21 September 2011

Hoo Peninsula Film Project

Over the past few years, I’ve been meeting lots of the peninsula’s longer-standing inhabitants, or ‘peninsula elders’ as I like to call them! And I’ve been recording on camera their stories and memories about living and working here.


Often more than just the typical - and edited - recollections you tend to read in history books, I’ve heard some fascinating tales, some of which have been truly shocking in their detail. Always unique and personal insights into everyday life in this often overlooked corner of Kent and Medway, it’s been a real joy and privilege to have listened to them.

I now have a growing selection of recordings, each of which is being very slowly and carefully edited. When finished I’m planning to donate them to historical archives and any interested local history groups for posterity and, hopefully, for watching by future generations of historians, and residents, seeking to expand their knowledge of local social history.

All those ‘elders’ I’ve had the pleasure to meet so far have been very generous in their willingness to be recorded on film. Not always an easy process, especially when an amateur like me is doing the filming!

I have a whole list of people on my list to get through in the coming months, but it’s always good to hear of anyone else with a few interesting stories to tell.

Just get in touch via the contact page.