York: What has heritage ever done for us? · The ‘What has heritage ever done for us?’ event...

York: What has heritage

ever done for us?

York: What has heritage ever done for us? 20th June 2015Proceedings and Reflections Part of the ‘How should heritage decision be made?’ research project

Contents

1 HelenGraham,UniversityofLeeds,Introduction

Part 15 LianneBrigham,RichardBrigham,PeterBrown,HelenGraham,Paul

Furness‘Howshouldheritagedecisonsbemade?’researchprojectandtheYork:LivingwithHistorystrand–anoverview

Part 211 Whathasheritageeverdoneforus?Eventheld20thJune2015 LisaPickering,YorkStories,contributionbeforetheevent

13 ChrisSteward,CityofYorkCouncilLeader

16 DaveTaylor,CityofYorkCouncillorandChair,CultureandLeisureScrutinyCommittee

20 PeterAddyman,Chair,YorkCivicTrustandformallyDirector,YorkArchaeologyTrust

23 LianneBrighamandRichardBrigham,YorkPastandPresent

26 MichaelHayes,PlasticFortune

29 VictoriaHoyle,CityofYorkArchivist,ExploreYorkLibrariesandArchivesMutual

31 JohnOxley,CityofYorkArchaeologist

33 HelenWeinstein,Director,Historyworks

Reflections

39 PaulFurness,authorYork:AWalkontheWildSide

42 KitHeyam,LGBTHistoryMonth

44 LisaPickering,YorkStories

October2015

Introduction HelenGraham

On 20th June 2015 we asked ‘what has heritage ever done for us?’, we did this as a way of drawing to a close the ‘York: Living with History’ strand of an Arts and Humanities Research Council funded research project which asked ‘How should heritage decision be made?’

Thetitleoftheeventwasmeanttobeabitfacetious,referencingMontyPython’s‘whathavetheRoman’severdoneforus?’sketchinLifeofBrian.Wethrewthetitleouttoimplythatmaybeheritagehasdonenothing(theintendedresponsetoJohnCleese’srhetoricalquestion)andmaybeheritagehasdonealot(muchastheRomansweresaidtogivenJudearoads,sewageandwineinthesketch)andmaybe,likeMontyPython’scharacterizationoftheRomanregime,heritagecanbeoppressiveanddangerous.Allthesepossibleresonances,werecognised,couldbesaidtoapplytoanyconsiderationoftheimpactof‘heritage’onYork.

Theideaforeventcamefromthoseofuswho’dbeeninvolvedintheYorkstrandofthe‘Howshouldheritagedecisionbemade?’project–LianneBrigham,RichardBrigham,PeterBrown,HelenGraham,PaulFurness–reflectingontheworkwe’ddonetogether.Wewantedtousewhatwe’dlearntthroughourresearcheventsandexperiences,andthenetworkswe’ddeveloped,tobuildonourthinkingabouthowwemightincreaseparticipationindecisionmakingaboutheritageinthecitytoexplorehowheritageaffectslifeinYorkandtoextendourfocustoaskwhetherheritagecanbearesourcethathelpsuslivewellanddemocraticallytogether.

How should heritage decisions be made?wasfundedbyanArtsandHumanitiesResearchCouncilConnectedCommunitiespilotprojectfocusedonthecollaborativedesignofresearch.BetweenFebruary2013andFebruary2015ateamofpeoplecomingfromlotsofdifferentperspectivesworkedtogether;academics,policymakers,aLocalAuthorityconservationofficer,peopleshapingmuseumpracticeinparticipationandresearchandpeoplewhoareactivistsabouttheirownhistoriesandheritage.WecarriedourresearchinlotsofdifferentplacesUK-wideandtherewasastrandofwork–LivingwithHistory–heldinYork.

What has heritage ever done for us?20thJune2015The‘Whathasheritageeverdoneforus?’eventwasheldaspartoftheArtsandHumanitiesResearchCouncilConnectedCommunitiesFestivalinJune2015.Weinvitedlotsofthepeoplewe’dmetandworkedwith–andthenewlyelectedCityofYorkCouncilleadership–toexploretheevent’squestionsfromlotsofperspectives.Aspartofourresearchwe’dbeenthinkingofthecityandheritagewithinitsystemically,tryingtonoticewhichpeople,organisationsandstructuresofdecision-makingarewellconnectedandwherethedisconnectionsandexclusionshappen.Theaimofinvitinglotswrittenandspokencontributionswastobringdifferentpartsofthesystem,thoseattheheartofdecision-makingandthosefrustratedwiththecity,intoopendiscussion.Whatstrikesmethreemonthsonfromthe‘Whathasheritageeverdoneforus?’event,reflectingonthecontributionspublishedhere,isthatheritageoperatedintwoimportantwaysinourconversationsandintheseproceedings.Thefirst

way,whichwasanticipatedbytheevent’squiteinstrumentalquestion,wasasathingwhichinturndoesthingsandcanbemadetodothings:Heritageasakindoftool.Thesecondwasheritageasawayoftalkingandimaginingthecity:Heritageasakindofmedium.

Thefinalbookletforthe‘Howshouldheritagedecisonsbemade?’projectissubtitled‘Increasingparticipationfromwhereyouare’,andisstructuredaroundfourwaysofworkingweidentifiedthatmighthelpprofessionalsandothers,todevelopnewformsoflegitimacyfromavarietyofdifferentsourcesandnetworks:

Act:MakechangefromwhereyouareActaimstoencourageusalltostarttomakethingshappen.

Connect:CrossboundariesandcollaborateConnectdrawsattentiontotheimportanceofbuildingnetworksacrossinstitutionalboundariesandbetweenprofessionalsandactivists.

Reflect: Seeyourworkthroughotherpeople’seyesReflectisfocusedonthepowerofseeingissuesfromlotsofdifferentperspectives.

Situate:UnderstandyourworkincontextSituatewasawayofevokingakeyinfluencetoourresearchmethodology–systemsthinking.

Heritage as a toolThemostpositivereadingofheritageemphasizedtheeducationbenefitsofferedbyYork’sarchaeologicalheritageortheeconomicandculturalbenefitswhichmakesYorkagoodplacetolive,somethingPeterAddymanandCllrDaveTaylornoted.

Amuchmorecriticaltendencytendedtoseeheritage–or‘heritigisation’,theprocessbywhichYorkhasbeenpackagedasheritage–assomethingwhichworkstocreateanexclusiveandboringmonocultureinthecity,MichaelHayesandPaulFurnessarguealongtheselines.Thisisthekindofheritagethatfiltersouteverythingbutthesafestorthemosteasilyaesthetised,commercializedorsimplifiedideasofthepast.ThekindofheritagewhichmakesYorkfamousonlyfor‘oldbuildings’,tearoomsandpeopledressedupasVikings.

Heritage as a mediumHowever,itwasn’tintheroleofatoolthatheritageseemedthemostpowerfulattheevent.Formuchoftheevent,heritagewasnotevokedasaseparableentityorphenomena,itseemedtoactsmoreasawayoftalkingaboutthecity–akindofmedium.Mediuminthesenseof‘growingmedium’,likeearth,compost,water.

AttimesheritageseemedmorelikethesubstancethroughwhichwhatYorkis,wasandmightbe,wasarticulatedandcontestedaswellascultivatedandgrown.

Inthissenseheritagegaveameansbywhichmanyspeakers,andcontributorsheresuchasLisaPickering,KitHeyam,PaulFurnessandHelenWeinstein,contestwhatYorkistoensurethesenseofwhatthecityiscanbestretchedtofullyrecognizethelivesofpeoplewhoarelesbian,gay,bisexualortrans,toindicatethatthecityisn’tonlywhite(afalsehoodfartoooftensaid),tomaintainasenseofworkingclasscultureortraditionandtoremembertheprogromagainstJewishpeoplein1190atClifford’sTowerandthelongtermnegativeimpactonthereputationofthecityamongsttheJewishcommunityworldwide.

Yetthroughtheseinterventionsheritagealsoseemedtogiveusacommonsubstancethroughwhichtogiveformtothecity’schallengesanditsinequities,notleastinrelationshiptohousingwhichisaveryliveissueasYorkisoftencitedasthemostunaffordablecitytoliveinwiththenorthofEngland.WiththeLocalPlan(whichfailedtobepassedin2014)onthehorizonagainandbeingdevelopedunderanewleadership,perhaps‘heritage’canlooselyholdsusindialoguewhilewedisagree,asindeedwedidquiteabiton20thJuneandaswe’relikelytointhecomingyears.

Democratizing heritage, heritage democratising YorkIftherewasoneblazingthemeofboththeUK-wide‘Howshouldheritagedecisionsbemade?’projectaswellastheYork:LivingwithHistorystrandandtheevent,however,itwastransparencyandtheneedformorethoroughgoingparticipationinshapingwhatcountsasYork’sheritageanditsimpactonthecity’sfuture,apointmadepowerfullybyLianneandRichardBrighamfromYorkPastandPresentintheircontribution.Afewcontroversialissuesforthecity–Reynard’sGarageandGuildhall–wereregularlycitedasexampleswherepublicinvolvementhadfailedandasaresultproducedangeranddisillusionment.

Respondingtothiswidersenseofdemocraticdeficit,bothJohnOxley,theCityArchaeologistandVictoriaHoyle,theCityArchivistemphasizedtheimportanceofsharingknowledgeandarchivestoenablemoreinvolvementindecisionmaking(HistoricEnvironmentRecordandplanningdecisionsforexample)andforthecityasawholetomakebetterdecisions(drawingonourknowledgeofpastdecisionstohelpmakemoreinformeddecisions).Inthesubsequentdiscussionsitwasreallyclearthatthecity’scouncilorleader,ChrisSteward,sawtheenormouspotentialinthis,amorepro-activeandopenpublicengagementearliertopreventantagonismlater.

Anumberofideasemergedfromtheresearchandbecamecrystalizedattheevent–fromhowtocommunicatebetteracrosscouncil,organizationalandcommunityboundariesandabouthowthecity’sheritagemightbeusedtoengagemorepeopleinurgentissuesfacingthecity.ThelatterhasdevelopedintotheHistoriesBehindtheHeadlines,whichtheCityArchiveswillbehostinginNovember2015withafocuson‘housing’wherewewillbeusingengagementwithcityarchives,ourhistoricenvironmentandlocalmemoriesandknowledgetoenrichcity-levelpublicdebate.

So what has heritage done for us? Alot,mostofusthought.Whenthoughtofasatoolsomeofwhathasbeenenabledbyourframingofbuildings,memoriesandobjectsas‘heritage’hasbeenbrilliant,somelesssoand,infact,posesthreatstothelivabilityofthecity.Yetwhenheritageisthoughtofmoreasmediumandasopen,dynamicandnecessarilycreatedtogether,thereisevenmoresocialandpoliticalpotentialforanengageddialogueaboutthefutureofthecity.Intheendtheeventsuggeststhatitwasnotreallyaboutwhatheritagecandomuchforus,aswhatcanbedonebyusandthroughheritage.

Thisbookletisintwoparts.Part1offersasummaryoftheYork:LivingwithHistoryprojectconducted,asparoftheUKwideresearchprojectin2013-2015.Part2offersproceedingsfromthe‘Whathasheritageeverdoneforus?’

Part 1 York: Living with History‘How should heritage decisions be made?’ and the York: Living with History strand: Situating participation in heritage decision-making in a city’s systems

MartinBashforth(York’sAlternativeHistory),LianneBrigham,RichardBrigham(YorkPastandPresent),PeterBrown(YorkCivicTrust),HelenGraham(UniversityofLeeds),PaulFurness(radicalhistorianandwriter)

AllofuswereinvolvedintheUK-wide‘Howshouldheritagedecisionsbemade?’project.HerewewanttosharespecificallyanoverviewofwhatwedidinYorkasawayofframingtheproceedingsofthe‘Whathasheritageeverdoneforus’event.

Yorkisknownasaheritagecity.Mappingheritagedecision-makingsystemsandcruciallyhowtheythesesystemsareexperiencedbythepeoplewholiveinthecity,madecleartheurgentneedforalternativestotraditionalformsof‘consultation’.Insteadweexperimentedwithparticipativeapproachesandfocused–notsomuchon‘sharingyouropinion’or‘havingasay’–butonactionandargument.

York systemically:Westartedbymappingformalstructuresandinformalnetworkswhichmakeupofficialheritagedecision-makinginthecity.Wethenalso–throughlotsofconversationsatdropinsandonpublicstalls–infusedthesemapswiththelivedexperienceofbeingpartof,andnotbeingpartof,theseprocesses.TherewerepeoplewhowereverywellconnectedandhadalotofinfluenceoverwhatcountsasheritageinYork.Butalsowefoundpeoplewhowantedtotakeanactivepartwhofoundithardtogetan‘in’.

Mappingheritagedecision-makingsystemicallyprovedapowerfulmethodology.Ifyoucanseehowformalstructuresandinformalnetworksfittogether,thenyoucanstarttonoticekeypeopleandkeypointsforincreasingparticipationindecision-making.

Weused‘thinkingsystemically’asaresearchmethodology.Wealsofoundthistechniqueusefulforreflectingonourownpracticeandactivismandforplanningactionandconnection.Systemicthinkingoffersawayofthinkingaboutheritagenotinisolationorfixedbutasadynamicprocesswhichisproduced,andshaped,bypeople,ideasandthingsandthewaytheyinteract–anddon’t.

•Mapprocesses•Lookforpatterns•Noticeboundariesanddisconnections

“We do Urban Exploring and all we wanted to do was go in and take some photographs of some ex-military hutments before they were demolished. We tried everything to get permission to go in. We phoned the Council. We got passed on to the Art Gallery. Then they passed us back to the Council. We were passed from pillar to post. Even to the point that we asked a security guard to take our camera and take photos – and the answer was still no. We thought we’ve had enough, we’re going to start something new. Start afresh. That’s when we started the Facebook group – now over 9000 strong – York Past and Present.”

RichardBrighamandLianneBrigham,YorkPastandPresent

LianneandRichardandYorkPastPresenthavesinceworkedwiththeCityofYorkCounciltoconductanumberofpublicdocumentationprojects,includingofwoodenbuildingsneartheGuildhall.YoucanhearmoreaboutYorkPastandPresent’srecentdevelopsinthetranscriptofLianneandRichardcontributionoftheWhathasheritageeverdoneforuseventbelow.Credit:RichardBrigham

‘Us’ and ‘Them’:Wefoundthattheword‘them’wasusedalotinourinitialmappingprocessestorefertoelectedofficialsandcouncilstaff.Thiswasdirectlylinkedtopeople’sexperiencesof‘consultation’–themostcommonoforganizationalattemptsat‘participation’.Theuseof‘them’revealedasenseofdisempowermentoverdecisions:thefeelingthatconsultationwasa‘figleaf’fordecisionsthatalreadybeentaken.Butwedidalsonoticethattheflipsideofevoking‘them’seemedtobethatittooeasilyabsolvedthepersonspeakingofresponsibilityfortakingtheinitiativeorfindingwaysofsharingresponsibility. “Before it was like a 6ft wall with anti-climb paint on, whatever way we

went it blocked you. It was only meeting some key people that we could see a way around the wall. You’ve got to find a way beyond the ‘them’ and ‘us’. We’re all working for a common goal, so let’s work together.”

LianneBrigham,YorkPastandPresent

‘”They” are people too!’:Therewasalsoanimportant‘livedexperience’dimensionforthoseindecision-makingpositions.Someexpressedasenseofbeingconstantlybeingattacked,bothbycentralgovernmentthroughrecentcutsandbydebatesinthelocalpressandontwitter.

Criticisms of ‘participation’:Yetwealsoranintoanumberofpeopleindecision-makingroleswhojustdidn’tbelieveinparticipation.Themostcommoncriticismsofparticipationweencounteredwere:thatitunderminesexpertise,thatthepubliccan’tdealwithcomplexinformation,itcan’tbescaledandonlyattractstheusualsuspects.

Experimental action:Wedevisedaseriesofexperimentalpublicevents,whichaimedtomodelwaysofbreakingdownthedivisionof‘us’and‘them’bydiversifyingwhoisincludedintheinformalnetworksinfluencingheritageinYork,by‘humanising’thoseindecision-makingpositionswhilealsoaddressingsomeofthehard-edgedcritiquesofparticipationwe’dunearthed.

“There is a danger in writing up research that you tell a nice neat story. While Peter, Martin and I had put in place a backbone of mapping and then experimental events, almost everything that’s been truly revelatory or that has shifted something has come from improvising and taking opportunities which arose as we went along – not least meeting Richard and Lianne in the first month of the project, admins of what was then a new Facebook page.”

HelenGraham,MuseumandHeritageStudies,UniversityofLeeds

Contesting what ‘York’ is:PaulFurnessledtworadicalhistorywalksaspartoftheresearchproject.Bypluralizingthesenseofthecity’spast,weaimedtoopenupaspacefordebateabouttheroleofheritageinthecity.Thewalkwasthenturnedintoabook,whichinturnenteredthepublicdomainwithasplashthroughasomewhatcontroversialYorkPressarticle.Thepressreactionmadevisiblehowcontroloverheritageandclassareintertwinedinthecity:

“There was a lot of coverage when we published the York: A Walk on the Wild Side book. In York Press it was centre spread, there was a news article, an editorial and a banner headline. It certainly worked – the saying that all publicity is good publicity is true. But the news article did put words into my mouth – about York ‘being twee’ – and I didn’t like the personal aspect of it, the number of people who told me to pack my bags and leave town. Yet I’m interested in the fact that what I wrote did touch a nerve. The controversy in the end wasn’t so much about the histories, it was more about what I said about the raucous drinking culture of the York races and Saturday night, ‘when York comes alive’. It was the challenge to that dull middle class mentality of a genteel city that riled people. It’s good to stir things up once in a while.”

PaulFurness,WriterandHistorian,York

PaulFurnessleadingtheWalkontheWildSidein2014,youcanhearmorefromPaulinhisreflectionsontheissuesraisedbythe‘Whathasheritageeverdoneforus?’eventbelow.

Arguments not Opinions:Inresponsetoboththegeneralpublicconsensuson‘consultation’andthehard-edgedcritiquesofparticipationwe’dencounteredfromdecisionmakers,wemodelledalternatives.WeusedasourcasestudythecontroversialbrutalistbuildingStonebowHouseandbegantoexplorethewaysinwhich‘argument’,insteadofthe‘opinions’usuallyaskedforinconsultations,mightbeusedtoaddressquestionsofscalingparticipationindecision-making.Wealsobroughtdifferenttypesofexpertiseintoactivedebatethroughevents,Facebookandpressarticlesandshowedhowtoexpandbeyondwhatmightbeconsidered‘theusualsuspects’.Itwasn’tthatmanypeoplechangedtheirmindsbuttheirengagementintheissuesdeepenedanddevelopedtheirperspectives.Moresolidgroundforanydecision–andthetermsofanyfuturedecisions–emerged.

‘StonebowHouseinThreeWords’contributedaspartoftheStonebowHouseeventandthroughLisaPickering’sYorkStorieswebsite.

StonebowHouse,oftencitedasYork’sleastfavouritebuilding.JonWright–aconsultantonin20thcenturyarchitectureandheritage–playedacrucialroleinshowinghowexpertisecanbeengagedtoenhanceanddeveloppublicdebate.CreditYorkMix.

Proactive Community-Led Planning:Wealsoexploredproactivecommunityengagementbymodellinghowcommunity-initiatedplanningmightwork,focusedontheCastlearea.

“The Castle area meeting allowed a wide range of interested parties time to formulate a consensus on what would be the best (or at least the most acceptable) treatment of the spaces in and around the world class collection of historic buildings. Preliminary discussions with City Council officers have been encouraging and further meetings are planned.”

PeterBrown,YorkCivicTrust

Diversifying networks and crossing boundaries:Throughdoingtheseeventsweencounteredsomepeoplewhowereasexcitedaswewereaboutincreasingparticipationinheritagedecision-making,notleastJohnOxley,CityArchaeologistwhometRichardandLiannefirstatoneoftheproject’sdrop-ins.This‘magicnetworkingpath’,asRichardhasnamedit,bothhelpedusunderstandthecomplexitiesofthecityandalsomadepossibletheYorkPastandPresentpublicdocumentation(urbanexplorationwithpermission!)ofthecity’sGuildhall.

“We’ve found that networking works. There’s like this magic path. You need to find one person and then they introduce you to their friends. There are two types of people in the council/organisations. The ones that want to work with people and want change; and those that don’t. The key is find those that do want change and then they usually know other people who do too. ”

RichardBrigham,YorkPastandPresent

“The principal benefit I gained from that was seeing how effective personal networking can be in broadening the constituency of people who might be involved in public decision-making around heritage issues. That takes effort, confidence and leadership – qualities that are not equally distributed but do have the benefit of encouraging involvement and collective work across a diverse range of people. Collectives have to be built, whether from inside or outside public institutions.”

MartinBashforth,radicalfamilyhistorianandpartofYork’sAlternativeHistory

The living stream sustaining York:CertainpossibilitieshavecertainlybeenopenedupthroughourresearchinYork,butotherboundariesstillseemquiteintractable.Findingoutwhatisgoingonishardworkandreliesonpeoplelikingyouoryoubeingusefultotheminsomeway–whichisn’talwayseasytoachieve!Sometimesofferingtogetinvolvedandshareresponsibilityhasbeenverywarmlywelcomed–suchasYorkPastandPresent’sworkwiththeMansionHouse–andatothertimesactivelydiscouraged.Yetthemosttransformativemomentsintheprojecthavecomewhenpeoplewhohadn’tmetbefore,andperhapswouldn’tusuallymeet,havegottogetherandstartedtalking.Wesawthe‘Whathasheritageeverdoneforus?’eventinJune2015asjustonespaceforthesetypeofdiscussions.

“My organisation has, until recently, functioned in ‘silo-mode’, considering itself one of a small number of ‘experts’ engaged in the heritage decision-making process in York. Involvement in this project, however, has shown the benefits of a more democratic and inclusive engagement with a broad spectrum of opinion, thereby offering a more measured view on issues of common interest.”

PeterBrown,YorkCivicTrust

Youcanfindoutmoreaboutthe‘Howshouldheritagedecisionbemadeproject’:http://heritagedecisions.leeds.ac.uk/

TheYorkstrandoftheprojectcanbefollowedhere:https://livingwithhistory.wordpress.com/

Lisa Pickering, York StoriesLisaPickeringisawriterandphotographerwho,since2004,hasbeenreflectingonthecity

throughherwebsiteYorkStories:AResident’sRecordofYorkanditsChanges.LisaistheauthorofChocolateandChicory:Yorkandbeyond,bybicycleandWhenthesuburbsburned:awalkaround17thcenturyYork.www.yorkstories.co.uk

Lisacontributedtothe‘Whathasheritageeverdoneforus?’eventthroughashortarticlepublishedinadvanceoftheevent.Inherpiece,Lisadrawsattentiontothewaysinwhicholdandnew;heritageandinnovationaretoooftenopposed,heldapartasopposites.Lisacallsforthosewanting‘tomaketheirmarkonthecity’todosowiththegrainofYork’slocaldistinctivenessand‘moresympatheticallytothesoliditythatcamebefore,thedistinctiveshapeofwhat’salreadythere’.

I’moneofthoseYorkbornandbredpeople.Iknowwecanbeannoyingwhenwegoonaboutthis,andthatwecanmakeotherpeoplewho’vemovedheremorerecentlyfeellikethey’renotacceptedanddon’tbelong.Idon’twanttodothat,butIdohavetowritefromtheperspectiveofsomeonewhohaslivedherefor40-plusyears.

Heritageiswhatweinherit.Andifyou’reborninaplaceandliveinitfordecadesthenyouhaveaweightierinheritancetothinkabout,assumingyou’vegrowntohaveattachmentsandunderstandingsabouttheplace,asmostofusdo.I’mthinkingnotjustofthebuiltheritagebutofaculturalheritagetoo.

Concernsabouttheprotectionofheritageareoftendismissedas‘fearofchange’.I’veoftenthought,ifIdidfearchangeasmuchasmembersofthe‘heritagebrigade’areaccusedofdoingthenI’dbecoweringinacornersilentandterrifiedbynow,asthere’sbeensomuchchange.

York-bornpeopleofmygenerationandolderhaveseenenormouschangesinrecentdecades.ThefactorieswheresomanypeopleworkedwhenIwasachildarenowpartofour‘heritage’ratherthanworkplaces.Thecityturnedtowardstourismandwelcomedvisitors,morerecentlyithasseenamassiveincreaseinthestudentpopulationandresidentswhohavegraduatedfromtheuniversities.Thishaschangedthefeeloftheplacequitedramatically.It’smostnoticeableprobablyintheWalmgatearea,wherewenowhavetheinterestinglynamed‘StudentCastle’.

Thishasresultedintensionanddifficultybetweenopposingperspectives,the‘newstuff’andthe‘oldstuff’,thosewhowanttomaketheirmarkonthecityandthosewhowanttoprotectitsheritage.

I’vefoundittroublingthewayheritageand‘newstuff’haverecentlybeensetupasifinoppositionbymembersofthegrowingcreativesector.Heritageisoftenportrayedassomedulldustythinggettingintheway.

TheUNESCOdesignationasaCityofMediaArtsandassociatedplansfortheGuildhallprovokedparticularlyheateddebate,emphasisingthedivisionsbetweendifferentcommunitieswithinthecity.

Part 2 What has heritage ever done for us? 20thJune2015Havingintroducedthewiderproject,wenowsharethecontributionsandreflectionsgeneratedbythe‘Whathasheritageeverdoneforus?’event.

‘TheproposalfortheGuildhallcomplexispartofabiggerpictureanddemandbeingpushedthroughthecitybythecreativesector’saidanarticleinoneandother.com.TheUNESCOdesignationis‘aboutYorkpushingforward’suggestedarecentpieceinthePress.Thereseemstobequitealotofpushinggoingon.It’snowondersomeofusfeelalittleconcerned,andfearthatthethingswecareaboutwillbepushedoutoftheway,destroyedorsilenced.RecentlyonTwitterInoticedaphototakeninBeverley,inEastYorkshire,somedecadesago.AphotoofabusgoingthroughBeverley’sNorthBar.Thebushadareallyunusualshape,atthetop.Notflatandwide,butwiththesidesoftheroofatanangle,formingamorepointedroof.TheroofmatchedtheshapeoftheNorthBar’sopeningandallowedthebusestogothroughit.Asolutiontoheritagebeing‘intheway’oftheneedsof20thcenturylife,animaginativeandthoughtfulone,andalocalone.

BeverleyNorthBarBus.Theimportanceofworkingwith‘thedistinctiveshapeofwhat’sthere’.Credit:EastRidingMuseumsServicecourtesyofDarrenKendre.

There’samessagethereforthosewantingtodrivethroughchangeinYork.Ihopethatthey’lltaketheirjourneythroughthecitywithmorerespectforwhat’salreadythere,shapingtheirchangesmoresympatheticallytothesoliditythatcamebefore,thedistinctiveshapeofwhat’salreadythere,ratherthandrivingthroughchangeregardless.

InBeverley,tohelpwithtrafficflow,theycouldhaveknockeddownthebar.InYorkwenearlyremovedours,andtookthebarbicanfrommostofthem.Nodoubtatthetimethe‘heritagebrigade’wereseenastryingtostandinthewayofprogress…

Forthefuture,Iwouldliketoseeusbroadenourawarenessandappreciationofheritagetoincludetheplacesandexperiencesperhapsmoreresonanttogroupsofpeoplecurrentlyunder-representedinthemanydialoguesaboutthecity’sheritage.Manyvoicesremainunheard.

It’sclearthatthosewhoknowhowtogetsupportandfundingwillhaveaclearadvantage,andthattherearemanypeopleleftontheperipheryunabletoinfluencedecisionsonheritageorhavetheirstoriesandexperiencesrecognisedaspartofYork’sstory.Ifearthatthedominantnarrativeswillendupwipingoutorobscuringthelocaldistinctiveness,ignoringwhatisalreadyknown.Achallengeforthefutureistomakesurethatthelessvisibleheritageandthequietervoicesarerecognisedandrecorded.

@YorkStorieswww.yorkstories.co.uk12

Chris Steward, City of York Council LeaderCllrChrisStewardrepresentsRuralWestYorkWardfortheConservativePartyand,since

May2015,hasactedasCouncilLeader.ChrisopenedtheeventbysettingoutthechallengesheseesforheritageinYorkinbalancingdevelopmentandconservationthroughtheLocalPlan.Chrisdrewattentiontohousingasaparticularlycontentiousissue,andemphasizedacommitmentfromhisadministrationtoopenengagementwithYorkresidentsarguingitis‘absolutelykeytogetmorepeoplecontributing’.BelowisaneditedtranscriptofChris’sspeech.

Goodafternoon,everybody,itisgreattobehere.ObviouslyitisprettysoonaftertheelectionandYork’sfutureandhowheritagefeaturedinthatwasakeyissuefortheelection.WhenIgotinvitedtospeaktodayitreallymademethinkthatit’sfareasiertowriteapartypoliticalleafletsayingweneedtotalkaboutYork’sheritagethantomaybeexplainwhatwethinkofbyit.

Idothinkthewhole‘whathavetheRomanseverdoneforus?’isarealparallelbecauseobviouslyitisverytrueinYorkthatwe’vehadalotofRomaninfluence.ButequallysomuchofthegreatstuffaboutYorkwetakeforgranted.I,myself,havelivedinYorkallmylife;it’salovelyplace.Weknowwe’vegotincrediblebuildings,citywallsandeverythinglikethatandwe’vealsogottwothousandyearsofdevelopment.We’rethemostimportantcityintheNorth.WearethesecondmostimportantcitytoLondonand,asGeorgeVIfamouslysaid,‘thehistoryofYorkisthehistoryofEngland.’Sowe’vedefinitelygotsomethingtobuildonandwe’vegotsomethingtohelpinfluence.

Ididactuallylookupthedefinitionof‘heritage’inthedictionary.Ithoughtitwasworthdoingandgotvariousdefinitions,whichseemsunusualbutanyway.Everythingfromsomethinginheritedatbirth,suchaspersonalcharacteristicstoanythingthathasbeentransmittedfromthepastorhandeddownbytradition.Whichisreallyabouthowwe’vegotthismassiveopportunitytoinfluencethingsbecausethingsinYorkdochange,theyshouldchangeandwe’vegottothinkaboutwhatwewanttopreserveandenhance.

Wehavejusthadtheelection.TheLocalPlanwassomethingHelentouchedoninhere-mailinvitationtospeaktodayand,asmanyofyouwillbeaware,theLocalPlanlooksathousing,employment,land,transportandthewholefeelofYork.Idoactuallythinkforallthestuffyouwillhearinthemedia,thereisprobablyafarbroaderagreementontheheritagesideacrosspoliticiansofdifferentpartiesthanyoumightthink.Wherethereisabigdisagreementisonthelevelofhousing,wherethathousingshouldbebuiltandweasapartyandweasanewadministrationareveryclear.Wedonotthinkthereshouldbeanythinglikethelevelofdevelopmentonthegreenbeltthatwasproposedinthepreviousdraftlocalplan.Wethinkbrownfieldsitesshouldbeprioritizedfordevelopmentforanumberofreasons:fromthepointofviewofenhancingurbanregenerationtokeepingtheuniquefeelofYork.IthinkYorkwouldlosealotifdevelopmentaspreviouslyproposedwastohappenand,ifyoulookatsomeofthesites,forexamplewherewegethousingtotheringroadandthenhousingbeyondreallyisn’tthewayforwardforme.Sothere’shopefullylotsofthingswecanworkon.

Thereiseventhingswhere,althoughDaveTaylormaynotliketoadmittoit,weandtheGreensagree;Ithinkwehaveasimilarviewonthingslikethelocalplanandhopefullyheritagebeingatthecoreofthat.

Idoverymuchthinkthisistherightformatfortoday,justhavingafewminutesofusoutliningourviewsandtheninthemainhearingfrompeoplewhatyouthink.Becausewhilstthingslikeprotectingthegreenbeltarepoliticalthings,itisourpoliticalviewwedon’twantthevasthousingasproposed.WewantsomehousingatalowerlevelandindifferentlocationsbutheritagereallyissomethingthathasgottobeaboutthewholeofYorkandtakingeveryonewithus.

ObviouslyYorkapplyingforWorldHeritageStatushasbeenaverybigthingovertherecentyearsandIamnotgoingtotalkatallaboutthat,excepttosayweallknowYorkessentiallyoneofthebestcitiesaroundanditwouldbegreattogetthatacknowledgement.Sotherearevariousdecisionsatthemomentthatweface,whicharesortofweighinguptheprosandconsoftheheritageissuesthatconcernshowwemoveforward,withalsosomeofthequestionsthatwereraisedabouttheaffordabilityofYorkandtheenvironmentthatwelivein.SomeofthebuildingsyoumayhaveseenarethingslikewhatwillhappentoReynard’sGarage?WhatwillhappentotheMaltingsinClementhorpe?Buttheyareinterestingexamplesofthere’safinancialaspecttothingsandthere’saculturalaspecttothings.InthecaseoftheMaltingstherearethehousingaspectsandtheremaybewiththeReynard’sGaragetoo,dependingonwhathappens.Butinbothcasestheyareclearexamplesofwherenothinghashappenedforyearsandyearsandyearsandthatalmostisthegreatestwrongofallthattheyhavejustbeenleft.SoIknowthatitisabsolutelykeytogetmorepeoplecontributingand–Iwouldsaythiswouldn’tI?–Idon’tthinkthepreviousadministrationwasthemostreceptivetocontributions.Butnowwe’vegotadifferentCouncil;we’vedoneanadministrationwiththeLiberalDemocratsbutitis‘nooverallcontrol’,whichmeansthatdifferentCouncillorshaveasayatdifferentcommitteemeetingsandIthinkthatisapositiveandwewillreachoutwhereverwepossiblycanbe.

TwothencurrentissuesraisedasexamplesduringtheeventwereReynard’sGarageandtheMaltingsinClementhorpe.Reynard’sGarage–ortheformerAirspeedFactorywithconnectionstopioneeringaviatorAmyJohnson-provedthemorecontroversialoftwo.Shortlyaftertheeventadecisionwasmadetodemolishthebuilding.

Reynard’sGarage.ValuedbymanyforitsartdecofeaturesanditsconnectiontotheAirspeedFactory.TherehadbeenhopethattheYorkshireAirMuseummighttakethesiteover.Credit:IanTempest

SohowmightYork’sheritagebecomearesourcethathelpsuslivetogether,wasoneoftheevent’squestions?Andalsotheissuesaboutwages,affordablecities;wellIthinkthekeythingisaboutthecitygrowing,thecitychanging.Italwayshaschanged;italwayswillchange.Ifwethink,forexample,ofReynard’sGaragethatpeoplewilltalkaboutthelinkswiththeairindustry,theywilltalkaboutthelinksforholdingtramsinthere;formeIwillalwaysknowitastheplacethatwasLazerQuest,so,youknow,it’sbeendifferentthingsovertheyears.ItisabouthowwegetthebestdealandIthinkthatisaboutheritageworkingbestwhenwereallydoprotectwhatwe’vegot,enjoywhatwe’vegotandsavourwhatwe’vegot.

YorkGuildhall,abuildingwhosefutureiscurrentlyunderdiscussion.Credit:IanTempest

Tourismisakeythingbecausewewanttherightsortoftourists,ifwecansaythat.Soweareincreasinglygettingstagandhenpartiesbutthere’sabetterwayforward.NottohavetouristsjustasacommoditybuttoreallysharewiththemthebrillianceofYork.AndIwouldjustreallyfinishonwhatisoneofthetoughestdecisionsthatwearegoingtofaceatthemoment,whichiswhattodowiththeGuildhall?Andthatisafascinatingproject,andforme,youknow,itcomesbacktothesamesortofthingthatthebiggestwrongwiththeGuildhallatthemomentisthefactthatwe’vegotthisincrediblebuildingandveryfewpeoplegoandseeit.Youknow,ifyouhavefriendshereyoumightsortofsay,we’llhaveawanderdownandlet’slookroundtheGuildhall.Iwastalkingearlieraboutthetours[withYorkPastandPresent]thatpeoplecando.Butinthemainit’sjusttotallyneglected,totallyunloved;sowe’vegottolookatthecityofmediaandartsandhowthatcanhavearolewithinthebuildingthroughaviablebusinessplan.Butit’sacombinationoffactorstopreservetheold,tomovewiththenew,timeschangebuttherereallyisnotinanyofthisarightorawronganswer.AndtherearecertainthingsthatwewillthinkaspoliticiansbutIthinkinheritage,itisallaboutthisjourneyofwhatwewanttoseeinYork,whatwewanttopreserveandthatissomethingwherewehopefullycangetfarmoreengagementamongstresidentsgoingforward.

Dave Taylor, City of York Councillor and Chair, Culture and Leisure Scrutiny CommitteeCllrDaveTaylorrepresentsFishergateWardfortheGreenParty.Daveopenedbysayingit

washeritage–intheformtheCastleAreaCampaignagainstCoppergateII–thatfirstgothimpoliticallyengagedinYork.CllrTaylorwaskeentoseeheritageasan‘agentofchange’andof‘regeneration,‘Ithinktooofteninourcity[…]heritagehasbeenseenasanobstacle,amillstone.Andyetitcanbetheoppositeofthat–itisagreatattractor.’AthemerunningthroughDave’stalkwashowtosubstantiallyincreasetransparencyandpublicparticipationinthecity’sdecisionmakingandconcluded,‘SoI’llleaveyouwithaphrase,turningHelen’squestiononitsheadperhaps,asknotwhatYork’sheritagecandoforyou,butwhatyoucandoforYork’sheritage?’BelowisaneditedtranscriptofDave’scontribution.

AshasbeenexplainedtoyouI’mtheGreenPartyCouncillorforFishergateandIamcurrentlytheChairoftheLearningandCulturePolicyandScrutinyCommitteeandIwasalsotheHeritageChampionforYork,arolewhichsadlyLabourdeleted.Itwasanunpaid,anunremuneratedrole,soI’mnotquitesurewhytheyfelttheneedtodothat.HoweverIhavebeenspeakingtothenewadministrationtoseewhetherwecanrestorethatroleforsomebody.IamalsoChairmanfortheScrutinyReviewintotheCulturalQuarterforYorkandIamalifememberofYorkCivicTrust.IhavealsoworkedwithpeoplelikeJohnOxleyonYork’sbidforWorldHeritageSitestatus.

So,whathasheritageeverdoneforus?WellIthinkperhapsoneofthemostimportantthingsistoeducateourselvesaboutthepastandhowthepastimpactsonthepresentandthefuture;hopefullywecanlearnfromthemistakesofthepastandlearnnottorepeatthem.

Clifford’sTower,DaveTaylorarguesthatpreviousdevelopmentplansdidnotadequatelyrespectthesite’sspecifichistory,notleastthe1190pogromsagainsttheJewishcommunity.Credit:BarryPitcher

ItwasClifford’sTowerbuildingthatreallygotmeinvolvedinpoliticsinYork.ThesiteofoneofthefirstpogromsagainsttheJewshereinYorkin1190andtheCouncilwantedtoplonkashoppingmallnexttoit,onthecastlecarpark,backin1998.AndIgotinvolvedinthecitizen’sgroupcalledtheCastleAreaCampaign,withsomepeoplewhoareinthisroomheretodayandaswellasYorkCivicTrust.Wecampaignedveryhardforyearsonthat,andtheCouncil’splans,alongwithLandSecurities,weredefeatedinapublicinquiryin2003.AndtheancientmonumentofClifford’sTowernowstandsasasymboloftheneedtoguardagainstreligiousintolerance.Thisisatheme,whichhasvisitedYorkandYorkshiresince,withminoritiesliketheCatholicsbeingpersecutedandtheirterroristresponsebackin1605,anoldboyofSt.Peter’sSchool,GuyFawkes,beingthebombmaker,rightuptothealienationofMuslimstoday.Thisisathreadofhistoryfromwhichwecanlearn.

Iwanttotalkalittlebitabouthowheritagecanbeanagentforchangetoo.Howitcanplayapartinregenerationandattractinginwardinvestmentandinrenewingoureconomy.Ithinktooofteninourcity,andelsewhereofcourse,heritagehasbeenseenasanobstacle,amillstone.Andyetitcanbetheoppositeofthatasitisagreatattractor.WhentheVisitYorksurveypeoplewhocometovisitourfaircity,asteady80%saytheycomehereforthehistoryandheritage.Theydon’tcomeheretoshopinDebenhams.

Buthereisabuilding,whichtheCouncilisstrugglingtofindauseforandweareresponsible:York’sGuildhall.TheGuildhallitselfwhichIamsuremanypeoplehavebeeninto,isusedforoccasionalartexhibitionsandtherehavebeentoursroundorganizedbythegreatYorkPastandPresent.ThereistheGuildhallitself,theCouncilChamberandthewonderfulCommitteeRoomsandtherearesomelesslovelyofficebuildingsaswell.ButtherecouldbeagreatattractorinsuchafabulouslocationandIhavebeenawareofaneedfortenyearsormoreforabusinesslocationwheresmalldigitalandartscompaniescanco-locate,theycanshareprojectsandbidforlargerpiecesofwork.AndIthinktherestorationoftheGuildhall,whichweneedtodocouldprovidethatincubatoranditcouldbethespringboardforthosedigitalmediacompaniestogrowthatlivelytechnologysectorinYork.Thereneedstobeasoundbusinesscase,ofcoursetheredoes,buttheideaofatwenty-firstcenturyguildtotakeovertheGuildhallisveryappealing.

ThegardensofStAntony’sHall,nowhometotheQuiltMuseumandGallery.Credit:AmandaTodd

St.Anthony’sHall,isanotherGuildhallpreviouslyusedbytheBorthwickInstituteuntil2004whentheyabandonedittomovetonewarchivespaceattheUniversityofYork.IbroughttheQuilter’sGuildoftheBritishIslestolookatthisbuilding,astheCouncilwas,atthetime,cluelessastowhattheycoulddowithit.Therewassometalkofpossiblyturningitintooffices.Butthescaleofthishall,whichisquitemagnificent,wasperfectforhanginglargetapestriesanditonlyhasawindowatoneendandattheotherendsothereisalotofwallspacethereforhangingtheselargetapestries,whichcouldeasilybedamagedbystrongsunlight.Andyoucanseesomeoftheexhibitionshereandoneofthemorecontemporarydesignsaswellhere.IdiscoveredthatYorkSt.JohnhascoursesindesignandImadetherelevantintroductionstotheQuilter’sGuildbackin2004.AswellastherestorationofSt.Anthony’sHallitself,thisre-development,thisregeneration,providedofficesforYorkArchaeologicalTrust,hostedbythenewlandlord,YorkConservationTrust,whichtookontheownershipofthisbuildingfromtheCouncil.Thegardensarefabulousandrunallthewayuptothecitywalls.Theywereinadisgracefulmess,butarenowsuperblyredesignedbyBishopBurtonCollege,withthenewSchoolhouseGalleryinthegroundsandtheOldPrintWorks,whichwasonthissidenowturnedintoarestaurant,theLeLangheRestaurant.

Imustbringyouuptodatewithacoupleofrecentissues,bothbadlyhandledbythepreviouscounciladministration.TheMalthouseatClementhorpe,whichhadbeenusedasamuseumstore.Asecretdecisionwasmadetoflogitofftoadeveloperandthishasonlyrecentlyenteredintothepublic’sconsciousness.However,astheMalthousewasgoingtoberestored,albeitconvertedtoprivateflats,Ididn’treallyobjecttothisasIthoughtitwouldbeasensitiveconversion.Iwasmoreconcernedaboutthisdebacle.Thesamesecretprocessundertheformeradministrationwouldhaveleftthisbuildingdemolished.Thedirectorhadrefusedtogiveme,overthecourseofaboutamonthcouncilofficershad

refusedtogivemeinformationabouttheprocess,whichdeliveredtotheCabinetfourchoicesofwhattodowiththebuilding.1)Knockitdownandbuildahotel.2)Knockitdownandbuildahotel.3)Knockitdownandbuildahotel.Or4)knockitdownandbuildahotel.It’sjustscandalousreallythatthatsecretprocesstookplacewithnoopportunityformembersofthepublic,andnoopportunityforoppositionCouncillorsatthattime,toengagewithit.IfeltthiswouldbeashockinglossofoneofYork’sfewArtDecobuildingsofnote.Youcanseesomeofthedetailinghereandwiththeassociationswiththeauthor,NevilShute,hewasaformeraircraftbuilder,andAmyJohnson,thefamousaviator,whoinvestedinShute’sfactory.Ithoughtitdeservedabetterfate.YorkshireAirMuseumenvisagedturningthestructureintoa1930sexperiencetohonourShute,Johnsonandthetechnologicalrevolutionofthosetimes.ThishasbeendiscussedwiththeCouncillongbeforetheshoddyandshabbysecretprocess,whichtookplacetobringaboutitsdestruction.Thisbattleison-going.WhenthehotelbidwasrejectedIarrangedadealtosaveitwiththelastLabourleader,DafyddWilliamsandtocontractdirectlywiththeYorkshireAirMuseum.ButnowtheCouncilaresayingit’sunsafe.Itisprobablynomoreunsafenowthanithasbeenforthelasttwentyyears.

Sowhathasheritageeverdoneforus?Wellwithoutgoingintothesketchfrom‘LifeofBrian’,Iwouldsaythatheritagegivesusatremendousamount,certainlyintermsofitseducativepotential.Ifpeopletookasmuchinterestintheirheritageasyoudo,ifwealltookaninterestintheheritageitwouldbebetter.Historyandheritageisthebedrockofourtouristeconomy,ashasbeensaid.Thissupports10%ofemploymentinthecityandithasthepotentialtoattractinwardinvestmenttogrowourtargetbusinessclusters,asIhaveargued.MoreoverIthinkitjustaddsmassivelytoourqualityoflifeandthisiswhyIchoosetolivehereinYorkandnotinRochdale,whereIgrewupandwhyIwouldneverchoosetoliveinanewtownlikeMiltonKeynes.ButIwouldsayChris(gesturingtotheCouncilLeader,ChrisSteward)thatmaybestrategicbuildingintheGreenBeltisbetterthanover-developmentinthecitycentre,whichdestroysthequalityoflifeinthecity.SoI’llleaveyouwithaphrase,turningHelen’squestiononitsheadperhaps,asknotwhatYork’sheritagecandoforyou,butwhatyoucandoforYork’sheritage?

Peter AddymanPeterAddymanisthefoundingDirectorofYorkArchaeologyTrustandcurrentchairofYork

CivicTrust.Peterbeganbysayinginanswertotheevent’squestionthathebecameanarcheologistbecauseofthechancetocomeoverasateenagertogetinvolvedindigsinYork.Then,havingbecomeaprofessionalarchaeologist,AddymanwascalledbacktoYorktoreviewaschemein1969/1970whichsuggestedthat‘thatfivemulti-storeycarparkswithinthecitywallswereneeded,proposedbytheEsherScheme’.Outofthatworkhe‘recommendedthesettingupofwhatturnedouttobetheYorkArchaeologicalTrustandinthereportthatwepresentedwepromisedthecityinreturn,andIquote,“avastlyenrichedhistory,avastlyenhancedmuseumcollectionandmassiveeducational,touristicandrecreationalbenefits,”andthathasallhappened.’Addymanconcludedbyarguing:‘Sowhathasheritageeverdoneforus?Theshortanswerisit’smadeusalotmoreprosperousthanweotherwisemighthavebeen.’

Thankyouverymuch,IamnotreallyspeakingthisafternoonIthinkasChairmanoftheCivicTrust,Iamspeakingasmeand,asyouhaveheard,formerlyanarchaeologistofthisparish.Iamgoingtotryansweringthisquestionfrommyownexperience.ThatstartedformeinYorkin1954.Iwasaschoolboy.IcameoverfromHarrogatetoYorkregularlytolearnhowtoexcavateinresearchexcavationsthatweregoingonatthattimeinthemuseumgardensoftheYorkshireMuseum.Sotheanswer,thefirstanswerIcangiveyou,isthatitsoldmeonarchaeologyanditsetmeoffonacareerthatisstilldeveloping64yearslater.ThathappenedinYorkanditwasasaresultofYork’sheritage.Andwhat’sthelessonfromthat?WellthelessonisthatthearchaeologicalheritageinYorkhasdonethesamethingforcountlesshundredsofotherpeopleovertheyears,manyofthemnowamongstthemostdistinguishedarchaeologistsinthecountry,whogainedmeaningfulexperienceofarchaeology,oftentheirfirstexperience,andoftenabsolutelyfirst-classexperience,inexcavationsandmuseumsinYorkandinitsuniversity.SoYorkhaseducatedgenerationsofarchaeologicalscholarsforthenationoverthelastfortyyears.

MynextmajorexperienceherecameIthinkin1969/1970,whenYorkwasaflourishingcity,believeitornot,pulsatingwithindustry,withahugecarriageworks,withtwogreatchocolatefactories,withasugarfactoryandcountlessotherlesserbusinessesgeneratinghugeamountsoftrafficatgoinghometime;lotsofthemonbikesbutcarsaswell.Anditwassuggestedthataninnerringroadwasneededtoclearallthataway;thatanouterringroadwasneeded;thatfivemulti-storeycarparkswithinthecitywallswereneeded,proposedbytheEsherSchemeandmassivecitycentreredevelopmentwasneeded.SoIwashauledupfromauniversitypostinSouthamptonatthattimetoadviseonwhateventheywasseenasathreattoheritageandespeciallyofcoursethebelow-groundheritage,whichwasmyforte.IthinkIandacoupleofstudentsassessedthethreats,werecommendedthesettingupofwhatturnedouttobetheYorkArchaeologicalTrustandinthereportthatwepresentedwepromisedthecityinreturn,andIquote,‘avastlyenrichedhistory,avastlyenhancedmuseumcollectionandmassiveeducational,touristicandrecreationalbenefits,’andthathasallhappened.

Newlighthasbeenthrownonthecity’shistorythroughendlessexcavations;over1,500hadtakenplacebytheyear2000onthingsliketheRomanfortressortheRomancity,southoftheriver.OrtheAnglo-SaxontownofEoforwic,whichtoallintentsandpurposeswasunknownatthattime,exceptfromtheliteraryrecord.Andthenthehardly-knownVikingtownturnedupandyounowknowitasJorvik;nobodyevenknewthewordinthosedays;andendlessaspectsofmedievaland

post-medievalYorkhavebecomeelucidated.Asyouknowmillionshavevisitedthoseexcavationsand,Iamtold,IamnotsureIbelieveit,butIamtoldthatupwardsof30millionpeoplehavenowvisitedtheJorvikVikingCentre,about40,000schoolchildreneveryyearfor30yearshavehadanintensiveeducationinarchaeologyatDig,theArchaeologicalResourceCentreinSt.SaviourGate,whichitselfusesaheritagebuilding,St.Saviour’sChurch.Nowifyouworkitout30years,40,000schoolchildren,1,200,000schoolkidshavebeeneducatedaboutheritageinYork.About30,000visitorsannuallygotoBarleyHall,offStoneGateinCoffeeYard.OutatHuntingdonthereisoneofthenation’sfewlaboratoriesthatpreservesartefacts,especiallywater-loggedwood,andtheyarecurrentlypreservingforthenationthetimbersofaDutchEastIndiamanandalsothefamousNewportboat,amedievalboat,oneofourbestmedievalboats,thebestmedievalboatthatsurvivesaswellas,ofcourse,massesofstufffromYork.BesidesthelabthereisoneofBritain’sbiggestandbestartefactstores,therawmaterialforresearchonYorkfordecades,probablycenturiestocome.

Sowhathasheritagedoneforusthroughallthis?WellIthinkwe’vealreadylearnedithasvastlystimulatedheritage-basedinterestinYork,ithasvastlyenrichedYork’shistoryandithasprovidedunforgettableandinspiringeducationalexperiencesforschoolchildrenfromalloverBritainandexperiencesthatareavailableallthetime,ontheirdoorstep,forourownchildrenwholiveinYork.Ithasprovidedjobs,andjobsforover40years,forabout100archaeologistsonaverageandscholars,whoseworkhasbecomeanexemplarofexcellenceonaworldscale,vastlyenhancingYork’sinternationalprofileasatouristcentre,asanacademiccentreandasacentreforresearchandgoodpractice.Peoplecomefromallovertheworldtolookatwhatwedo.

Meanwhilewhathashappenedtothetwochocolateworks?Onehasgone,oneismuchreduced.Whathashappenedtothesugarfactory?Gonewithouttrace.Whathashappenedtothecarriageworks?Whathashappenedtoallthosejobs?Gone.Andwhathasreplacedthem,wellamongstotherthingsavastandvastlyenlargedandenhancedtouristindustrygeneratingscadsofjobsinhostsofsectors;accommodation,thefoodindustry,retail,attractionsrangingfromRichardIIItoChocolateStory,carhire,taxis,buses,carparking,printing,goodnessknowswhat.

Yes,yousay,butwhat’sitdoneforus,theordinarypeopleofYork?Well,afteronlytwoyearstheJorvikVikingCentrewasawardedtheNationalAwardfortheBestMarketedSmallCompanyinBritain–amazing!Andthisiswhatthecitationsaid,andIamquotingthis,‘JorvikwithanannualturnoveratMarch1987ofmorethan£2.5millionisnowintheninthpositionnationallyamongstleisureattractionswhereanadmissionchargeismade.

NowthatcanonlybegoodforYork’spresentdayresidentstoo.’Goingon,‘ResearchrecentlyconductedbytheEnglishTouristBoardshowedthatforevery£1spentinJorvik,afurther£7isspentbyvisitorsinthecommunity.’AndtheInstituteofMarketingcommented,‘Imaginativemarketingtechniqueshaveestablishedthatthislivingmuseumisoneofthetopleisureattractionswithanimpressiveinternationalreputation.’Andnowlet’sjustthinkwhatthatnowmeanstoday.Say,asweheardbefore30millionpeoplehavebeenthroughJorvikatamodernequivalentpriceof£10ahead;ifeachofthosepoundsgeneratesafurther£7forYork’seconomythataddsupto£2.1billionforYorkoverthelast30

years.Sowhathasheritageeverdoneforus?Theshortanswerisit’smadeusalotmoreprosperousthanweotherwisemighthavebeen.Andthatunderlinesmyfinalpoint,wecan’taffordtoletourheritagego.

ThethingthatnowbringsstreamsofpeopletoYorkandcreatesthatbenefitforoureconomy;wecan’tallowanirresponsibleCityofYorkCouncilletitsheritageassetsliketheReynard’sGarageinPiccadilly,birthplaceofsomeofBritain’smosticonicearlyaeroplanes,fallintorackandruinandthendemanditsdemolitionwhenitcouldbeanotherhugevisitorandrevenuegeneratorforYorkifonlysomeonehadthevisiontoseeit.ComeonCityofYorkCouncil,Iamsureyoucandobetter.

TheJorvikVikingCentre–runbyYorkArcheologyTrust–hasactedasahugevisitorattraction.CreditIanTempest

Weshouldn’tlettheCityofYorksanctionthemostrudimentaryofrescuearchaeologyjobsonahugelyimportantsite,theremainsofMedievalEngland’slargest,secondlargest,hospitalIthinkandthenearuniqueremainsofYork’sRoyalMint,ifnotthedepositsfromitjustincaseaseasonofpantomimemightbemissedinourtheatre.Thejobthatisbeingdonethereisnotreallyanadequatejobfortheimportanceofthesite.SocomeonJohnOxley,whereveryouare,comeonCityofYorkCouncil–IthinktherearetoomanygeeseinYorkbuttheseparticulargeeseandothergeeselikethemcouldlayusgoldeneggsandwecan’taffordtoslaughterthem.Thankyou.

Lianne Brigham and Richard Brigham, York Past and PresentLianneBrighamandRichardBrighamfromYorkPastandPresent,whohavebeeninvolved

intheLivingwithHistoryprojectandthewiderHowshouldHeritageDecisionsbeMade?researchproject.Theyopenedbyexplainingthat‘heritagehasgivenusasenseofworth,afeelingofprideforthecityweliveinandIcanhonestlysayitissomethingweneverhadbefore’.LianneandRichardthentalkedabouttheirexperiencesofgettinginvolvedindocumentingMansionHouse:‘thisisinvolvingoverthirtymembersofthepublictodocumentthebuilding,helppacktheitemsandrecord’.Overall,theyreflectedthattheyfoundwaysofmaking‘ourvoicesheard,evenifitdoesmeanshoutingatthetopofthemorbeingslightlyannoyingatthesametime!’

YorkPastandPresenthavebeeninvolvedinphotographyandpackingupalltheobjectsinYork’sMansionHouseaspartoftheirrenovationanddevelopmentHeritageLotteryproject.Credit:YorkPastandPresent

Whenwewereaskedwhatheritagehasdoneforyou?Wethoughtthiswasaninterestingquestion.SinceformingYorkPastandPresentoverayearagoIhavetosayheritagehasgivenusasenseofworth,afeelingofprideforthecityweliveinandIcanhonestlysayitissomethingweneverhadbefore.Whenyoulookaroundwhereweliveandtakealookattheheritagethatexistsyousooncometorealisenoteverythinginthiscityishowitshouldbe.Youtendtorealiseyourbelovedcityinsomewaysiscrumblingaroundyou.Theredoesn’tseemtobeanythingwecandoaboutit.Oristhere?AsfoundersofYorkPastandPresentwesetoutwithacoupleofwhatseemedtobesimpleideas;toengagetheCityofYorkCouncilinpublicparticipationandtostartwhatwasgoingtobecomeapublicarchive.Noneofusthoughtthiswasgoingtobeeasy.InallfairnesswehadthesameexpectationsaturkeyhadaweekbeforeChristmas.However,withourthoughtsandideasandalotofstubbornnessweembarkedonaheritagejourneythatwouldtakeustoplaceswenevereventhoughtwaspossible.FromourhumblebeginningsasasmallFacebookgroup,overthepastyearwehaveincreasedmembershiptojustunder8,000,alotofwhomactivelyparticipateinmanyofthethingswedo.Wearealiving,breathing,onlinecommunityandwehaveachievedmuchmorethananybody,including–wethoughtwecouldachievealittlebit.Wehaveachievedalotmore.WiththehelpofandcontinuedsupportofpeoplelikeHelen,RichardPollitt,JohnOxley,VictoriaHoyle–withinthelastyearwehavedocumentedWorldWarIIhuts,participatedinanarchaeologicaldigandphotographedtheGuildhallfromtoptobottom.

ApictureofsomewoodenbuildingsneartheGuildhall,documentedbyYorkPastandPresentbeforetheyweredemolishedin2014.Credit:RichardBrigham

Butitdoesn’tstopthere.WeeklytoursoftheGuildhallhavebeengoingforovereightmonthsnowandseveralhundredpeoplehavepassedthroughitsdoorsandarchesandasweknow,noothergroupdoesthetourasintensiveandasinformativeaswedo.NotbadforthemembersofJoePublic.Aswellasprideforwhatwearedoing,wealsomeeteverymonthandraisemoneyforcharityandYorkPastandPresentmembershaveraisedover£900forvariouscharitableorganisationsinthelastfewmonths.YesterdaywewereengagedindocumentingtheworkthathasnowstartedontheMansionHouse;thisisinvolvingoverthirtymembersofthepublictodocumentthebuilding,helppacktheitemsandrecord.Thishasincludedpacking,doingphotography,3Dvideoimagingandinterviewers,againalldonewillinglybymembersofthepublic.YorkPastandPresent,ifanything,hasbroughtthecommunityofpeopletogether,notonlytotakeanactiveinterestinourheritagebutalsotakingtheideaswehaveandputtingthemtousebyhelpingtopreservebothheritageandthehistoryofourcity.ForusandIamsureIcanspeakforourmembersaswell,heritagehasgivenusavoice,asparkofinterestandawayofparticipatinginthingsthatwefeelwecanmakeadifferenceinourcity.Wecanmakeourvoicesheard,evenifitdoesmeanshoutingatthetopofthemorbeingslightlyannoyingatthesametime.Forustheheritageisallaboutmakingadifference.Itisaboutus,thepublic,havingavoiceandanopinionthatnotonlycanbeheardbutalsolistenedto.Bydoingthisitgivesustheabilitytosaveandrecordthehistoryofourcityforit’sfuture.

Lianne Brigham and Richard Brigham, York Past and PresentWhatwe’dliketopassonissomeadviceforotherpeoplehopingtogetmoreinvolvedin

heritagedecision-makingintheircity.

•Buildacommunityofpeoplewiththesameinterest.•MeetkeypeoplebasedinInstitutions(likeinaUniversityorintheCouncil).‘Be

giveyourfreetimebecauseit’svolunteeringthatmakestheconnections’.•Tapintothesekeypeople’snetworks.•Crossoverfromsocialmediatoreallifeeventsandlifeliveeventsbackto

socialmedia.•Youneedanideatotalkabout[forYorkPastandPresentthishasbeenpublic

documentation].•Communicationandlanguage–youneedtospeaktodifferentpeoplein

differentways.•Gainmoreandmoreconfidencefromspeakingtolotsofdifferentpeople–and

seeingthattheylikewhatyouaredoing.•Begeneroustopeopleininstitutions/council.‘Theycanshutthedoor,faster

thanyoucanopenit’.•Don’tsettleforsmallthings,keepyoureyesonyourmaingoal.‘Belikea

child,behappywithwhatthoseindecision-makingpositionsofferbutalwaysdemandmore’.

Michael Hayes, Plastic FortuneMichaelHayesisoneofthefoundersofPlasticFortunewhich‘aimstobuildanetworkof

creativeyoungpeopleinthecityofYork’.Michaelbeganbyarguingthat‘Yorkcatersverywelltothetouristandnotsomuchtotheresident’.Michaelwantedtodrawattentiontoallofthecontemporaryculturethatisgoingoninthecity–somethingthey’vebeencapturingwiththePeopleofYorkseries.HegaveoneexampleofbeingatInkwellwheretherewasagigintheshopforRecordStoreDay,therestartedoffbeingaround30peoplebutasthegigwentonthecrowdstartedtoblock‘thestreetbecauseloadsoftouristswanttoseewhatishappeningbecausesomethingishappening.Itisnotsomethingthathashappenedhere,somethingishappening!’InstructuraltermsMichaeldrewattentiontohowharditwastoliveinthecityasayoungpersonandtofindspacetorenttostartabusiness.

I’mfromPlasticFortuneandwe’reacreativecollective.Wemakefilms,wehosteventsandweareopeningouronlinestoreinSeptember.Right,IreadtheresearchquestionsandbeforewegetstartedIjustwanttochallengeabitoftheterminology.ItsaysweneedtolookatheritagedecisionsandIamgoingtoarguethatitistoopreciseatermforwhatwehave.Wedon’thaveheritagedecisions;wehaveaheritageculturewhereeverythingissacred.SobasicallywhatIamgoingtotryandofferisanewperspective,onethatkindofgetsignored.Notthetourists,ortheprofessionalortheacademic,justthepeoplewhohavelivedhavetodealwithlivinghere.

Isay‘dealwithlivinghere’becausebasicallyYorkcatersverywelltothetouristandnotsomuchtotheresident.Sothefutureofheritage.CurrentlyYorkisacitythatdid;itisnotacitythatdoes,whichtobehonestisabitofawastebecausethere’ssomuchgoesoninthecitybutit’snotputoutthere,whichtakesmetotwoofthemajorpointsIwanttotalkabout.Thatisinefficiencyinthewaythatwegetthingsoutthere;whatwedoaswellaswhatwe’vedone.AndthesecondpointwouldthatthereputationofYorkissoimportanttowhocomeshere.So,withmycompanywewentoutandwedidabitofsurveyingofpeopleinthestreetandwejustspentadaytalkingtoactualpeoplewhowereherevisiting,livinghere,allthatsortofstuff.Andweaskedthemwhatareyoudoing?WhatdoyouthinkaboutYork?Themaintwoanswersweredrinkingandoldbuildings.SobasicallythatisYork’sactualreputation,whichpeopleseeitasanddespitetherebeingasmallcliqueofpeoplewhothinkthatYorkissomefaroutbastionoftechnologyandart,thatmightbetrueto1%ofthepopulation.ButifIgooutonthestreetorIgetsomeonefromoutthereandgoandshowthemtheUNESCOCityofMediaArtsthingtheygo,what’sthat?Mostpeoplehaven’theardofit,whichisjustsuchawaste.Itissuchagoodthingandcouldbesopowerfulbutit’snot.

Thereasonit’sawasteisbecauseofhowmuchwedorightnow.It’snotthatweneedtogrowthings.We’vegotafranklydisproportionatelygoodmusicsceneforhowsmallweare.We’vegottheatrecompaniesthataren’tlikebigonesliketheTheatreRoyalandtheGrandOperaHouse–theyaremoreDIY,they’llfindachurchthatwillhostatheatregroupforpeoplewhomaybecan’taffordthenormaltheatreticketprices.Andthenmagazines;wehaveAesthetica,whichisinternationallyrenownedforartanddesignanditstartedhere,right?Notmanypeopleactuallyknowthat,likeofthegeneralpublicandthepeoplewhomatterdon’tknowthatandthatisridiculousbecauseitissosuccessfulandthefactthatwedon’tadvertiseordemonstratethatwecandoallthesethingstoeveryoneiswaste.

Weneedtodemonstratethatwecandothings,notthatwedidthings.Becausewe’vecultivatedthisimagethatbasicallythatweareaheritagetown;everythingwedoissteepedinhistory.It’squaint.Welltheproblemisyouhaveaone-linereputationsoonlygetcertainsortsoftouriststhatvisit.Infacttwosortsactually,theoneswholiketodrinkandtheoneswholikeoldbuildingsandthat’sit.Sothisreputationiscausingabitofaproblem.Wehavetwouniversities,wehavequiteafew,wedidhavequiteafewtechbusinesses,buttheproblemisthesepeopleleave,especiallypeoplemyage,like22becauseoftwoparticularreasons.YorkshiesawayfromsupportingthecreativeindustriesinYorkandnumbertwo,housing.Housingissuchabigproblem.Sowhatyouhaveisaskillsexodus–graduatesleave.

It’sactuallyaproblemforbusinessesbecause,whenItellpeoplewhatPlasticFortunedoandthatourcollectivehasdesigners,writers,presenters,everything,theyaresurprised.ThequestionI’maskedis,Ican’tfindagraphicdesigner.Ican’tfindafilmmakerformypromotionalvideoinYork.Becauseifyouput‘York’and‘designer’intoGoogleandyougetsomeonefromNewYork.YouputYork,UKandyougetachairmakerorsomethinglikethat.Wedon’tshoutenoughaboutitandtheproblemisthenthesepeoplego,I’llhiresomeonefromLondon.Andthisisgenuinelytrue.TheywillhirepeoplefromLondonandthey’llpaythemthetrainfaretocomeup,they’llpaythehotel,alltheexpensesandthensendthembackdownafewdayslater.Right?Nowisn’tthatawasteofabusiness?Itistakingawayfrompeoplewhoareactuallyinthecityandthesepeoplewouldlovetoknowiftherewasadesignercoulddowhattheyneededtodoathalfthepricebecauseofwheretheywere.

Wedon’twanttopushheritageawaybecauseitisimportantanditaddstothebeautyofthecityandlet’smakenomistakeaboutit.ImeanYorkispretty;andthatsoundsquitevainbutitisaprettyplaceandyoudon’twanttopushitawaybutwhatweneedtodoistofindanewpurposeforit.Itneedstostartsupportingwhatishappeninginthecity.IthinkagoodcaseinpointiswewenttogofilmtheInkwellonRecordStoreDayandifnoneofyouhavebeentoInkwell,gothere,vinyl,magazines,crafts,it’sincredible–it’sanindependentshopandonRecordStoreDaytheyhadaneventintheshopanditholdsaboutthirtypeopletops.SoIfilmeditthereanditwasfullbeforeIevenbegan.Sowestartedplayingthemusicandafteraboutfiveminutespeoplestartedcongregatingoutside.Soeventuallyitgetstothepointwherethere’saboutthirtypeopleinsideandanotherthirtyonthestreet,inGillygate.It’sblockingthestreetbecauseloadsoftouristswanttoseewhatishappeningbecausesomethingishappening.Itisnotsomethingthathashappenedhere,somethingishappening!Sothatplaysitoutandtheyallgoandbuytheirvinylandwhatnot.IwalkroundtoParliamentStreetbecausethere’saneventgoingonthereandIgetthereandthere’sabigstage,itlooksexpensive,veryniceandthere’safewbandsandallthegearisthere–butthemusicisniceandsoft,it’squaint.ItfitsthereputationofYorkbeautifullyandthecrowd?Sevenpeople.Thatisjustawaste,anutterwaste,andallitdoesisjustembellishthefactthatYorkisn’taplaceformusic.Itisn’taplaceforindependentvendors.Itisn’taplaceforthepeoplethatlivethere.

Sowhatisoursolutiontoit?Wellweneedsomeperspective.Weneedtolookatthefactthatnoteverytinylittlethingissacred.TherearesomeveryoldplacesinYorkandwearenotlookingattearingthingsdownorputtingaholeinthecitywallsoranythingstupidlikethat.It’sbeingrealisticandlookingatthingslike

theGuildhall.It’saveryoldbuilding;itisabeautifulbuilding.Buttheinsideofitneedstobeusedforsomethingdifferent.NowIdon’treallyhavetoomuchofaviewonthemakingitamediacentrething,Idon’tknowiftheamountofpeoplewhocomeintothecitywouldsupportthatbutrefurbishingbuildingsiswhatweneedtodobecausethebuildingsneedtostay.Theyarewhatpeoplecometosee.Buttheinsidesneedtohaveanewpurpose;theyneedtocreatenewhistory.

Ifwe’vegot1,000yearsofhistory,whereisthenext1,000yearsgoingtogo.Weneedtostartdoingsomething.Asthegentlemanovertheresaid,stoptalkinganddo!SoIdon’tseewhythereissuchareluctancetoembracesomethingthatcouldmakeYorkbetter.Itisnotaboutsacrifice.ItisabouttakingthewasteandmakingYorkbetterforeveryonewholiveshere.So,forexample,thereisnoopencreativespace.WhatitmeansisincitieslikeManchester,Newcastle,Leedstheyhavetheseplacesthatareeithercommerciallybought,rented,orCouncil-rentedwherepeoplecangoinandcreateinventionsandbusinessescangoinandtesttheirnewideasinawaythatisnotgoingtopenalisethemiftheygetitslightlywrong.Whentheyhaveamodel,theycanturnitintoafinancialmodelandthentheycantakethiscreativityandmakemoneyforYork.Butwedon’thaveone.PartlythereasonisbecauseinYorkbecauseifyouwanttorentsomewhereoutinYork,itisreally,really,really,reallyexpensive.Sounlessyouhaveamassivecommercialbacking,youhaveaproblem.Wehaveaproblemwiththat.Sowhatweneedtodoistotakeagraspofheritage.Weneedtostartmakingheritagedecisions,notheritageculture,weneedtostartmakingdecisionsandgettingsomethingdone.Thankyou.

Victoria Hoyle, York City ArchivistVictoriaHoyleisYorkCityArchivistandaPhDstudentattheUniversityofYork,beganby

challengingourdefinitionsof‘archive’,‘IthinkthattheArchiveofYorkshouldbeallthedocuments,ephemera,memoriesandcapturedmomentsthatallowustounderstandourpastandrelatetoourpresentandenableustomakethosejustifieddecisionsabouthowwecanlivewelltogether’.CruciallyVictoriaarguedthatthiswasn’tjustaboutthecity’spast.Amoredrivenandengagedapproachtoarchivingaspartofthecity’sdemocraticlife,Victoriaargued,requiresadifferentapproachto‘cataloguing’and‘digitising’:‘Ratherthanprioritisingourdecisionsabouthowwemakethearchiveaccessiblebasedonwhatwasimportantinthepast,wethinkperhapsaboutnewpriorities,aboutwhatisimportantnow,andbeingmoreresponsive.So,forexample,ifthereisadebateinYorkatpresentoverhousingandsustainabilityandthegreenbelt,perhapsthearchiverelatingtothatmaterialshouldbeprioritisedforaccessibility?’

Iamheretotalkaboutheritagefromquiteadifferentangle,specificallyarchivalheritage.I’mnotsurehowmanypeopleherearefamiliarwithYorkCityArchive–hasanyonevisited?[About40%oftheaudienceraisetheirhands.]Well,youareaveryunusualgroup.York’sCityArchiveholdstherecordsoftheCityCouncilanditspredecessorsforthelast800yearsanditalsocollectsmaterialthatrepresentsactivecitizenshipandlifehereinYork.So,businesses,societies,organisations,familiesandindividualsandithasbeendoingthatforthelast60years.Wehaverecentlyre-openedtothepublicafterour£1.6milliongrantfromtheHeritageLotteryFundandsinceJanuarywehavehadover40,000peoplethroughthedoors.Butunfortunatelyonlyafewofthosepeoplehaveactuallyusedtheoriginalarchivalmaterial.

Iamgoingtostartbytalkingaboutwhatisanarchive?Whatisthedefinitionofanarchive?Andnormallyanarchivist’sdefinitionwillsoundextremelyformalanditisusuallyaboutdifferentiatinganarchivefromotherthings.Thischarter,oraccountbook,ormapisanarchivebecauseitisauthoritative,official,valuable,thisposter,orFacebookpost,orfamilyalbumnotanarchivebecauseitisnotthosethings.ButthedefinitionthatIwouldliketoofferyoutodayisn’tsoeasytopindown.IthinkthattheArchiveofYorkshouldbeallthedocuments,ephemera,memoriesandcapturedmomentsthatallowustounderstandourpastandrelatetoourpresentandenableustomakethosejustifieddecisionsabouthowwecanlivewelltogether.ToagreaterorlesserextentIwouldarguethatweareallarchivists.IwenttouniversityanddidaMastersDegreeinArchiveManagementbutthatreallyonlyqualifiesmetomakeacertainkindsofdecisionaboutwhatisimportant.LikeallcitiesYorkisfullofarchivalheritage.ThearchivalheritageisnotlimitedtothematerialwhichsitsinastrongroomintheArchiveonMuseumStreet.Itisinhomesandbusinesses,itisinschoolsanditisinthosededicatedcollectingarchivesliketheCityCouncilbutalsoattheBorthwick,theRailwayMuseumandtheMinster.Itisnowincreasinglyonline,itisonsocialmedia,itisontablets,itisonyourphone.Someofitwon’tlastbecauseitwillliveanditwilldiewiththepeopletowhomitmattersnow.Mostofyouherewillhavefamilyphotographalbumsanddocumentationathome,whichwepassdownthroughourfamilies.Partsofitwillbepreservedandtakencareofand,hopefully,repurposeduntilsuchasatimeasitnolongersurvivesorconnectspeopletooneanother.ThatiswhattheCityArchiveIthinkaimstodowithitsmaterial,butonacity-widescale.

Iwouldsuggestthatarchivesareessentialfordemocracy;formakingdecisions,forknowingwhoweareandwherewecamefrom.Atthemomentthearchiveisvisitedbyaverysmallnumberofresidents.Whenweconductedasurveyin2011,

only6%ofpeoplesurveyedhadevervisitedthearchivemorethanonceand14%didnotevenknowthatitexisted.ButinthefutureIwouldliketoseethearchiveinYorkputtoworkinlotsofdifferentways.IwouldliketoseeitusedmoreasaresourcebyCouncilofficersandalsobyresidents,toaccessinformationabouthowthecitygovernsitself.Thereisahugeanduntappeddepthofinformationinourcollectionsabouthousing,abouttransport,infrastructureandeducation.ThatinformationnotonlyhelpsustorecallourpastdecisionsandrevisitouroldreportsbutsituatescurrentdebatesincontextandIthinkthatisincrediblyvaluable.Itcouldalsosupportpeopletoinvestigatetheirowncommunities,theirhistories,theirplaces,theirspacesandthethingsthatareimportantforthem.Iwouldliketothinkthatthereisafuturewherelookingsomethingupinthearchive,visitingthearchive,isthefirststepindesigningsolutionstoproblemsandcelebratingourpastachievements.Thearchiveisabodyofknowingthatisitselfverylittleknownatthemoment.Howdowedothat?That’squiteanambition.

Therearepracticalthingsthatmustbedone.ThereisabodyofmaterialthatthecitycurrentlystewardsandExploreYourLibrariesandArchives,whichismyorganisation,doesthatontheirbehalf.Wehavetomakesurethatthatthearchiveasitexistsnowissearchable.Ithastobenavigableinlotsofways.Youhavetobeabletovisititonsiteandyouhavetobeabletovisititonline.

Cataloguing,digitising,sharing–thesearequiteoldstoriesforarchivistsandanybodyIthinkinmypositionwouldtellyouthesame.ButIwouldsuggestthatperhapsweneedtoapproachthisproblemnowinnewways.That,ratherthanprioritisingourdecisionsabouthowwemakethearchiveaccessiblebasedonwhatwasimportantinthepast,wethinkperhapsaboutnewpriorities,aboutwhatisimportantnow,andbemoreresponsive.So,forexample,ifthereisadebateinYorkatpresentoverhousingandsustainabilityandthegreenbelt,perhapsthearchiverelatingtothatmaterialshouldbeprioritisedforaccessibility?Itcan’tbeachievedusingoldwaysofworkingeither.Weneedtofindinnovativepartnersinthecityamongresidentsandvisitorsandtheuniversitiestohelpustackleit.Ithinkthatvolunteeringandfund-raisingandcrowdsourcingareallpartofthispictureandIthinkthat,finally,thedayhasgonewhenthearchivelivedinalockedroom.ThearchiveofYorkisincreasinglyoutthere.Itisdispersed.Thereisnowaythat,asCityArchivist,Icanbethesteward,norwouldIwanttobethestewardforallarchivalheritageinthecity.Iseeafuturewheretheroleofthecityarchivistisasabroker,isasafacilitator,whobringspeopletogethertoshareinarchivalheritage,whichislocal,individual,onlineandontheground.IndoingthatIwouldsuggestthatweneedtobechallengingtotraditionaldynamics.Weneedtobemorerapid;weneedtobemoredemocraticallyresponsiveandweneedtobefearless.Thankyou.

John Oxley, York City ArchaeologistJohnOxleyisYork’sCityArcheaologist.Johnopenedhistalkwithathoughtforthosewho

mightbelessenthusedbytourismtothecity:‘IfyouwanttoknowwhatYorkmightbelikewithouttheeconomicbenefitsthatcomealongwiththeheritageindustry,Ialwayssaytopeople,comeandhavealookatYorkonWednesdayinJanuarybecauseIthinkthatisprobablybaselevelactivitywithinthecity’.Johndrewsomeconnectionsbetweenideasofwhatheritageis–‘itisthemicro-andmacro-,thesmalllevelandthebigleveldecisionsthathavebeenmadeinthepastthatgiveusthecitythatweliveintoday’–andhowwemightimagine‘conservation’as‘adynamicprocess.Itisthewaythatwemakedecisionstodayaboutwhatwetakewithusintothefuture.’JohnsharedideasheisdevelopingatthemomentforYork’sHistoricEnvironmentRecordand,likeVictoria,heiskeentoseethisasplayinganactiveroleindemocraticengagementinthecitytoday.

Theevent’stitle‘Whathasheritagedoneforus?’Ithinkinmanywaysisadrivingconcept.WhatwehaveinYorkisthisincrediblyamazingcitythathasbeengiventousbythepeoplewhohavebeenherebeforehand.IfyouwanttoknowwhatYorkmightbelikewithouttheeconomicbenefitsthatcomealongwiththeheritageindustry,Ialwayssaytopeople,comeandhavealookatYorkonWednesdayinJanuarybecauseIthinkthatisprobablybaselevelactivitywithinthecity.Heritagefrommypointofviewis,assomebodyelsehasalreadysaidtoday,aboutinheritance.Itisaboutwhatwehavebeengiven,whatwehaveinheritedfrompastgenerationsandfrompastdecisions.AndIthinkthedecision-makingaspectisvery,veryimportantinthisbecauseitisthemicro-andmacro-,thesmalllevel,thebigleveldecisionsthathavebeenmadeinthepastthatgiveusthecitythatweliveintoday.Nowthatdecision-makingprocesstodayisgenerallylodgedwithinplanningandwithinplanningthereisthisareacalled‘conservation’.Andconservationcanbeseenasbeingafairlynegativeprocess.Iamsurealotofpeopleseeconservationasanegativeprocess.

Sohowdoesconservationfitintothisconceptofheritage?Well,forme,conservationisadynamicprocess.Itisthewaythatwemakedecisionstodayaboutwhatwetakewithusintothefuture.Soconservationisaboutthatdecision-makingprocess.Itisaboutcreatingthatnext1,000yearsasMichaelwassaying.Whatdowetakeforward?Whatdowemakethecity?And,asanarchaeologist,Iamoftenaskedwheredoesarchaeologybegin?Whatisarchaeological?Wellformeeverythingisarchaeologicalbecauseeverythingisinthepast.Wherewearenowisthispointintimeandsowhatwe’vedonecomingtothisplacetoday,theeventsthatwe’vegonethrough,thethingsthatarediscarded,formsomethingthatwecanstudy,wecanappreciateandwecanrecordandwecanuse.Historybeginsnow.Soconservationisthissortofdynamicwayofmakingdecisionsaboutwhatwewantthefuturetobe.Nowinthatprocessthekeyisinformation.Information,knowledgeispowerandifyouhavetherightinformationavailable,ifyouhaveaccesstotheinformation,thenthatcanassistyouinmakingdecisions.Itempowersyouasanindividual,asabodyandyoucanthentakeparteffectivelyinthatdecision-makingprocess.Howdoyougetyourhandsonthatinformation?WellmyparticularareaofconcernisarchaeologyandIwanttomentiontodayadatabase,theHistoricEnvironmentRecord.NowtheHistoricEnvironmentRecordtodayisaveryimpoverisheddatabase.MyselfandmycolleagueClairearegoingthroughaprocessoflookingathowwecanimprovethatdatasetandhowwecanmakeitmoreaccessible.Sowearestartingaprocessoflookingbackatworkwe’vedonewithintheCouncilbutalsowantingtostartconversationswiththepeoplearoundthetables,inthisroomandoutsideabouthowthisHistoricEnvironmentRecordmighttake

advantage,mightinclude,mightreferto,mightbringforward,othersetsofinformationthatwillmakethatamoreauthoritative,amoreusefulsetofdata.Butmoreimportantly,makeitavailableinawaythatmakessensetoawholerangeofaudiencesouttheresothepeoplecanusethatinformationinthewayinwhichtheywanttouseit.Anditverymuchmakesmefeel,havinglistenedtoVictoriaspeak,thatperhapsweneedtogoandworkwithVictoria.AndinWorcestershiretheHistoricEnvironmentRecordispartofthearchiveserviceandthereisastrongargumenttosaythatitisjustanotherarchiveandthereforebureaucraticallyitshouldberelocatedwithinthearchiveservice.SoweareworkingforthenextcoupleofmonthstoproduceaproposalfortheHistoricEnvironmentRecordwithinthecity.Weneedtotalktopeopleinthisroomandtherewillbealittlequestionnairegoingaround,whichIwouldgratefullyappreciateifyoucouldalljusttickthedifferentelementsinitsoyoucantelluswhatyourareasofinterestandconcernare.WhatwewanttomovetowardsisexactlywhatVictoriawastalkingabout,whichishowdoweempowerpeopletomakedecisionsortoengageinthedemocraticprocessmoreeffectivelybecauseyoucanonlydothatreallyifyouhavetheinformationthatallowsyoutoengageeffectivelyinthatprocess.

AndIthinkitalsotakesustoaveryinterestingcontributionthatLisafromYorkStoriesmade[inherpieceabove].Whereshesaysthatthechallengeforthefutureistomakesurethatthelessvisibleheritageandthequietervoicesarerecognisedandrecorded.Andthatalsosaidthatthelessvisibleheritageandthequietervoicesareabletousetheinformationtomakethecaseforwhateveritisthattheyareinterestedinandincorporatedandembeddedintofuturedecisions.So,forme,theHistoricEnvironmentRecordisaprettyturgidtechnicalplacetoworkbutthepotentialitofferseverybodysatinthisroom,everybodyinYork,theopportunitytobeabletopullinformationforwardthatallowsthemtosay,thisiswhyweshouldn’tbeknockingdownReynard’sGarage;thisiswhyJohnOxleyhasgotitcompletelywrongattheTheatreRoyalandtheyshouldn’tbedoingwhattheyaredoingthere.ThisiswhyweshouldbelookingatthehistoryofculturalactivityinYorkoverthepasttenyearsandlookingatwhatweweredoingbackinthe90sandhowthathascontributedtowherewearetodayandhowthatmighttakeusforwardintoamuchmoreexcitingfuturethanperhapsmightbethecaseotherwise.Sothat’saverystrangewaytotalkaboutthisideathatIwantyoualltohelpmeputtogetheranewHistoricEnvironmentRecordforthecity–butIwantedtosituatethatexercisewithinthisdecision-makingprocessandtheconceptofinformationempoweringpeopleandencouragingpeopletoengageinthatdemocraticprocess.

Helen Weinstein, Director, Historyworks HelenWeinstein,Director,HistoryworksHelenWeinsteinisaHistoryProfessorandthe

DirectorofHistoryworkswhichsupportsthepracticeandtheoryofPublicHistoryintheUKbypromotingeducationprogrammesandpartnershipsandbycollaboratingwithpartnerstodevelopmediainterpretation.Helen’stalkfocusedonherrecentworkonClifford’sTowerandtheEyeofYorkwhichcameaboutaftershemovedtoYorktenyearsago.Shebecame‘Jewishinapublicway’asshebegantodealwiththelegacyofthe12thcenturypogrom.ThisisacomplicatedpasttonavigatebecausetheJewishcommunitywaskilledatthesiteofClifford’sToweron16thMarch1190andthereislittleinterpretationpubliclyavailable.EnglishHeritageisnow‘onajourneytopresentClifford’sTowerinamuchmorelayeredway’.Helenhasbeenworkingtobringstakeholderstogether,includingYorkMuseumsTrust,YorkCivicTrust,EnglishHeritage,theJewishcommunitiesinandaroundYork,andtheCityArchaeologist‘torethinkthesite’.Withherbackgroundintelevision,filmmakinganddigitalcontent,Helenhasalsohighlightedthevalueof‘digital’technologyinhelpingustellmorecomplexstoriesaboutYork‘sothatmultiplevoices,multiplelayersofresourcesandmultiplematerialscanbelodgedthere’.

Thankyouverymuchforinvitingme.IhavehadaninterestingjourneyinYork,atenyearstoryfrom2005to2015.DuringthisdecadeYorkhasgonefromaplaceofstasis,whereIfeltitwasquitehardtohaveavoiceinheritagedecision-making,toapositiontodaywhentherereallyisanopportunitytobeheard,formultiplevoicestobeconsultedandanewwayforwarddevelopedformoreinclusivepolicymaking.TheheritageprojectIhavebeenmostcloselyidentifiedwithinYorkisapublicengagementprojectthatIbeganasan‘out-Jew’attheUniversityofYork.Thishadn’tbeensomethingI’dencounteredintheworkplacebefore–aboutbeingJewishasanhistorianinapublicway.ButwhenIarrivedatYorktobeaHistoryProfessor,therewerehardlyanyseniorJewishacademicsonthecampus.ItseemedexpectedthatIwouldparticipateinaleadershiproleatpublicevents-particularlybygivingpublicreadingsandspeakingatcivicevents,forexampleatHolocaustMemorialDay.TherewasnoidentifiableJewishcommunityinYorkduringtheseyears.Therewasnosynagogueeither,althoughindividualJewswhodidn’ttraveltonearbyLeedsorKnaresborough,didgatherforthemajorJewishholidays.Recently,aliberalcongregationhasbeenfounded,meetingregularlyintheQuakerMeetingHouseatFriargate.Buttenyearsago,ourmodestaimwastomarkourJewishidentitypubliclybycommemoratingboththepogromatClifford’sTowerandHolocaustMemorialDay.Outofthis,anidentifiablegroupdevelopedwhichcouldstarttohaveourvoicesheardwithintheciviclandscapeofYork.

Clifford’sToweristhesiteofthe1190pogromagainstYork’sJewishpopulationandhasledtoYorkhavingaverynegativereputationamongsttheJewishcommunityworldwide.Credit:RichardBrigham

AfterIarrivedattheUniversitymynewlinemanager,theHeadofHistorydidnotsupportmyinvolvement.HefeltthatIwassteppingoutsidemyareaofexpertiseandthatIshouldn’tbeworkingonthecommemorationandtheinterpretationofClifford’sTower.IhadtodistancemyselffromthisviewandinsteadthinkaboutwhatmyroleshouldbeattheUniversityofYork.IwasaProfessorwhohappenedtobeaJew,andIwasalsoaPublicHistorianandaDirectorofTheInstituteforthePublicUnderstandingofthePast.Infact,asanacademic,Ithoughtmyrolewasnotonlytostudythepublicengagementofthepast,butalsotoenableeverybodyinYorktofeelthattheyhadavoiceintheinterpretationoftheirheritageandthattheyalsohadvalidexpertisetoofferheritagepractitionersandpolicymakers,inexactlythemannerthatisbeingdiscussedinthisroom.Weallhaveexpertisethatwecanbringtothiskindofquestion.AndfromtheJewishcommunity’spointofview,therewasn’tanychoice.SomethinghadtobedonewhichinvolvedmyworkingwiththeJewishcommunity.IteamedupwiththeCityArchaeologist,JohnOxley,toleadwalksonthehistoryofClifford’sTower.WesoughttoinspireconversationandconfidenceforthepublicandtheJewishcommunityinparticulartohandlethecomplexinterpretationsofthe1190massacreand,atthesametime,developanarrativefromfirstsettlementtothepresentday.Hundredsattendedthewalks.AsDirectoroftheInstituteIinvitedheritagepractitionerstoworkwithmeandwestartedtorediscoverthecomplicatedpastofClifford’sTowermanagementandarchaeologicalrecord,andalsoitsresearchhistoryandinterpretationoverthetwentiethcentury.MyconversationswithEnglishHeritagewerepositive.Akeymomentcamewhenwerealisedthatthedaffodilsonthemoundhavesixpetalsonthem.ThesesixpetalsrepresenttheStarofDavid.EnglishHeritagehadforgottenthesignificancethatthosedaffodilsonthatmound–themoundthatisshownonallthoseprettypostcardpicturesrepresent.Theyareaspecialkindofdaffodil.TheyweredonatedbytheAmericanJewishFoundation,aftermanyyearsofcampaigning,torepresenttheStarofDavid.TheywereactuallydevelopedtoflowerearlierthananyofthetraditionaldaffodilssurroundingYork’swalls,inorderthattheyareinbloomwhenthemassacreiscommemoratedonthe16thMarch.ItwasanexampleofourengagementwithEnglishHeritage,tohelpthemstartthinkingabouthowwecouldrecoverandre-considerallaspectsofthehistoryoftheTower.

Daffodils,CliffordTower,‘donatedbytheAmericanJewishFoundation,aftermanyyearsofcampaigning,torepresenttheStarofDavidandtoflowerearlierthananyofthenormaltraditionalmounddaffodils’.Credit:Chrisse_MacviaFlickr.CreativeCommonsAttributionShareAlike]

Beforeourrecentgatheringstoshareknowledgeandexpertise,EnglishHeritagewaspresentingthesiteintwoprimaryways:aplacethatwasaboutcastlesandknightswithanicepictureofacastleatthetopofthestepsandtheplacewhereyoucouldgetsomeofthebestviewsofYork.ThismeantthatfortheJewishcommunitythesitewasaplacewellservedbycommemorationthoughnotbyinterpretation.Butoncewestartedtoworktogether,we’veorganizedlearningdaysforEnglishHeritagepractitionerstolearnfromthecommunity,shareexpertiseanddevelopunderstanding.Forreportsofthelearningdays,goto:

http://historyworks.tv/projects/2014/11/02/york-castle-project/

Ashistorianswhatdowedo?Oneofourtaskswastoconsiderhowbesttopresentastoryfamiliarinheadlineform-medievalJewsweremassacredinYork.AndtheobviouspartnersformetostartworkingwithwereYorkCityCouncilandYorkMuseumsTrust(YMT).TheCastleMuseumispartofthewidercomplexoftheCastlefortificationwhichincludesClifford’sTower,soalthoughthemuseumhasnoJewishobjects,YMTisinvolved.IthasactivelysupportedacommunityprojecttoallowamassaudiencetoengagewiththeJewishHistoryofYork.ThisissomethingwehavedonetogetherinpartnershipwiththeCityArchaeologist,JohnOxley.Istartedbringinguniversitystudentsandacademicstotheprojecttoprovideadigitalresourcethattranslatedallthecurrentresearchintoaneasyto-accessaudiotrail.WhatwecameupwithwasastorythatstartedtolayertheJewishexperienceaswell.BecauseitcanbedifficultifyouareaJewinYork.Youareaskedallthetime,whatisitliketolivehere?Isn’titawful,thatalltheJewsweremassacredin1190?ManyinternationalJewsImethadheardtherewasa‘cherem’(aprohibition)thatyoushouldn’tactuallyresideinYork,stayovernightinYorkoreatinYork,becauseofthemassacre.Thereweresomanymythsaroundthatwehadtoinvestigatefurther.Icontactednumerousinternationalrabbinicalscholarstoprovideguidanceifnotanswersabouttheseclaims.WebeganbyconductingwalkingtoursaroundYorkwiththeJewishcommunityfromLeeds,fromMiddleborough,fromHalifax.Wefoundoutmoreanddiscoveredthisstorytogether,especiallyabouttheformerJewishcongregationthatmetaboveacarpenter’sshoponAldwarkbetweenabout1890and1978.WewereabletobringthehistoryoftheJewishcommunitiesofYorkintothemodernage,tellingthestoryofJewsreturningtoYorkinthe19thand20thcenturiesandtheimpactoftheUniversityindrawingbackJewstoliveinYorkbothasanemployerandasanattractiveplaceoflearningforstudents.Ifyouwouldliketoaccessthefreeguidecalled“TheYorkJewishHistoryTrail”youcanfinditasanupdatedaudioguide(withscriptsinpdf)byclickingonthesectionsonaudiboomanddownloadingthemapandmaterialshere:

http://historyworks.tv/projects/2014/11/02/york-castle-project/#audiobooscripts-york-jewish-history-trail-by-historyworks

It’sbeenfascinatingtohelpsetupacommunityprojectbutalsotobeinthefantasticsituationofbeingabletoreclaimthishistorywithinEnglishHeritageaswell.SoEnglishHeritagearenowonajourneyofparticipatorylearningwiththeJewishcommunity.WeareallbetterequippedtoconsiderClifford’sTowerinamuchmorelayeredway.Inthinkingaboutthepast,youhavetotravelintwodirectionsatthesametime.Sometimestheyconverge;sometimestheydonot.First,makingsureit’snotonlythetraumaof1190thatisfocusedon,becausethatactuallymakessomeJewsinYorkfeelveryuncomfortable.Butsecondly,it’s

beenimportanttotellthatstorywithinalargernarrative.Because,forexample,theQuakersofYorkinthelate1930sraisedmoneyforJews,particularlyyoungpeoplewhodidn’thaveafamilyaffiliationorwhoweretoooldtocomeonKindertransport.TheirfundingwasusedtosponsoryoungJewishpeoplewhowerehostedbyYorkfamilies.SomeofthosechildrenarealiveinYorktoday;thoseyoungpeoplearenowintheir80sand90s.ManyofthembecameQuakersorAnglicans.Anditisrightthattheyhaveaplacewheretheycannowtelltheirstory.TheotherthingthathasbeenreallyimportantisfortheJewishcommunitytothinkofthewholehistoryofClifford’sTowerwithinaCastlecomplex,andnotsolelyasaplacewhereJewsweremurdered.

On16thMarch1190thatstonebuildingwasnotthere.Itwasatimberstructure.ManyJewsfromYorkshireandnationallyandinternationallyareunawareofthesebasicfactsthatClifford’sTowerhasbeenmodifiedorrebuiltonnumerousoccasions.Theirlearningjourneyneedstobetheotherwaytoo,sothattheyhaveabroaderhistoricalunderstandingoftheotherswhohavediedaroundthatsiteandwhy.Forexample,thereissignificantevidenceofRomanburialsfromarchaeologicalexcavations–skeletons,sarcophagi,burialobjects–showingthattheCastleareawaspreviouslythesiteofaRomancemetery.Moreover,themoundandtowerisalsouniquehistoricallybecausetheCastlefortificationwasusedbytheCrowntogovernthenorthandhasbeenthesiteofviolenceanddeathovermanycenturies.Notmanyknowthatitwasusedforpoliticalrepressionafterthemedievalperiod.Forexample,RobertAskewashungfromacagetodieapainfultraitor’sdeathin1537forhisroleintherevoltcalled‘ThePilgrimageofGrace’.Lateron,notoriously,itwasthesitewherethePeterlooprotestorswereincarceratedafterthemassacreatStGeorge’sfieldsinManchesterin1816,andbeforethat17Ludditeactivistswerebroughttobeexecutedin1813.Soifarchaeologistsfindabody,itisnotnecessarilyaJewishbody.Andithasbeenrevelatoryinthinkingaboutheritageissuestolearnthesethingstogether.SoIhavefoundthejourneyofbeingaheritagepractitioner,andIguess,insomewaysaheritageleader,intheUniversityquitetrickytonavigate.IthasbeenavaluablelearningexperiencetoworkwithEnglishHeritageandhelpthemcollaboratewiththestakeholders,particularlyintheJewishcommunity,tosharesomeofthegoodpracticeswehaveinYorkofsharingknowledgeandideasacrosssectors.AndIthinkthatisoneofthepointsIwanttounderline.Whatwehavelearned,asallthegroupshavecometogetherforre-thinkingClifford’sTowersite,isthatwearedealingwithalayeredhistoryandweneedtomakespaceformultiplevoices.Weneedtohaveourconversationsaboutplanninginanholisticway.Weneedalwaystobeworkinginpartnership.Weneedtotryandkeeptheseconversationsopenandcollaborativesothatridiculousdecisionsmadeinignorancethatprovokecampaigns.

Inmyview,thebestwaylearningcanbeeasilysharedistoputinformationonthenet.Imeanisn’ttheWebfantastic?Itallowsyoutoshare,immediately,whateveryouhavelearnt.Noonecansaynowthattheydon’tknowaboutthemultipleburialsaroundthesitebecausewe’veproducedlotsofdocumentation,lotsofbite-sizethumbnailhistories,aswellasdeeperhistoricalreports.ThesamewithHelenGraham’swork,itisveryeasynowtoinformtheCouncilandbecontinuallylearningtogether.Assomeonesaidearlier,knowledgegivesacertainpowerhere.Somywayforward,comingfromthisexperience,isthatacademicexpertisecanbeveryuseful.Itcanbeharnessedwithinthiskindoflearningaboutdifficultheritage,butunlessitistranslated,unlesstheacademicscanbeguidedintonewwaysofworking,sotheyareworkingwiththecommunity

insteadoftalkingatthecommunity,itisnoteasy,particularlyinasmallcitylikeYorktochangethedynamic.ButIthinkwehavetoworkcontinuallyatthat.AtthelearningdaysIorganizedinJanuary2015aboutthehistoriesofClifford’sTower,GrahamBellsaidthattheissuewiththeareaseemstobeoneofaspaceleftoverafterparkingratherthantheusualproblemofspaceleftoverafterplanning.Wehavebeenabletobringstakeholderstogether,YorkMuseumsTrust,YorkCivicTrust,EnglishHeritageandalsotheCityArchaeologist,torethinkthesite.AndIamveryheartenedthattherediscussionshavebeguntoconsiderwhethertherecouldbeanundergroundcarpark.Unfortunatelytheexistingcarparkisamillion-poundgeneratorfortheCouncil;it’salotofmoneyfromaverysmallspacebutit’sahorriblespace-difficulttowalkacross,unsightlyanddeeplyunattractive.Ifwecanbuildaconsensusthatacarparkisnotappropriatebetweenthesedifferentcivicsites,wouldn’titbewonderfulifitwasagreenarea;ifitwasaplacewhereyoungpeoplecouldhaveahubandhavepublicartanddifferenteventsandactivitiesforcommunitiesinsteadofbeinganeye-soreinthedaytimeandaplaceforanti-social-behaviouratnight?Itcouldbecomeareallyvibrantplaceofpleasureandleisureandlearning.

Insum,recentyearshaveseenintensediscussionsabouttheredevelopmentoftheYorkCastlesite.Thepossibilityofimprovingthesitewouldencompasstheareaoccupiedbythecarpark,Clifford’sTower,theEye-of-York,TowerStreet,andtheRiverFoss.Ifdiscussionscancontinueacrosssectorswiththepublicinvolvedonanequitablebasis,thereisafantasticopportunitytoestablishtheareaasapublicandcivicspace,remainingfaithfultothecurrentopen-airnatureofthesiteanditshistorictraditions.WhatwehavelearntwiththejourneyoftheJewishcommunityisthatthereisathirstforknowledgeaboutuncomfortable

ThecontroversialcarparknearClifford’sTower.CreditIanTempest

paststobepresentedhoweverdifficulttheywere.Moreover,iftheYorkCastleareacanbelandscapedasaconnectedheritagesite,thehistoryofjusticeandpoweroverthecenturieswillbeintroducedtothisandfuturegenerations.IbelievethattheUNESCOwinfortheArtsandMediaHubisagreatopportunity.Also,YorkisoneoftheonlyplacesintheUKthathasWi-FiofferedfreelyinthecentreoftheCity.Thismeanswecannowhaveavirtualspacewheresomuchofthelearningaboutthesitecanbeshared.AsJohnOxleywastalking,Iwasre-rememberingagreatpieceofpractice,Bristol’s‘KnowYourPlace’project.BristolCityCouncilstartedonthejourneyofsharingtheirheritageandplanningresourcesalongtimeago,withalltheirmaps,alltheirarchivesandthekindofworkthatyouguysaredoingatYork‘PastandPresent’pinnedontoawholewebstructuretoshareknowledgewithinthecity.YoungpeopleinBristolaredoingamazingartworkaroundheritage,challengingpeopletothinkabouttheheritagespaces.Thiscommunicationispossiblebecausetheyhavemadeaviablecivicspacealongtheharbour,alongsidethevirtualspaceof‘KnowYourPlace’.WecouldreplicatethatideaaroundtheYorkCastlearea.And,mostimportantly,reallyusethedigitalopportunitiesavailablenowsothatmultiplevoices,multiplelayersofresources,multiplematerialscanbelodgedthere.WhenIfirstarrivedherein2005,therewasthisstaticpicture,whichiswhatClifford’sTowerkindofsymbolisedtomethen,akindofuninformative,unimaginativefixednarrativethatdidn’ttellyouverymuchabouttheCityofYorkeitherinthetouristguidesorontheexplanatorypanels.Nowanauthoritativethumbnailvoicecanbereplacedbyusingthewebandusingdigitalplatforms.Therecanbeasharedcollectivesitelike‘KnowYourPlace’sothatYorkcanhaveaspaceforknowledgesharingandmultiplevoices,freelyavailableonsiteattheswipeofasmartphoneortablet.Thisfuturecanbeoneofadvocacyandactivism,ratherthanstarchyheritagethatcanonlyrepeatthekindofstoriesthatfeelsafe.

Yorkmaybeaveryoldcity,butembracingnewtechnologiesandthinkingimaginativelyabouthowbesttorevealandexplainitsrichandvariedhistorycanonlyenhanceitsstatusasa‘must-visit’touristattractionandaddanotherlayertothelevelofcivicpridefeltbymostofitsinhabitants.

Paul Furness, author York: A Walk on the Wild SidePaulFurnessisawriterandradicalhistorianofYorkandLeedsandisauthorofYork:AWalk

ontheWildSide(2014).Paulwasinvolvedinthe‘Howshouldheritagedecisionsbemade?’researchprojectandrananumberofhistorywalksfortheYork:LivingwithHistorystrandoftheproject.Paulwasn’tabletoattendtheeventbuthascontributedhisreflectionsofthequestion‘whathasheritageeverdoneforus?’

There’snofutureinnostalgia.......

WhenBloodaxe,theimportant–andNorthern–poetrypublisherissuedHomeandAwaybySteveEllisin1984,itincludedapoemcalled‘IntheCityArtGallery,York’which,whenElliswasgrowingupinthecity,wasfreeforhim–andthemotherswithprams,romancingschoolkidsandvisitingfamilieswhopopulatehispoem–tovisit.Notsonow.WhenYorkMuseumsTrustwassetupbytheCouncilin2002,thenewChiefExecutivetoldapackedmeetingofFriendsofYorkArtGallerythat‘artshouldbefree’.13yearslateritdescribeditselfasa‘culturalbusiness’andcost£7.50togetin–excluding,atonestroke,thelikesofnotjustEllisbutHarlandMiller,too.ThesonofaRowntree’schocolateworker,MillerisnotrepresentedintheYorkcollectiondespitebeingouronlyrepresentativeoftheYoungBritishArtiststobeintheTateandmajoroverseasgalleries–theDutchlovehim.HavingworkedasamodelforSamTaylorWood(betterknownthesedaysasthedirectorof50ShadesofGrey),hisbig,brashcanvassesofnortherntownsbasedonthefrontcoversofoldPenguinbooksinclude,ofcourse,onetohishometown–‘York,SoGoodtheyNameditOnce’.Butthisneglectishardlysurprisingfromatownthatletsthebirthplace–theoldLawrenceStreetWorkingMen’sClub–ofanimportant19thcartist,HenryScottTuke,falltorackandruin.

York:AWalkontheWildSide,PaulFurnessdevelopedthispublicationaspartofthe‘Howshouldheritagedecisionsbemade?’researchproject.

DowntheroadfromhereistheMeccaBingoClubonFishergatewhosecarparksitsonthesiteoftheRialtocinema,anArtDecogemwhichwasranbythefatherofJohnBarry–whowrotemostoftheJamesBondthemetunesaswellas‘MidnightCowboy’.TheBeatles,theRollingStonesandLouisArmstrongallplayedhere.Itwasdemolished,tomakewayforacarpark,in2003-whichwasjustasneedlessasthedestructionoftheJohnBullpubonLayerthorpebackin1994togiveacarsalesshowroomaforecourt.Yearslater,EnglishHeritageownedupandsaidsorry–thiswas,indeed,abuildingwhichshouldhavebeensaved.

JohnBullPub,controversiallydemolishedin1994‘tomakewayforacarsalesforecourt’Credit:YorkExplore

WillthesameapologybegiveninhindsightafterReynard’sGarageonPiccadillygoestothatgreatlandfillintheskysometimesoon?HavingturneddownnumerousrequestsfromtheYorkshireAirMuseumtoturnthisformeraircraftfactory,wherethenovelistNevilShuteworked,intoacitycentremoneyspinner,thewreckersballsarereadytoswingasItype.Addtothistheslowerosionofthealleysandsnickets–theNormanHouseoffStonegateandtheoneatthesideofAllSaints,NorthStreet,bothspringtomind–whicharefastbecominggatedcommunities,thentimestheyareindeedachanging.

StepinArtsCouncilfunding.WhenYorkCouncilrespondedtotheclarioncallstorevampthesalaciousnighttimeeconomy,itdidsobykickstartinganartsfestivalcalledVespertine,aLatinwordthatYorkPresswasobligedtotranslate(andtherebybecominginstantlyelitist)foritsreaders,informingthemitwassomethingwhichhappenedafterdark.Aneventthathasn’tyetquitedeliveredtheculturalgoods,itwaskickedintothegrassbytheunderfundedanddislikedbysomeArtsBargeprojectandthejohnnycomelatelyGreatYorkshireFringe,setupinParliamentStreetbyaYorkieworkingtheWestEndasaoneofftaster.Soitsbacktothebarrenlandscapeof‘culturalbusiness’offilmedopera(nowherebigenoughtoputtherealthingoninYork)andwomendressingasskivviesattheTreasure’sHouseorsallowyouthsasbloodsoakedvictimsofmedievaltortureattheYorkDungeon.Infact,ifyouhaveapassionfordressingupassomeonerippedlimbfromlimbinadubiouspastandtellingporkiestovisitorsyoucanmakeafortuneinYork-whichiswhytheLondontouristshopsandbusesadvertising‘LondonNecropolisGhostTours’areturningupeverywhereover200milesfromwheretheyshouldbe!‘Culturalbusiness’sitsonideologicalquicksandand,whileRomansandVikingsruletheroostinYork,therestofthe2000yearoldstoryofYorkshirehumanitygetssidelinedandstultifiedthroughatoxicmixtureofbothignoranceandneglect.Goneisthefactthathistoryismadeinthehereandnowthatwehavetolookaftertodayforsomeoneelse’stomorrow.

TheNormanHouse,justoffStonegate.Sometimesentryisnowpreventedwithashutgate.Credit:IanTempest

Shafted,too,istherichnessofcharacterthatmadeYorkwhatitwasbutcannolongergetintoitsArtGallerywithoutdiggingdeepandforkingout.

Thesadrealityofculturalbusinessisthatonlythesecondratesells.AgoodexampleofthisisDavidStarkeyappearingatthelastYorkLiteratureFestivalwhilethelocallybornSteveEllishasneverreador,evenmoredepressing,thatJackMapanje,theMalawibornpoetwhocametoYorkasarefugeeandhaslivedhereforover20years,hasnotbeenaskedtoreadalso.ThereisafrustratingfeelingthatsomethinghasgoneawryinYork,thatawrongturningtakensometimeagohasledusuptheyellowbrickroadtonowhere–thatmindlessplacewheremediocrityandthestatusquoarecelebratedastimestandsstill(quiteliterally,inthecaseofYork,asmanyofthehistoricclocksinthecitystreetsnolongerwork!).

Sowhat’stobedone?Forastartoffwecanownuptoourfailures–lookingatwhatYorkhasn’tgotinsteadoftubthumpingallthetimeaboutwhatitHASgotwillimprovetheplacenoend.I’mremindedof,sometimeagonow,whentheBelgiancityofBrugesdecideditwasgettingtoofrumpyforitsowngoodanddecidedtoupitstouristofferbyusingculturenotasabusinessbutasacreativewaytobringthetown(whichisnotsounlikeYork)intomoderntimes.Thecouncilthendecidedtocommissionanumberofwellknowncontemporaryartiststodesignarangeofqualitysouvenirswhichsoldlikehotcakesandbroughtvisitorsflocking.AnotherexampleofthisnewfoundculturalconfidencecamewhenplaywrightMartinMcDonaghwasaskedtowritethescriptforInBruges-oneoftoday’scultfilms.ImaginethatinYork!Sadly,no.Thecityneedsitseyesprisedwideopenbyitsownpastinordertoinvigorateitsfuture.It’seasilydone.ItalsoneedstoloosenupandputmusicclubslikeFibbersbackcentrestagewheretheybelong(itmovedfromthemainstreetofStonebowtothebackstreetofToftGreen)andgiveeventslikeYorkPrideprominenceinthecitycentreinsteadofhidingitawayatthebackendoftheKnavesmire.Yorkneedstotakealong,hardstareatitself.Onlythencanitcastofitsfancydressandleapintotherealworldofcontemporaryculture.PuttingaheftypricetagonashedloadofcrockeryintheArtGallerywhilesellingracistgolliwogsinShamblesgiftshopsisnotgoingtodoit.Abraverapproachisneededinordertomoveforward.Afterall,thereisnofutureinnostalgia.

AlldressedupasVikings,crucialpartoftheeducativefunctionofYork’sarcheologyor‘fancydress’?Credit:BarryPitcher

Kit Heyam, LGBT History Month

KitHeyamisOutreachCoordinatorforYorkLGBTHistoryMonth.KitworkedwithHelenandYork’sAlternativeHistorytoputontheRainbowPlaqueseventinFebruary2015.The‘Whathasheritageeverdoneforus?’eventwasheldonthesametimeasYorkPride,Kithasinsteadcontributedsomereflectionsontheevent’squestion.

WhenyouthinkaboutYork’sheritage,doyouseeLGBTstories?Ifyourfirstencounterwiththeheritageofthiscityisthestorymarketedbythetourismindustryandpackagedasaunifiedimpressionbypopularunderstanding,theanswerisalmostcertainlyno.ThosewiththemostpowertoshapeimpressionsofYork’shistory–thosewhoworkintourism,marketing,museums–havelargelyfocusedonitscivicandstrategicimportanceratherthanontheidentitiesofthepeoplewhoshapedandpopulatedthecity.Whilesomeorganisationsaremakingaconcertedefforttoshiftthisfocus–notablytheCastleMuseum(whoareactivelyexpandingtheirLGBT-relatedcollections)andYorkExplore(whoarepursuingtheideaofanLGBTarchive)–othersstill,implicitlyorexplicitly,perceiveLGBThistorytobeirrelevanttotheheritagestorytheywanttotell.

OneofthecardboardplaquesdevelopedfortheLGBTHistoryMonthRainbowPlaquesday.

Inpart,thisrelativeabsenceofLGBTstoriesfromwhatweinstinctivelyconsidertobe‘York’sheritage’reflectsageneralexclusionofmarginalisedgroups.Itisilluminating,forexample,tocompareYorktoManchester,whosemainstreamheritagestorydoesincluderadicalpoliticalmovements(Chartism,thePeterloomassacre)aswellasLGBThistory(throughManchester’searlyroleasacentreofnortherngaylife).Bycontrast,York’spresentationofitsheritagedoesnotfocusonordinaryworkingpeople;thisgapcouldpotentiallybefilledbytheNationalRailwayMuseum,butitcurrentlylackssubstantialYork-specificinterpretation.However,italsoreflectsawiderproblemfacingproponentsofLGBThistoryineverycity:bymodernconceptionsatleast,‘LGBT’isnotsomethingpeopledo,butsomethingtheyare.Actionsmakehistorybooks;identitiesmaybeincludedasephemeralcontext,butarerarelyforegroundedasintegral.

AsYorkLGBTHistoryMonth,ouraimisthereforenotjusttohighlightpastactionsthatrelatetoLGBTactivismorthedirectexpressionofLGBTidentities,buttoreframethewritingofhistoryasanexercisethatcustomarilyandnecessarilyrecordsthewholeselvesofhistoricalfigures.Doingthis

KitputsupaplaqueonRainbowPlaquesdayinFebruary2015.

providesavaluableindicationofcontinuityformarginalisedgroupswhosehistoryandexistencehaspreviouslybeendeniedorerased,andanimportantacknowledgementthatactionsarerarelyentirelydivisiblefromtheidentitiesofthosewhoaccomplishthem.It’seasytoarguethatperformativeLGBT-relatedacts,suchasthe1834weddingofAnneListerandAnnWalkeratHolyTrinityChurchonGoodramgate,shouldbeincludedintheYorkguidebooks;it’sharder,butnolessimportant,tofightforthementionofW.H.Auden’ssexualorientationasamatterofcoursewhenrecordingthefacthewasborninahouseonBootham.FocusingonlyonLGBThistoryasitismanifestedthrougheventscontributestoitsghettoization:totheperceptionofitasaseparatestrandofhistory,ratherthanasanaspectofalltheotherstrands(politicalhistory,literaryhistory,militaryhistory).Itiscrucial,too,toensurethatlesspositiveaspectsofYork’sLGBThistoryareincorporatedintoYork’sstoryalongsidemilestonesofequality.WhenlookingbackatthepeopleimprisonedinwhatisnowtheCastleMuseum,wemustrememberthepeopleimprisonedthereforsodomy;whenlookingbackatthepsychiatrichospitalsatNaburn,CliftonParkandBootham,wemustrememberthosetreatedthereforidentitiesoractsnotacceptedbytheirsocieties.Toooften,whenLGBThistoryisembraced,itbecomesaselectionofcelebratorymilestonesonalinearprogressiontowardsfulltoleranceandequality;whileitisimportanttocelebrateourpast,itisequallyimportant(whenrecordingthehistoryofastill-relevantissue)tobearwitnesstopastinjusticeandtragedy.

Howmightallthisbeachieved?Itrequirestheinvolvementofacross-sectionofheritageorganisations–including,butnotlimitedto,thosenebulousandinaccessibletourismbodies.ItrequiresYork’sLGBTstoriestobeconsistentlymadevisible,thuspromptingtheremembranceandrecognitionofothers.Itrequires,too,encouragingpeopletowidentheirconceptionof‘history’.YorkLGBTHistoryMonthhaspromotedafocusonpersonalhistories–our‘rainbowplaques’event,co-organisedwiththisresearchproject,wasanexampleofthis,aswastheCastleMuseum’scallforobjectsduringLGBTHistoryMonth2015–andwearekeenthatthisshouldcontinue.Mostofall,itrequiresawillingnessfromallpartiesnottodismissLGBThistoryasirrelevant,buttothinkinsteadaboutthewaysinwhichitmightberelevant.Ifwecontinuetoconceiveofhistoryasastreamofevents,weareindangeroferasingthepeople–andtheidentities–thatmadethoseeventshappen.

Lisa Pickering, York StoriesLisa,actingasaresidentjournalistfortheevent,wrotesoonafterherreflectionsontheevent

Myinitialimpression,onseeingthenumberofpeopleattendingtheevent,wassurpriseathowmanypeoplecaredaboutthecity’sheritageenoughtospendaSaturdayafternoondiscussingit.Ishouldknowthisofcourse,butIspendalotofmytimeengagingwithheritage-relatedissueswhilesittingatacomputerinaroomonmyown.

Thespeakersanddiscussionmademethinkmoreaboutthemanyperspectivesonwhat‘ourheritage’mightbe.There’sclearlysharedheritage,andageneralacceptancethatcertainhistoricbuildingsareveryobviously‘ourheritage’.ButIwassurprisedtootoseehowmanypeoplementionedtheReynard’sgarage/Airspeedbuilding,whichisstill,inmanypeople’seyes,justan‘eyesore’,not‘heritage’atall.Butclearlyinthisroom,atthisevent,itssignificancewasrecognised.

Iappreciatedinparticularthe‘longview’givenbysomeofthespeakerswhohavebeenworkingwithandforYork’sheritageformanyyears.Ithastakenmeyearstodevelopanunderstandingofitsmanylayers,andI’mstillworkingonit.InmyincreasingawarenessandengagementI’veappreciatedbeingabletoemailknowledgeablepeoplewithexperienceandperspective,likeAlisonSinclair,whenIwantedtoincludeaccurateandhelpfulinformationonyorkstories.co.uktoraiseawarenessofplanningapplicationsregardingheritageassets(unlisted,industrial,‘LocalList’buildings).Aswasmentionedinthediscussions,theworkneededtoincreaseengagementandparticipationneedspeopletodoworkwhichisgenerallyunpaid,andrequiresenergyandenthusiasmandtime,andthisperhapsneedsmorerecognitionandappreciation.

2007:RecordingtheremnantsofbuildingsintheHungatearea,beforedemolitionandredevelopment.Credit:YorkStories

I’moftenstruckbythemanydifferentversionsandperceptionsofYork.ThiswasperhapsparticularlyobviouswhenlisteningtoMichaelHayes,whoexpressedfrustrationatnotenoughhappening.Myperception,basedonmyinterestsandconcerns,isoftenthattoomuchishappeningtokeepupwith.

IntalkingabouttheLocalPlan,whichwillshapeYorkinthefuture,ChrisStewardemphasisedwhat’sseenbymanyasacrucialaspect–protectionofthecity’sgreenbelt.Notwantingtobuildongreenfieldsisarecognitionthatthenaturalenvironmentisalsopartofourheritage.Butnaturealsocreepsintoourbuilt-upareasonmanyofthose‘brownfield’sites(oftenquitegreen),wherewealsooftenstillhaveafewremnantsofstillunder-appreciatedindustrialheritage.Theclearanceandredevelopmentofbrownfieldsiteshasmeantthelossofindustrialheritageonalargescale.Itriedtorecordoncamerawhatwasleftofitin2004,andsincethen.

AssomeonewhohasoftenwonderedwhatpastresidentsthoughtabouttheirgreenfieldsbeingbuiltonIlikedVictoriaHoyle’ssuggestionthatthearchivesshouldbe‘aboutwhatisimportantnow,andbeingmoreresponsive’,thattheycouldbeprioritisedforaccessibilityonissuesofcurrentconcernsuchasthis.Readingthethoughtsofearlierresidentsofthecityingenerationspastisalwaysilluminatingandcanhelpformamoremeasuredperspectiveonchangesinthepresent.I’veappreciatedthewaythearchiveshavebeenopenedupandmademoreaccessible,particularlyonline.Therecognitionthat‘thecityarchives’aren’tjustinthatonebuildingbutarespreadacrossthecity,heldbyindividuals,seemsanimportantpoint.

OnCarmeliteStreet,intheHungateredevelopmentarea,in2006.Alargestudentaccommodationblocknowoccupiesthesite.Credit:YorkStoriesCredit:YorkStories

HelenWeinstein’scontributionwastheoneIthoughtaboutthemostonmywayhome,andlater,assheconveyedclearlythedifficultiesoftellingthestoriesofClifford’sTower,discomfortwiththewaythebuildingisportrayed,andthelackofunderstanding,andassheexploredthedepthsandcomplexitiesoftraumatichistories,andhowtomarkthem.IwasoneoftheYorkchildrenwhogrewupheredrawingpicturesofClifford’sTowerasaniconicbuildingrepresentingthecity’shistorywhenweweregivenprojectsinclass.Itwasn’tuntilIwasinmy30s,puttingmyfirst‘YorkWalks’photosonlineandfindingontheBBCwebsiteanarticleonthehistoryofClifford’sTowerentitled‘York’sblackestday’thatIbegantofullyrecogniseandappreciatethemeaningandsignificanceofthesite.Helen’scontributiondeepenedmyawarenessofthemanylayersandinterpretationsandperspectives.

AssomeonewhohasbeenmakingwebsitesandputtinginformationonlineforaboutfifteenyearsnowIwasparticularlyinterestedintheroletheinternetwasseentohave,thehopesregardinghowitcouldbeused.I’vebeenobservingtheonlineworldlongenoughtoknowthatyoucan’thaveoneplaceassomekindofcentralrepository,wehavetoacceptthatmanydifferentplatformsandchannelswillbeused.Alsothatmuchofthegoodandusefulstuffhasbeenmadebypeopleindividuallyjustgettingonwithit,theirdiverseheritageandtheirmakinginthenow.

Ifwe’rewantingtoinfluenceheritagedecisionsthenwedoneedtolinkupmoreeffectivelyintheonlineworld,beginningwithmorerecognitionofwhat’salreadythere.Therearesomeexcellentonlineresourcesbutthelinksbetweenthemoftenaren’tthere.Includinglinkstosourcesusedtobestandardpractice,butinanageofwidespread‘sharing’Ifearwe’relosingthoseconnections,asresourcesthatrecordheritagehaveimagesrippedfromtheircontext,historiesadrift.

TalkingwithDannyCallaghanaboutissuesinvolvedin‘DIYheritage’andheritageactivismwashelpfulinrelationtomyongoingworkatwww.yorkstories.co.ukandwithassociatedprojectsIwasstartingworkonatthetimeoftheevent.AspectsofYork’sculturalheritageandrecenthistorystillseemquiet/absent/invisiblebehindmoredominantnarratives,butit’suptoustorecordthem.I’llcontinuetodomybitin‘DIYheritage’andininformationsharingonissuesrelatedtolocalengagementandtheplanningprocesswhereIcan.

Thingshavechangedandshiftedsomuchinthelastfewyearsintermsofincreasingengagementwithheritage-relatedissues,andIhopethatthismomentumcanbesustainedandbuilton,withsimilareventsinthefuture.

Acknowledgements

The‘Whathasheritageeverdoneforus?’eventtookplaceinthecontextofthe‘Howshouldheritagedecisionsbemade?’project.Thefullresearchteamis:

Martin BashforthradicalfamilyhistorianandYork’sAlternativeHistoryMike BensonDirector,Bede’sWorldTim BoonHeadofResearchandPublicHistory,ScienceMuseumLianne BrighamYorkPastandPresentRichard BrighamYorkPastandPresentKaren BrookfieldDeputyDirector(Strategy),HeritageLotteryFundPeter BrownDirector,YorkCivicTrustDanny CallaghanIndependentConsultant(PublicArt,HistoryandEngagement)includingThePotteriesTileTrail(HLF),CeramicCityStoriesJean-Phillipe CalvinComposerandResearcherRichard CourtneySchoolofManagement,UniversityofLeicesterKathy CreminDirector,HivePaul FurnessYork’sAlternativeHistoryHelen GrahamSchoolofFineArt,HistoryofArtandCulturalStudiesandCentreforCriticalStudiesinMuseums,GalleriesandHeritage,UniversityofLeedsAlex HaleArchaeologist,RoyalCommissionontheAncientandHistoricalMonumentsofScotlandPaddy HodgkissRiccallArchiveCo-ordinatorJohn LawsonStoryteller,LoftusRebecca MadginUrbanStudies,UniversityofGlasgowPaul MannersDirector,NationalCo-ordinatingCentreforPublicEngagementDavid RobinsonTechnicalEditorandMusicianJohn StanleyWriterandElectronicMusicianMartin SwanMusicianandEducatorJennifer TimothySeniorBuildingConservationOfficer,LeicesterCityCouncilRachael Turner Director,MadLabandTheGhostsofStPauls(HLFAllOurStories)

www.heritagedecisions.leeds.ac.uk

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York: What has heritage ever done for us?

York: What has heritage ever done for us? · The ‘What has heritage ever done for us?’ event...

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