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Luton Library launches All Our Voices project to find out more about town's history

What was Luton really like in days gone by? A project at Luton Library aims to find out.

Entitled All Our Voices, it centres on a workshop to be held on Thursday, March 9, when people are asked to come and share their memories of old Luton and if possible, bring along old photographs.

“Staff will be on hand to help people write down their memories,” said library assistant Mandy Moore, who has been working on the project. “The idea is to collect as many memories of as many aspects of Luton life as we can.”

A celebration dinner taking place in Luton
A celebration dinner taking place in Luton

The sessions take place between 11am and noon and between 2.30pm and 5.30pm.

Among the photographs already in is one from 1950 or 1951, of a violin lesson at Luton Junior School, held by teacher Miss E Pharo. It’s been contributed by Pat Chivers, formerly Perkins, who is among the young violinists pictured.

Another has been contributed by Charlie Barr who recalls his days as an amateur wrestler at the Royal Naval Club in 1961.

A violin lesson at Luton Junior School in 1950 or 1951. Picture: Pat Chivers
A violin lesson at Luton Junior School in 1950 or 1951. Picture: Pat Chivers

The library already has hundreds of contributions from children recounting what they like about Luton today. These have been imaginatively displayed to form a “tree” using a rotary clothes line.

The project is backed by Medway Libraries and Medway Adult Education.

The celebration dinner (pictured top) taking place somewhere in Luton is the sort of memory-evoking picture the All Our Voices project is looking for.

If you have any idea where or when it was taken, or what the occasion was, please contact me at pcook78@btinternet.com or telephone the newsroom on 01634 227803.

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