A show of sobriety
Annemarie McAllister
Preston’s sober past has netted it a £50,000 award.
The city was the bedrock of the Temperance movement, led by Joseph Livesey, and will feature in a special Guild year exhibition.
An historian from the University of Central Lancashire has received £50,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to help finance a special project and exhibition.
Led by Dr Annemarie McAllister from the school of education and social science, the project will involve volunteers from local communities in collecting memories about Temperance.
An exhibition in St George’s Centre from August 24 until September 8, will also form part of the Preston Guild celebrations, including drinks from Britain’s last surviving Temperance Bar, Fitzpatrick’s in Rawtenstall.
A major exhibition will be held at the People’s History Museum in Manchester, from July until next February, accompanied by an online public access virtual exhibition.
Public lectures, family activities, debates, and recreations of Temperance evenings with magic lantern shows are also in the pipeline.
Dr McAllister said: “This massively popular movement in the 19th and 20th century is in danger of being forgotten.
“Millions of local men, women and children joined societies, signed pledges and excluded alcohol from their lives, and there are people alive today who signed the pledge and went to events in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, for example.
“Not only our volunteers, but also thousands of people coming to the exhibitions and events will gain a deeper insight into this previously under-represented aspect of our history.”
She added: “We are thrilled to have received the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund to enable many people to develop new skills and to highlight this neglected aspect of the region’s history.
“It might even stimulate debate about attitudes to drink today.”
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Weather for Preston
Wednesday 23 May 2012
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Temperature: 11 C to 15 C
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