News - 1/05/2009
Memories Anecdotes And Photographs Wanted
This week we've launched a community space calling on locals to upload material about the history of housing in Inverclyde.
The UpClose website forms a vital part of our 'Up Close' campaign which aims to reflect on Inverclyde’s heritage, shape its future and celebrate the area’s community spirit and materials may be used in the exhibition in Oak Mall (28 May 2009 – 23 July 2009).
The site has already started to attract interest after Up Close exhibition curator, John Devlin, added some of the anecdotes and photography he has uncovered over the past few months.
Excerpts include:
Play: "I remember me and my brothers would be waiting for my Dad to come back from work on a Friday, not that he would give us money or anything. It was the rubber band on his pay packet we would fight over. The hours of fun you would have with that rubber band if you where lucky enough to get it." Anon. Port Glasgow
Pre-fabs: "The pre-fab was lovely because in those days it was modern. We came from the old tenements and you moved up there and you had your wee fridge and your kitchenette and you'd a garden and it was up the main road and there was just a big field with cows - you felt like you were in the country, it was lovely! I thoroughly enjoyed it. We were there for seven years and then they took it down. I was in tears that day, when they took it down."
Roy Steele, chairman of the RCH board, said: "This is a great opportunity for people to tell their stories of life in Inverclyde. There’s a wealth of untold stories out there and we hope to be able to record these and people’s hopes and aspirations on the website.
"Whether it’s a memory of moving from a tenement into a high-rise flat, getting the first television in the house or playing games in the back court, we want to hear about it. Anyone wishing to contribute should visit the UpClose website and register to upload material. However, the site is open to everyone and is a great way of finding out more about Inverclyde and keeping in touch with people who may have moved out of the area."
