| Abstract |
Tunbridge Wells Museum and Art Gallery (TWMAG)'s mission statement commits it to enriching the 'lives of all the people of the Borough of Tunbridge Wells by sharing their collections in participative experiences through which they can learn, enjoy and be inspired'. TWMAG is an Accredited Museum which makes imaginative use of its temporary exhibition space (the Art Gallery), its outreach programme and its website to contribute to the 'learning society' in the locality. TWMAG is committed to telling the stories of the people of Tunbridge Wells, aiming - as its Collections Management Plan states - 'to document the life of sections of the community whose story may be under-represented by traditional history' and wishing to promote research and understanding of 'untold stories (hidden histories), new ways of telling familiar stories and new configurations of known data'. Moreover TWMAG has a desire to achieve 'the widest possible public access to... collections, both on-site and remotely'. It has initiated an award-winning education and outreach programme with activities for schools linked to the National Curriculum as well as for families and adults. However, most of the schools activities have been linked to the primary school curriculum; therefore TWMAG is keen to develop its service for older pupils. Dr Anne Logan, who works at the Medway campus of the University of Kent, is a specialist in British women's history, including the history of feminist movements. In addition to researching national campaigns, Dr Logan has undertaken an investigation of the (arguably unique) women's movement of the West Kent area. Although in general women can no longer be said to be 'hidden from history', within the context of the conventional narrative of Tunbridge Wells' history, with its concentration on the development of the built environment and on a handful of elite personalities, the activities of women in the town - where a century ago they made up a majority of the population - remain remarkably obscure. Dr Logan's research, presented in local talks and in academic publications, has begun to reveal a 'hidden history' and has the potential, via transfer of knowledge, to alter perceptions of the town's past. Dr Logan has wide experience of teaching from GCSE to postgraduate level and is in a position to offer advice on the development of learning resources. The project aims to transfer knowledge to TWMAG to provide the basis for a temporary exhibition in the Art Gallery and a more permanent online exhibition, both to be accompanied by teaching and learning resources. This knowledge will also contribute in the longer term to new permanent displays in TWMAG's projected redevelopment. Dr Logan and a research assistant will assist TWMAG staff in the realization of the physical and virtual exhibitions around the theme 'Women in Tunbridge Wells: a Hidden History'. Under Dr Logan's direction the research assistant will identify items for display both from within the TWMAG collection and elsewhere (for example the Women's Library) and provide input for interpretation panels. The research assistant will also engage in the preparation of teaching and learning resources to be made available online for teachers and pupils in Key Stages 3, 4 and 5 studying history and/or citizenship. The resources will be designed not only to inform knowledge of early 20th century political and social history (including, but not restricted to women's suffrage) but also to facilitate understanding of several cross-curricular and citizenship themes: social exclusion, citizens' rights and duties, the volunteer and the State, civil disobedience, and care for refugees. There will also be materials for learning and teaching generic historical skills, such as evaluation of primary sources and understanding of quantitative data. The project will therefore assist TWMAG in meeting its objectives with regard to outreach and also widen public knowledge of women's history. |
