Month: Sep 2025

Staffordshire History Festival

Staffordshire History Festival celebrates the county’s rich and diverse heritage. During the two-month festival, which ends on October 31, local history talks and exhibitions will be held at libraries and heritage sites throughout Staffordshire.

Councillor Hayley Coles, Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture said:

The Staffordshire History Festival is a brilliant chance to explore the stories that shape our communities. Whether you are interested in exhibitions, film screenings or hands-on workshops, there’s something for everyone. No matter where you are in the county, history is just around the corner – so get involved and discover what makes Staffordshire so truly special.

An exhibition, Staffordshire and Slavery, opens on September 16 at the Staffordshire History Centre. A film about the life of Fanny Deakin will be shown at Newcastle Kidsgrove and Biddulph Libraries. For more details of these and other events, please contact the Staffordshire History Centre or your local library.

New Grant Programme for Museums

The National Archives is launching a new national grant programme for libraries and museums.

The programme, called the ‘Spaces, Places and Belonging’ Community Hub, is being funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council.

It will support inclusive, community-led research projects throughout the United Kingdom. There will be three grant schemes.

They are: Skills Bursaries, Seed Corn Grants and Project Grants (for more details, click the names of the grants)

Applications for Seed Corn Grants and Skills Bursaries open on Monday, 15 September 2025.

A webinar to launch the grants is taking place on Wednesday, 17 September 2025.

To be part of the webinar, follow this link to Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/spaces-places-and-belonging-community-hub-launch-webinar-tickets-1524899849499

How to apply for a grant of between £10,00 and £250,000 for your heritage project

Does your organization want to apply for a grant of between £10,000 and £250,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund? If you have an idea for a heritage project, this video tells you how to apply for Heritage Lottery Funding.

For more information, please visit The National Heritage Fund’s website at https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/fundi…

Ancestral Tourism 1: Churches and Churchyards

What might, for us, be termed ‘Ancestral Tourism’ could simply be an enjoyable day out for any family and friends accompanying us. The little stops and circuitous routes wouldn’t be too burdensome on companions, and might be thought to add dimension to a place.

I say this from a position of experience, since I’ve done quite a bit of visiting the ancestors over the years, often accompanied by my husband and dog. The trick is to intersperse the family history with other sightseeing and activities and, above all, to know where to draw the line.

Ancestral Tourism 1: Churches and Churchyards

Bottle Ovens of Staffordshire at the Brampton Museum

A special talk on the Bottle Ovens of Staffordshire will be given by Phil Rowley, a local historian and ceramics expert. The talk will take place at Newcastle-under-Lyme’s Brampton Museum on Sunday 7 September at 2.00 pm. Admission £5. For more details, please contact the Museum.

Two Film Shows at the Brampton Museum

Two Film Shows at the Brampton Museum in September, telling the story of North Staffordshire’s Pottery and Textile Industries.

There are two film shows at Newcastle-under-Lyme’s Brampton Museum in September.

The first film, The Pottery Industry – 20th Century to Today, will be shown on Sunday, 14 September at 2.00 pm. Admission Free.

The second film, Leek and the Story of Silk Twisting, will be shown on Thursday, 18 September at 2.30 pm. Admission £5. The film marks the start of an autumn programme called Textile Take Over at the Brampton Museum. The programme will include exhibitions, talks and events relating to North Staffordshire’s textile industry.

Biddulph Grange

One of the wonders of Victorian England, Biddulph Grange Garden is unique. The garden, created by James Bateman, is a major tourist attraction. It will help to make North Staffordshire’s Industrial Landscape a World Heritage Site.