IPSWICH THINGS TO DO

Tudor Voices on the River Orwell: Talk and Performance

The Hold – Suffolk Archives Ipswich, Ipswich

Information - Tudor Voices on the River Orwell: Talk and Performance

In February 1518, an oyster-catcher working on the River Orwell, at Pin Mill, was drowned when a ship ran into his boat. This tragedy generated a legal inquiry that asked local mariners to explain, in their own words, the circumstances of his death. These testimonies provide an extraordinary insight into the lives and voices of ordinary people living in Suffolk 500 years ago. Funded by the British Academy, Dr Tom Johnson, Matt Shenton, and Suffolk Archives have been working to bring this source back to life through a combination of performance, sound art, music, and a digital exhibition.

Join us for the launch of the exhibition, where Dr Johnson will talk about life in Tudor maritime communities, and hear performances of the testimonies.