A Diamond Jubilee Project Ashton Keynes C of E Primary School

 find out about life sixty years ago  understand more about the lives of older people in our community  create an opportunity for the two generations to meet and work together  learn printmaking techniques  be oral historians  create a lasting artwork for Ashton Keynes Village Hall to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee.

 The project originally was called “The Last Sixty Years”, but we realised it lacked focus so we based it on memories of the Fifties.  We advertised the project locally and sixteen people who remembered the 1950s volunteered to be interviewed.  Small groups of children from Years 5 and 6 conducted interviews about life in the Fifties.  Each interview was recorded and lasted 15 minutes.

 Kathryn Gray, the community artist who worked with us, listened to the interviews and selected some memories.  For example, one lady now her seventies who was a dressmaker in Cirencester said: “We made dresses for either very rich people who wanted something very special or for very big ladies who couldn’t buy anything off the shelves like you can these days.”

 Each child was given a different memory to interpret and, with Kathryn Gray’s help, we each made a drawing which was later made into a printing block  We used the printing blocks to print onto fabric.  We invited everyone who had been interviewed to make a print too. Three prints were made.  It was messy, but fun!

 Children from Years 3 and 4 made patterned backgrounds using the same techniques.

 Kathryn Gray then sewed each image onto a background print.  For example, the dressmaker’s memory:

 The 48 prints were then glued onto two boards.  They will form a permanent display in the Village Hall.

 We had a day of 1950s cookery workshops.  We made cakes for a special 1950s tea party.  We invited everyone who had taken part in the project, members of the Parish Council, and the Reverend Shirley Danby to a tea party.  Carole Soden, Miranda Gilmour and James Gray MP unfortunately were unable to attend.

 We now know much more about life in the 1950s.  We have got to know more people in the village and we say hello to them now.  We have learnt more about printmaking.  We have had fun.

“I did enjoy being involved in the project…Do you remember how the children loved the flocked nylon party dress that I brought with me?” “One boy, who has never said hello to me before, chatted to me at the hairdressser’s and now says hello when he sees me.” “The children were so polite and confident.” “It was so nice to be back at the school again.” “It was most interesting talking to the children and coming along to watch them creating the collages.” “Children say hello now. No idea who they are, but it’s lovely.”

Finally, we’d like to thank:  Malmesbury Area Board for funding the project,  everyone who took part in the project,  all the staff at the school,  and Kathryn Gray for helping us with the project.