Cinderloo1821 is delighted to be working with the Wrekin Housing Trust, the Telford Memories Facebook page and local history groups of the Wrekin Local Studies Forum to identify and celebrate the communities through which the protesting colliers would have passed 200 years ago on the way to the battle site.
The men and women would have been drawn from places that still make up parts of Telford, but the communities are unrecognisable today compared to what existed in 1821. We are looking for images and comments from people who would like to celebrate the communities that rallied behind the cause of the iron and mine workers who were protesting about having their wages cut and were confronted by the Shropshire Yeomanry protecting the interests of the mine and iron foundry owners.
Local artist Amanda Hillier is working with the project and would love to hear about the spirit and community solidarity that would have existed in 1821 and also the housing conditions of the period that the workers and their families would have lived in.
We are creating a map of the route which will describe these lost communities and highlight to current and future generations what Telford was built upon.
The resources created will be used with local schools to involve children in learning about the story and also to encourage local people to explore the history that is literally right under our feet. There will also be workshops arranged to that people can attend to help build up the picture and take part in printmaking, collage and creative writing activities. Further details of these will be announced on the Events page.
Selected contributions to the mapping project will also be included in the Out of the Dark zine which further documents community responses to the Cinderloo story.
Thanks to Marcus Keene for supporting us through the Facebook site Telford Memories to spread the word and we would like to invite anyone with memories about the old communities and works to get in touch.
We would particularly like to hear about the communities of Ketley, Wombridge, Donnington Wood, St Georges, Oakengates, Priorslee, Ketley Bank, Dark Lane, Hinkshay, Stirchley, Dawley, Dawley Castle, Holywell Lane, Lightmoor, Coalbrookdale, Horsehay, Dawley Bank, Newdale , Lawley and Old Park itself.
You can contact the project directly on cinderloo1821@gmail.com but please promote discussion and sharing on any of the local Facebook sites.
Cinderloo 1821 Remembered 