Heritage and memory : oral history and mining heritage in Wales and Cornwall
Scholarly work on the relationship between heritage and memory has largely neglected living memory (that is âeverydayâ memories of lived experience). There is a common assumption that heritage fosters or maintains broader âcollectiveâ memories (often referred to as social, public or cultural memories) in a linear sense, after living memory has lapsed. However, given the range of complex conceptualisations of âmemoryâ itself, there are inevitably multiple ways in which memory and heritage interact. This thesis argues that where heritage displays represent the recent past, the picture is more complex; that heritage narratives play a prominent role in the tussle between different layers of memory. Empirically, the research focuses on two prominent mining heritage sites; Big Pit coal mine in south Wales and Geevor tin mine in Cornwall. Industrial heritage sites are one of the few sorts of public historical representation where heritage narratives exist so closely alongside living memories of the social experiences they represent. The study more clearly models the relationship between heritage and memory by analysing three key components in relation to these sites; the process âheritagisationâ,
Coupland, Bethan Elinor
Heritage ; memory ; oral history ; public history ; mining ; Wales ; Cornwal
Heritage and memory : oral history and mining heritage in Wales and Cornwall. Scholarly work on the relationship between heritage and memory has largely neglected living memory (that is âeverydayâ memories of lived experience). There is a common assumption that heritage fosters or maintains broader âcollectiveâ memories (often referred to as social, public or cultural memories) in a linear sense, after living memory has lapsed. However, given the range of complex conceptualisations of âmemoryâ itself, there are inevitably multiple ways in which memory and heritage interact. This thesis argues that where heritage displays represent the recent past, the picture is more complex; that heritage narratives play a prominent role in the tussle between different layers of memory. Empirically, the research focuses on two prominent mining heritage sites; Big Pit coal mine in south Wales and Geevor tin mine in Cornwall. Industrial heritage sites are one of the few sorts of public historical representation where heritage narratives exist so closely alongside living memories of the social experiences they represent. The study more clearly models the relationship between heritage and memory by analysing three key components in relation to these sites; the process âheritagisationâ,
heritage memory oral_history mining heritage wales cornwall scholarly work relationship heritage memory largely_neglected living memory everyday memory live_experience common_assumption heritage foster maintain broad collective_memory often_refer social public cultural_memory linear sense live memory however give range complex conceptualisation memory inevitably multiple_way memory heritage interact argues heritage display represent recent_past picture complex heritage narrative play_prominent role different layer memory empirically focus_two prominent mining heritage_site big pit coal mine south wales tin mine cornwall industrial heritage sit sort public historical representation heritage narrative exist closely alongside live memory social_experience represent study clearly model relationship heritage memory analyse three_key component relation site process