What did it mean to belong in Mill Road 1962–1988?

What did it mean to belong in Mill Road 1962–1988?

Target age range: Year 9

This enquiry is aimed at Year 9 pupils, based on a single street (Mill Road) in the centre of Cambridge. The 9-lesson enquiry focuses on the changing identity of the street from 1962 to 1988 – the period that saw rapid migration to the city, gentrification and the loss of working-class identity. Students are exposed to a wide range of oral histories and testimonies from the local community and asked to analyse what belonging meant to the inhabitants of Mill Road, through a close reading of the testimonies, combined with students’ own understanding about belonging, interweaved with national and, crucially, local context.

All resources are attached below.

This enquiry was written by Sarah Jackson-Buckley, Head of History and Literacy Co-ordinator: Curriculum Development at Sawston Village College, Cambridgeshire.

Particular thanks to the following organisations for granting permission to use images in this resource: Arjuna Wholefoods, Cambridge Central Library, Cambridge Evening News, Capturing Cambridge.

Every effort has been made to trace all image copyright holders and permissions in these resources, although occasionally it has not been possible to identify these. Please contact Maheema Chanrai at maheema.chanrai@history.org.uk with any queries.

Film clip to accompany Lesson 1:

Attached files:

Why BALH?

Nick Barratt Historian and Author

Supporting your academic research

There is an increasing interest in local history as a key element of academic studies – not just the content that has been published by local historians over the decades as a key research resource, but also in co-produced projects. Grant-awarding bodies such as the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) have placed an increasing emphasis on collaborations and partnerships when considering the award of research funding, and BALH provides the perfect platform for academic researchers to locate key groups and ongoing activity.

Nick Barratt, Historian and Author

Meet the team

Adrian Webb Trustee

Adrian Webb

Adrian edits Somerset and Dorset Notes and Queries, the longest-running local history publication on Somerset. His focus on the late 16th and 17th centuries led to the Maritime History of Somerset series and books on church fonts, maps, subsidies, wills, and maritime charts for the Somerset Record Society. His research on St Decuman’s parish explores everyday life, and he studies Somerset’s loyalties before the 1642 Civil War. Holding a PhD from Exeter, he has lectured internationally on hydrographic heritage and manages the UK Hydrographic Office Archive, preserving historic cartographic records revealing insights into coastal communities.

Adrian Webb, Trustee