The stories that shape a community are not always the ones found in history books. Many are carried in memories, family photographs and personal experiences, quietly passed from one generation to the next. A new heritage project hopes to ensure those voices are no longer overlooked.
Swindon & Wiltshire Pride is inviting people from across the county to contribute to We Were Always Here: Wiltshire’s Hidden LGBTQIA+ Social History, a community heritage project made possible through funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The initiative will explore more than 200 years of LGBTQIA+ life in Wiltshire, tracing stories from the early 19th century through to the legalisation of same-sex marriage in 2014. Along the way, it aims to document how local people built communities, navigated prejudice, found acceptance and celebrated the social changes that transformed everyday life.
Project volunteers are collecting memories, photographs, documents and personal recollections to help preserve a part of Wiltshire’s heritage that has often remained unseen. Those contributions will form a lasting record for future generations while helping to paint a fuller picture of the county’s social history.
Research has already uncovered fascinating glimpses into the past, including first-hand memories of coming out and the gay scene in 1990s Swindon, as well as the story of a gay Second World War pilot who later became the MP for Chippenham. Organisers believe many more untold stories are still waiting to be discovered, particularly from earlier periods.
Anyone with memories, family archives or knowledge of LGBTQIA+ life in Wiltshire is encouraged to get involved.
As part of Pride Fortnight, historian Andrew Foyle will present a free talk, Why LGBTQIA+ History Matters, on Tuesday, 4 August at the Pride Hub in Brunel Plaza, Swindon. The social, architectural and queer historian will explore why preserving these stories remains so important, while members of the project team will be on hand to explain how people can contribute their memories safely and respectfully.
The project will also have a presence at the Swindon & Wiltshire Pride main event on Saturday, 15 August, where visitors will be able to meet the team in the Community & Organisations zone and find out more about how they can take part.
To learn more about the project or share your story, visit www.swindonandwiltshirepride.org.uk/pride-history-project or email history@swindonwiltshirepride.org.uk. Details of the talk and the full Pride Fortnight programme can be found at www.swindonandwiltshirepride.org.uk/event-tickets
