Learn how to discover Reading's secrets at Uni museum
Release Date 25 November 2010
The Museum of English Rural Life will be holding a day school offering local residents the unique opportunity to learn how to research the history of Reading.
The day school, entitled "Researching the history of Reading" takes place on 4 December 2010 at the Museum (MERL) which is owned and managed by the University of Reading.
A thriving and important regional centre in the twenty-first century, Reading's history is often overlooked, yet it stretches back more than a millennium. Established in Saxon times, Reading gained its first charter in 1253, and has never looked back. It was the seat of a major abbey in the middle ages and has been the county town of Royal Berkshire for more than 500 years. Much has been written about the town but still more remains to be discovered.
The Museum has teamed up with Berkshire Record Office to provide the course which will be run by Dr Peter Durrant MBE, County Archivist for Berkshire and local history tutor, Joan Dils, who will show attendees how to find out more about the history of Reading using archives held at the BRO and the University of Reading. This day will provide an opportunity for researchers to question local history experts and develop research skills.
Dr Durrant, said: "This day will be of interest to both armchair enquirers and avid local history research buffs. Many people know of Reading's connection with bulbs, biscuits and beer but if you dig a bit further you will make all sorts of discoveries. This day school is designed to help you get started. All are welcome, whether long standing residents, or newcomers keen to learn about the history of the town."
Bekky Moran, Learning Manager at MERL said: "The new Day Schools at MERL compliment our existing formal and informal learning opportunities for adults, providing the opportunity to get a more in depth insight into specialist areas of the collections held at the University of Reading. The first one provides a unique opportunity for anyone interested in finding out more about Reading's fascinating past to learn how to access the wealth of information in the collections held at the BRO and at the University and to get practical advice from an experts in the field."
The day school costs £40 and runs on December 4th from 10am to 4pm. For further information visit www.reading.ac.uk/merl/dayschools. To book visit www.reading.ac.uk/merl , call 0118 378 8660 or email merlevents@reading.ac.uk.
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Notes for editors:
1. More information about the Museum of English Rural Life
The Museum of English Rural Life, in Redlands Road, Reading, was founded by the University of Reading in 1951 to reflect and record the changing face of farming and the countryside. It houses designated collections of national importance that span the full range of objects, archives, photographs, film and books. Today, it forms part of the University's Museums and Collections Service. The Museum operates as a major resource and research centre for the history of food, farming and the countryside with links into the School of History and other academic departments at the University.
2. More information About the University of Reading
The University of Reading is one of the foremost research-led universities in the UK. Founded in the nineteenth century and gaining a Royal Charter in 1926, we offer a wide range of programmes from the pure and applied sciences to languages, social sciences and fine art. New research and the latest thinking continually feed into undergraduate teaching, with our academic staff working at the forefront of their fields of expertise.
3. More information about Berkshire Record Office
BERKSHIRE RECORD OFFICE was established in 1948 to locate and preserve records relating to the county of Berkshire and its people, and to make them available for research to anyone who is interested in the county's past. Berkshire Record Office is managed by Reading Borough Council and funded by the 6 unitary councils in Berkshire