Walsall Local History Centre is the archives and local studies service for Walsall Metropolitan Borough. The purpose of the Centre is to collect, preserve and make available the documentary and audio visual history of the borough. Our collections include a wide range of media including archival documents, the local studies library, newspapers, photographs, maps, oral history tapes and much more.
We endeavour to make our resources available to schools at many levels and age groups although the most common users are primary and secondary schools. Students of all ages are welcome to study resources held at the Centre and we are happy to offer advice to teachers.
We have a Victorian pack and The History of the Cooperative Society in Walsall aimed at Key stage 2 children and online resources which include historic photographs of the area, memories of Asian elders and histories of areas of Birchills and Caldmore.
These can be reached via our website www.walsall.gov.uk/localhistorycentre.
We can accommodate visits by schools and a limited number of visits to schools.
Benefits
The Local History Centre houses a wealth of material from the middle ages to the present day. This can be used to enhance National Curriculum modules e.g. Victorian Britain. Children can find out how national events affected their local area or how people in the past lived and worked.
Local history resources can be used to show children how history relates to them by targeting the area where they live and are familiar with.
The Local History Centre has worked with primary schools in the area who are studying key stage 2 modules Victorian Britain and World War II. Schools have also found about the locality around their school.
Secondary schools have used the Local History Centre to find out about the history of the Town Wharf in Walsall and canal network over time; the implementation of the Poor Law in 1834 and to do individual local studies projects.
The Centre has also worked with groups from special schools on a variety of projects.
Contact details
Cath Yates
Walsall Local History Centre
Essex Street
Walsall
WS2 7AS
Telephone 01922 721305
Fax 01922 634954
Email localhistorycentre@walsall.gov.uk
Website localhistorycentre@walsall.gov.uk
Links to schools' initiatives
- NIS
- Community cohesion
- Every child matters
- Excellence and Enjoyment
- Gifted and talented
- Learning outside the classroom manifesto
- Literacy and numeracy
- New deal
- Special needs
- World of work