iPad blog account established… Yes.. Not that it was difficult but I feel like I’m a techno genius. Photos, vid and stuff to follow ASAP.. Week and a half gone already, done loads, start volunteer work tomorrow.

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Location:Kupunahine St,,United States

So I have constructed some questions after struggling to get this film to import into my computer- I will have you know that I am no computer whizz. In fact I am pretty useless so this has all been a new experience!

I am planned to visit Mrs B again tomorrow this time with no camcorder just the Dictaphone.

Hope it is as successful as the first visit!

Well I have got to get on with my illustrated essay! I have researched the artists I would like to include that I believe relate and inspire my own practise and am now focusing on explaining my own!

If only it was as easy for me to write an essay as it is for me to talk!

I am hoping to get this done in the next week and setting myself goals! Wish me good luck..

Mrs S.M Bennett

It finally came round to visiting Mrs Bennett, I was very excited to meet and hear from Mrs.B. I had previously asked if she would mind me recording the ‘meeting’, luckily she didn’t mind at all!

So I pitched up at her home in Poole and she was the most welcoming host.. With cups of tea and cake!

One thing I noticed straight away was how much we both like to talk! So this interview wasn’t going to be short and sweet.. but a very interesting and an enjoyable experience.

I have recorded this first meeting with a camcorder as well as a Dictaphone (just in case)! Pre visit I had decided I wanted to keep her whole identity secret by only filming her hands.. this was also because I feel some people can express their speech through their body language = hands.

I was delighted to hear a lot about Mrs B life from back when she lived in Wallisdown, Bournemouth as a child and adolescent and also her transition into married life in Poole, still not far from her childhood home.

She also had discovered some very old photographs her mother had kept and passed down to Mrs B as a child at St Marks Primary school and growing up within the community!

Memories are a funny thing, but every little bit she remembered however insignificant to herself I found delicate and momentous!

By the end of the afternoon I had to rush of to go to work but had spent over two hours with Mrs Bennett, which I had thoroughly enjoyed listening about her life. Its lovely to know people don’t mind sharing personal moments with a complete stranger… But I wouldn’t say we are anymore!

I have been invited back for another visit to talk more and hear more about tales of Mrs.B I cannot wait!

Hello Tori

I saw your letter in the echo about Talbot Village.  I moved to the area with my parents in 1960 when they took over as house-parents at Talbot Manor Boys Home – then run by the Church of England Children’s Society.  In the entrance to Talbot Manor is a stone plaque which says that it was built in memory of Mary Anne.  Talbot Manor eventually became ‘mixed’ and my parents retired from there in the early 80′s.  Soon afterwards it was taken over by Shaftesbury Homes.

I myself went to St Marks school for my final year in junior school and went to St Marks Church.  I am not sure what I can tell you that will help but if you have any specific questions please get in touch.

Regards

Richard

I came back in from work and was so pleased to see in my inbox another email replying from my article in the echo!! Its amazing to get these sort of links to the past now I have to try and to patch them together!

Cant wait for the next one!

My letter has been published!! I had to go and get a copy from the main building on Richmond Hill as I was home for the Christmas period when it came out but the receptionist was very helpful!

Well its been hard, I seem to be playing the waiting game.. I write an email and send it into the unknown hoping for the best. Every morning I get up and check all three accounts that I have as forms for people to contact me. Its very exciting to hear back from somebody, I cant wait to hear what they have written, even if it is only small- it is still unique to me.

Here are some of these correspondence…

Dear Victoria

I’m glad you did well in the unit. What was included in your memorial sculpture to represent the village? It sounds intriguing!

I think contacting The Daily Echo about a possible article is a good way to get the information you want. What are you going to put in it – a summary of what you have done so far and a request for people’s memories of Talbot Village? That is a good way of asking for information without imposing on anyone, as only those who are interested, or who have memories, will reply.

Also, has the Echo suggested the best way for people to reply to you without

revealing too much of your personal information – perhaps c/o The Echo or The Arts Institute or your email address rather than a phone number or postal address? I guess I am being overly cautious, but it is worth thinking about!

Anyway, good luck, and please let me know when the article might appear in the Echo - I will be interested in reading it, as well as hearing about the responses you get and how your project is progressing over the next few months. If you need further help, please let me know.

Kind regards,

Carol

Carol has been a great help to me, I just hope I can meet her to put a face to the name!

Hi Tori

I saw your letter in the Echo and thought I would drop you a quick line.

I have only lived here for 2 years and in fact I live just across the woods at the other side of the green open space so I don’t live in the village itself.

You said you have been researching the Talbot sisters and looking into what they have provided for the area and how it is still helping us today.

I would like you to know that Bournemouth Council are about to take away something which was left to the people by the Talbot sisters.  They are trying to build a banked sided velodrome on the only piece of the open space which is never used for football and cricket, thus taking it away from the very people it was left to.  They are also going to take away a public right of way which goes across it.  We have applied for the area to be turned into a town and village green and are awaiting the outcome.

You are studying fine art – are you an artist yourself?

Take care

Kathy

Does anyone else know about this? And the outcome of the application?

HELLO TORI, MY NAME IS ALAN- I ATTENDED ST MARKS FROM 1935- 1941. THE LITTLE BIT THAT I REMEMBER YOU MIGHT KNOW ALREADY BUT MY SISTER I THINK CAN TELL YOU A LOT MORE. HER NAME -MARY – ( NO COMPUTER). THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT THINGS I REMEMBER, ARE -MISS DRAKE, THE HEAD MISSTRESS AND THE MAYPOLE ON MAY DAY. HOPE YOU FIND THIS NOTE HELPFULL.   ALAN

I am writing to Mrs M. to see if she would mind meeting me and talking about her childhood growing up within Talbot Village. This is very exciting!

Hi Tori

I am writing to you about Talbot village as 13 years ago I myself studied the village as my personal HND project whilst on the Natural History Ilustration course at B & P College of Art & Design as it was called then.  It would be interesting to meet you and share the information which I collated all those years ago.

I have replied and cannot wait to see if I can meet up with this person.. It will be very interesting to see what they produced as their project!

Im receiving loud and clear then??!!!

The idea is that I go into the community and create different mini projects, well this is proving difficult and isnt going to get easier as I am off from uni for Christmas.. So not being in the area means I will have to get on with another side of the project- my ideas becoming sketches on paper instead of flying around in my head and in writing. I need to make it visual. Im nervous about what they will turn out like but I am goign to try.

I would like to get involved with St Marks school, organising a ‘smugglers’ day to understand who used to be in this area.. Also get the children to help by creating one part each that will then be used in the final piece by putting them together.

I spoke to Tom today and he explained that I should get in touch with the school and ask about going in to help and then see what they are doing for the curriculum at the moment, as they have to follow guidelines and see if they want to be a part of my work. I have to explain that it is a piece that I am trying to create and that they will be helping me to produce it in being involved.
I have emailed the school and am waiting for a reply…

This blog has been set up to get in contact with people to find out information on the Talbot Village area in Bournemouth. This could be personal memories or stories that you have been told. Anything that makes a connection!

My name is Tori Noakes, I am currently studying a BA in Fine Art at The Arts Institute in Bournemouth and am in my second year. I have been researching the Talbot Sisters, Georgina and Mary Ann, looking into what they have provided the area with and how this is still helping us today.
I am incorporating this research into my artwork and am hoping to find people that have memories of Talbot Village and the surronding area. They may just be people that lived in Bournemouth and remember the area whilst living here but it would be great if i could find anybody that has memories of growing up within Talbot Village.

Hope to hear from you…

Asking to put an article or letter in the newspaper- about finding people in Talbot Village, area!