Audio Dramas
Port Stories Locational Audio Dramas from James Harker and May Sumwanyambe.Documentary
Port Stories Documentary from film-maker Jonny Randall.Education Pack
Key Stage 3 History Education Pack from Karen Merrifield at Innovate Educate with support from Central High School.Community
Research and Creative Responses from the Port Stories Community Group.
Zylpha – Port Stories and Me
I saw the invitation to become involved with Port Stories on the Regional Heritage e-newsletter and it suggested that participants would be creatively exploring the history of Lancaster. As a volunteer at Lancashire Archives and a member of the U3A it seemed like an attractive proposition.

Shane – An Artist’s Contract
Embodying the mind and spirit of Julius Caesar Ibbetson.

Paula – A Letter to James
Dear James
I have just been looking through a box of old photos and came across the one of you when you were about 5 years old. The one where you are sitting on an old canon outside Cape Coast Castle in Ghana. At the time you would not have known that this place is part of your heritage.

Emma – The Story of Ellen Preston
Dear Miss Townson,
I wish to inform you that I have succeed in gaining a position with one of the most respectable families in Lancaster.

Emma – Lancaster Girl’s School
Emma Chandler explores the life of a young woman in C18th Lancaster.

Zylpha – Handmade in Lancaster: the Animation
Handmade in Lancaster - Animation by Christopher Blower. Words and narration by Zylpha Thomson.

Phil – Port Stories and Me: The Happy Accident
It has been one of those happy accidents that life sometimes deals you.

Bob – The Slave Rebellion (Audio Drama)
The Slave Rebellion. Written by Bob Ashworth, performed by Phil Chandler, directed by Alex Summers and produced by Karen Lauke at Naked Productions.

Bob – The Slave Rebellion
This fictional story of an onboard slave rebellion is based around the known history of the Lancaster Captain Samuel Sandys and the Lancaster slave ship “The Mary” in 1761. After what appears to have been a very troubled voyage, and having survived one attempted uprising, Sandys and most of his crew ended up being killed in a slave insurrection off the coast of The Gambia. This fictional story is told from the perspective of one of the few survivors of the voyage, on his return to Lancaster many months later.

Jilly – Lost from Sight
Reflections on Deaf History in C18th Lancaster.

Juliette – Port Stories and Me
I was fascinated by the stories behind some of the ships, most of all where they got their names.

Zylpha – Handmade in Lancaster: the Text
Gillows of Lancaster, later known as Waring and Gillows, were furniture manufacturers. The firm started in the early 1700’s and finally closed in 1962 and for over 250 years they created furniture of outstanding quality, examples of which are still around today.
Explore More From the Community