Manx National Heritage, the registered charity responsible for the Isle of Man’s natural and cultural heritage announce that it’s popular ‘Lunchtime Listens’ are back, but be quick if you want to secure a space.
‘Lunchtime Listens’ offer the opportunity to eavesdrop on the sounds and voices of the Island’s past. It’s an immersive experience for the deliberately small audiences who sit to enjoy hearing people recall their childhood, family and memories of living and working in the Isle of Man as far back as a century ago.
The first ‘Lunchtime Listen’ will take place on Wednesday 6 October when the voice of Janet Gibb will be heard by visitors from the dining room of her home, The Grove. Janet grew up and lived at The Grove nearly all her life. In 1973, aged 95, she was interviewed by the Manx Museum about her life, her family, sticky buns and of course The Grove.
Food continues to be the theme for the second lunchtime listen which takes place at Rushen Abbey on Tuesday 12 October, where a jam factory was once in operation and strawberry and cream tea dances a popular attraction. This event will be followed on Wednesday 20 October with a ‘Lunchtime Listen’ at Cregneash about farming and on Wednesday 17 November at the House of Manannan about fishing including memories of the herring fishing fleet sailing out of Peel.
‘Lunchtime Listen’ tickets cost £10, including refreshments, with tickets available online at www.manxnationalheritage.im/whats-on/.
Jude Dicken, Collections Information Manager for Manx National Heritage said:
“The sound recordings, all from the Manx National Heritage Library and Archives, have recently been digitised for free by National Museums Northern Ireland which is a regional hub for ‘Unlocking Our Sound Heritage’, a UK-wide project led and funded by the British Library.
The team at Manx National Heritage has been working for the past year with the amazing help of its online Listening Volunteers to listen and describe the content of each sound recording. We are immensely grateful to each of the volunteers and are delighted to be able to begin showcasing the results of this unique work.
I’ve really enjoyed introducing the ‘Lunchtime Listens’ and talking with audiences about their memories provoked by what they hear. It’s great we’re able to repeat them for new, small audiences around our sites – hearing Janet Gibb whilst sat in her dining room is a magical experience not to be missed.”
The lunchtime listening events will be followed by a further opportunity to hear more about the Unlocking Our Sound Heritage project in a lunchtime public lecture at the Manx Museum on Wednesday 27 October to mark UNESCO World Day for Audiovisual Heritage. Tickets for the lecture are available free of charge at www.manxnationalheritage.im/whats-on/.
ENDS
Image Caption:
Strawberry Tea at Rushen Abbey c. 1950 (PG/6159/6)
Media contact:
For further information, please contact:
Lynsey Clague, Communications Manager – Manx National Heritage
T: 01624 648032
Manx National Heritage, Eiraght Ashoonagh Vannin, Manx Museum, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 3LY
Isle of Man Registered Charity No. 603