Our Remarkable People

If there's someone who is remarkable to you now or in the past, please bring a story or two about them to share with us.

There are 8,945 people buried at North Road and we would like you to come to find out what the Shared Spaces project has learned about them.

We will be presenting the Heritage and Nature Trails for the North Road Burial Ground, as well as placing a flower on every grave.  

The children of Year 4 from the Westborough School would also like to invite you to an exhibition of their Shared Spaces work completed this year.

We also ask you to bring a memory of someone you think is remarkable, living or dead to tell us about at the celebration.  

"When I see a grave stone it's just someone's name and it doesn't mean anything to you, but when you hear the story of the person it makes you understand that they were a real person just like you and me." Nilima (nine)  

All of the Shared Spaces Remarkable People will be attending - come and meet us!  

If you want to learn more about the project please go to www.blade-education.org.uk or please get in touch at sharedspaces@blade-education.org.uk 

 

Background to the Outdoor Learning Element of Shared Spaces  

Children from the Westborough School in Southend-on-Sea have recently been having some of their lessons in a rather unusual place - a Victorian graveyard.

In an innovative new project, the Year 4 students from the Westborough School have been learning all about the history of some of the 8,945 people buried at the North Road Burial Ground and have also learned to respect the cemetery and the heritage of those buried there.

 

Creative Director Beth Hooper explains.  "It's essential to get children out of the classroom on a regular basis, but schools across the country often have limited space for pupils to be able to be taught outside.

"If communities can realise that cemeteries can be fascinating places to bring children then they can be introduced to a whole new set of possibilities."

 

It is hoped that this interaction between the generations will foster and greater respect and understanding of each other.

Another aim of the project is to help children learn respect for graveyards and see them as places to learn about the past.  

Working with the children have been Westborough teachers, Kay Hammond and Peter Littman.

"They absolutely love coming to North Road." says Kay Hammond.

"This may seem like a totally mad place to come and have lessons, but the children have really thrived here and the project has brought them a lot of opportunities that they simply wouldn't otherwise have had.

"We've done gardening, photography, nature hunts, artwork and history all in a graveyard."  

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council's Executive Councillor for Corporate Support Services, Councillor Andrew Moring said: "This tremendous project has transformed the burial ground, and rekindled respect for those laid to rest there.

"It has also inspired schoolchildren to discover fascinating aspects of their heritage, as well as bringing generations together.

"We hope as many people as possible will come along to enjoy the results of what the Westborough pupils have found out."

 

 

 

The Shared Spaces Project has been funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Ernest Cook Trust, the Trust House Foundation and the Essex Heritage Trust.

 

The project, which began in January this year, aims to help children to understand the history of their town and to connect with the older generation of Southend residents by bringing them together to learn about the stories of those who were buried at the cemetery.

 

 

Pupils have studied the stories of their town from 1890-1950s with the help of the Shared Spaces Project run by local not for profit company, Blade Education.  

 

 

The event starts at 10.30am and parking is very limited on site but there is a pay and display car park at the London Road end of North Road.