Woodlanders Lives and Landscapes
Investigating the lives of people who worked in the rural and domestic industries of the Central Chilterns
About the Project
The Chilterns, regarded in popular imagination as a beautiful landscape of beechwoods, chalk escarpments and picturesque villages, was for more than two centuries a unique industrial landscape. The woods and villages were alive with furniture-making, wood-ware, straw-plaiting, lace-making and tambour-beading (the technique of applying beading and sequins for the fashion industry).
We already know quite a lot about work in these rural trades and the artefacts that were produced but we know much less about what life was like for those involved. Our volunteer researchers are finding out how the people – especially the women and children – who made their living in these woodland and home-based industries went about their daily lives.
Explore the world of lacemaking in the Chilterns with this video by Rosemary Mortham, our lace research consultant.
Watch the Video
How can you get involved?
Volunteer with Woodlanders’ Lives and Landscapes to research the lives of the men, women and children who worked in rural and domestic industries in the villages and woods of the Central Chilterns – chairmaking, lacemaking, plaiting straw (for hats), and tambour beading (for fashion).
Gain experience and training in:
- Family history research
- Archive research
- Recording oral histories
- Guided walks
- Social media
- Information-sharing and interpretation
Through researching the stories of local places, industries and families over the last 150 years, Woodlanders’ volunteers will discover and communicate those people’s lives and work and how they shaped the landscape we see today and how the landscape shaped them.
There are many opportunities to get involved depending on your interests and how much time you would like to spend volunteering. You could research family histories online or in archives (training will be available) and write about local and family stories. You could attend one of our training days in collecting oral histories and help to record people’s stories. You could help us to engage a wider audience with Woodlanders Lives and Landscapes research through social media, leading guided walks and giving talks.
Woodlanders volunteers will be invited to regular social events to hear about progress and to share ideas.
If you are interested in taking part or finding out more please get in touch with the project leader: Helena.chance@bucks.ac.uk or call 01494 522141 (extension 4105)
Read more stories on our blog
Stories of tambour beading in the Chilterns, Part 3: the local workers
We continue to delve into the fascinating lives of the tambour beading girls in Holmer Green and beyond, with Susan Holmes' latest Woodlanders Lives' and Landscapes blog
Women of the Chilterns, past and present, inspire the next generation
Chalk, Cherries and Chairs’ Chilterns Women Conference in March was sold out, with 125 people attending on International Women’s Day...
Stories of tambour beading in the Chilterns, Part 2: Workshops and businesspeople
We continue to delve into the fascinating lives of the tambour beading girls in Holmer Green and beyond, with Susan Holmes' latest Woodlanders Lives' and Landscapes blog
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