12/09/2007
Big History Show
Liverpool is getting ready for the city's largest ever historical celebration.
The Big History Show arrives at St George's Hall on Friday, September 14 for a packed weekend of heritage-themed activity; combining a major academic conference with a massive local history exhibition.
Nearly 100 cultural heritage organisations from across Merseyside will be taking stands at the exhibition - including family history groups, museums and historical societies.
There's also a chance to catch a series of talks from local experts including Liverpool's Community Historian Steve Binns and BBC Radio Merseyside's Frank Carlyle.
And on Saturday at 1pm, legendary Liverpool-born poet Roger McGough will give the first public reading of extracts from 'The Liverpool Saga' - an 800 line poem to mark 800 years of Liverpool history.
Although Roger wrote the opening and closing sections of the poem, the remainder is made-up entirely of contributions from local people. More than 500 people submitted a staggering 3,000 lines of verse to be included in the saga, which was then whittled down to the final version by local poets Sylvia Hikens and Dave Ward.
A major academic conference - "Liverpool: A sense of place and time" - will run alongside the local history exhibition, led by academics from Liverpool's three universities and National Museums Liverpool.
Councillor Warren Bradley, leader of Liverpool city council and deputy chair of the Liverpool Culture Company, said: "Coming just two weeks after Liverpool 800 day, the Big History Show is an opportunity to take a closer look at the area's rich heritage.
"But this occasion isn't just about major historical figures and well-known events; it's a celebration of the local stories and family histories which are also an important part of our past.
"The Big History Show is breaking new ground by fusing a local history exhibition with a formal conference, bringing together leading academics with local people who have a passion for their heritage."
Other highlights during the weekend include:
- A film room showing footage of key moments in Liverpool's history - ranging from Liverpool's 700th birthday celebrations in 1907, to the Garden Festival in 1984.
- A vintage car display outside St George's Hall, consisting of more than 20 historic vehicles.
- A chance to see part of the David France Everton FC collection - the biggest single football archive related to one club anywhere in the world.
- A display of copies of major Liverpool Charters (including the 1207 charter) at Liverpool Central Library on William Brown Street.
- A range of entertainment on the steps of St George's Plateau, including the Batala drumming group and the Una Voce Opera Company.
- A rare flowers display in the atrium of World Museum Liverpool, organised by Liverpool Parks Friends Forum.
Entry to The Big History Show is just £2 - which includes entrance to two talks. Tickets are available now at the BBC Radio Merseyside Shop, Hanover Street; the 08 Place, Whitechapel; or St George's Hall Heritage Centre, St John's Lane. Tickets are available on the day, but demand is expected to be high so the public are advised to book ahead where possible. There are a limited number of spaces for each talk, and some have already sold out. (Depending on availability, members of the public will also be able to attend the "Liverpool: A sense of place and time" conference sessions. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis on the day).
The Big History show is organised by the Liverpool Culture Company in partnership with National Museums Liverpool, BBC Radio Merseyside, Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool John Moores University, and the University of Liverpool.
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