Regeneration. Poetry Unbound is a great way to get more people involved in Poetry.

From Here Lincoln Came

On Wednesday 19th June 2013 I attended the From Here Lincoln Came: Abraham Lincoln in East Anglia, 1809-2009 talk by Dr Sam Edwards at the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library. This was the second of three talks celebrating the 50th anniversary of the opening of The 2nd Air Division Memorial Library.

The Memorial Library makes available for loan current material covering all aspects of American history, culture, and life. It also includes some specialised material about the Second World War in the air, and material about the special relationship between the people of the United Kingdom, specifically the people of East Anglia, and the people of the United States.

This talk by Dr Sam Edwards from Manchester Metropolitan University was about Abraham Lincoln's links with East Anglia and celebrating his English ancestry. The great, great, great, great, great, great-grandfather of Abraham Lincoln was Richard Lincoln, a resident of Swanton Morley. His son Edward lived in Hingham and due to a family squabble was disinherited. Edward's son Samuel Lincoln was an apprentice weaver before leaving for the New World in 1637.

Dr Sam Edwards told us of attempts to link Abraham Lincoln to his English roots as part of transatlantic politics. There is bust of Abraham Lincoln in St. Andrew's Parish Church of Hingham in Norfolk. This was a very interesting talk at the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library which highlighted the Great Emancipator's East Anglian ancestry.

Finding Fallen Eagles talk by Ian McLachlan

On Wednesday 12th June 2013 I attended the Finding Fallen Eagles talk by Ian McLachlan at the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library. This was the first of three talks celebrating the 50th anniversary of the opening of The 2nd Air Division Memorial Library.

The Memorial Library makes available for loan current material covering all aspects of American history, culture, and life. It also includes some specialised material about the Second World War in the air, and material about the special relationship between the people of the United Kingdom, specifically the people of East Anglia, and the people of the United States.

The Finding Fallen Eagles talk was about the aviation archaeology of US aircraft lost in Norfolk during World War Two. Ian McLachlan is a renowned aviation historian and author who gave us an account of the excavation of the sites as well as details behind the causes of the crashes. He took us through the process of documenting a site, from the initial research to placing the artifacts in museums. He told us about the trials of gaining permission from land owners and the Ministry of Defence as well as dealing with difficult excavation environments.

From these aircraft excavations Ian McLachlan has been able to give us a detailed account of these incidents as well as the people involved therefore we were able to learn about those involved and aspects about their lives. We also heard about his experiences when one of his excavations was featured on Time Team on Channel 4. In February 1944 two American 'Flying Fortresses' crashed into each other only a few miles from their home base, on their way back from a bombing raid over Germany. One of the aircraft tumbled into a marsh at Reedham, Norfolk killing all ten of the crew and gradually became buried in the peat.

This was a very interesting talk by Ian McLachlan at the Norfolk and Norwich Library which was fully booked as the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library celebrated 50 years in the fine city of Norwich. This Autumn Ian McLachlan will be presenting an exciting eight week course called The Friendly Invasion: The US Army Air Force in East Anglia at the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library.