‘Slavery, Memory and
Memorialisation’ (AM417)
London fieldtrip handbook
th
Friday 26 February 2016
Slavery, Memory and Memorialisation
AM417
There will be no seminar in term 2, week 7. Instead, we will hold a field trip to
London on Friday 26th February. Please read all of the following document
carefully and bring it with you on the day.
Required reading and preparation
1. Please familiarise yourself with both museums, particularly the parts relating
to slavery. You will find useful links at the end of this document.
2. Complete all the ‘Required reading’ from the week 5 seminars on ‘Museums’
(i.e. read whatever you did not look at).
3. In addition, everyone should read the following:
Cubitt, Geoffrey, ‘Lines of resistance: Evoking and configuring the theme of
resistance in museum displays in Britain around the bicentenary of 1807’, Musuem
and Society, 8: 3 (2010), pp. 143-164.
Timetable, Friday 26th February
By 9.00 – meet at Leamington Spa train station, just before the barriers, to collect
train tickets from me
9.12 – depart Leamington Spa on Chiltern Railway train
10.36 – arrive London Marylebone
Take Bakerloo Line from Marylebone to Baker Street (1 stop). Change and take
Jubilee Line to Canary Wharf (9 stops).
11.30-13.30 – visit Museum of London Docklands to see the ‘London, Sugar &
Slavery’ exhibition and meet with Alex Werner, Head of History Collections
Lunch/take Docklands Light Railway from West India Quay to Cutty Sark
15.00-17.00 – visit National Maritime Museum (near Cutty Sark) and meet with Dr
Robert Blyth, Curator of 19th Century Imperial and Maritime Studies
17.00 – fieldtrip ends
Some of you may wish to stay in London or come back later. Otherwise, I would
recommend that you purchase the following ticket (see below):
18.47 – depart London Marylebone station on Chiltern Railway train
20.08 – arrive Leamington Spa
Activities on the day
We will have a couple of hours at each museum. In both cases, there will be an
opportunity to meet with a curator and hear about the planning, realisation and
reception of the exhibits. You will also be able to ask questions. The rest of the time
(approximately 60-90 minutes) will be for exploring and studying the displays. You
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Slavery, Memory and Memorialisation
AM417
should by now have a good sense of the sort of issues concerning how slavery,
abolition and their legacies are depicted and commemorated, but here are some
suggestions for what to look out for:
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Begin by familiarizing yourself with the exhibit overall – walk around, look
through any leaflets etc.
Work your way through the exhibit more slowly. Look carefully at the displays
and consider the following sorts of things:
o the relationship between text, images and material objects
o the order in which the displays are encountered
o the use of sound and audio
o what works – or does not – and why (not)?
Think about the overt messages of the exhibit, but also any contradictions.
You may also wish to consider the responses of other visitors – whether by
watching other people or, if possible, looking at visitor comments.
Think about our discussions in seminars and the themes we have covered:
how are these apparent in the exhibits (the representation of particular
people, places, events; causes and consequences of slavery and its abolition;
heroes and villains etc.)
Although we will be concentrating on those parts of the museums concerned
with Atlantic slavery, you may wish to consider how they relate to other parts,
as well as to compare the two museums.
Do not forget that everyone will be giving a short (5 minute) presentation about some
aspect of the day on the following Wednesday. Therefore, please ensure that you
bring the means to take notes and, if you wish, to gather visual images. Although
the presentations are individual, do work together, discuss ideas etc. on the day. I
will also be around the whole time, so please talk to me too. In particular, I will chat
with you about your plans for the presentation.
Post-fieldtrip presentations
Our next meeting will take place in our usual slot: Wednesday 2nd March, 9-11 and
11-1. In that session, everyone will give a short, individual presentation about the
fieldtrip.
Safety and personal security
Although we will remain together for most of the day and are visiting very safe parts
of London, please take the usual precautions, especially if you are unfamiliar with
London and/or the Underground. Take particular care on train and tube platforms
and when crossing roads, and look after your personal belongings. Although the
fieldtrip ends at 5pm, I would like everyone to tell me what your plans are for getting
home/staying on so I can ensure no one is stuck.
If you get lost on the day, call me on 07753 398204.
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Slavery, Memory and Memorialisation
AM417
I am sure I do not need to tell you that must behave in a sensible, responsible and
respectful manner, and I would also expect you all to keep an eye out for each other.
If you have any problems or concerns, please speak to me as soon as possible.
Field trip costs
Both the museums are free to enter. You will also need to bring or pay for your
lunch. The department’s policy for field trips is to fund up to half of the total cost of
the trip. The easiest way to arrange this is for me to purchase the tickets down to
London and London travel cards (for unlimited travel within London for the day), and
then leave you to sort out the return journey yourselves. Some of you may wish to
stay in London or come back later, otherwise I would recommend that you purchase
the following ticket:
18.47 – depart London Marylebone station on Chiltern Railway train
20.08 – arrive Leamington Spa
If you buy an Advanced Single ticket from www.thetrainline.com as soon as possible
with 16-25 Railcard, you should not have to pay more than about £20.00. (Please
note that such tickets are only valid on a specific train.)
London Underground
Map showing part of London Underground, including Marylebone, Canary Wharf and
Cutty Sark tube stations. For general information see: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/.
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Slavery, Memory and Memorialisation
‘London, Sugar
Docklands
&
Slavery’
AM417
exhibition, Museum
of London
If we get separated between London Marylebone and the Museum of London
Docklands, the address is No. 1 Warehouse, West India Quay, London, E14 4AL:
You can find information on the Museum of London Docklands here:
http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/Docklands/
We will be concentrating on the permanent ‘London, Sugar & Slavery’ exhibition that
examines London’s involvement in transatlantic slavery:
http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/docklands/whats-on/permanent-galleries/londonsugar-slavery/
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Slavery, Memory and Memorialisation
AM417
‘The Atlantic: Slavery, Trade, Empire’ gallery, National Maritime
Museum
If we get separated between the Museum of London Docklands and the National
Maritime Museum, the address is Park Row, Greenwich, London, SE10 9NF:
You can find information on the National Maritime Museum here:
http://www.rmg.co.uk/national-maritime-museum/
Our focus will be the ‘The Atlantic: Slavery, Trade, Empire’ gallery.
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