Public History
“a novel way of presenting local history” Frank Sharman, Wolverhampton History and Heritage Society discussing Ballads for Bomere Heath on Wolverhampton University website.
Dave’s work as a writer regularly involves working with local communities helping them to value their past, and record their histories in ways that are meaningful to themselves. A trained historian and a poet, Dave uses public history and poetry to create texts with and for communities which he describes as 21st Century Chronicles – a summing up of a place or area in fact, opinion and creative response (see Ballads for Bomere Heath in the ‘Community Writing’ section)
Oral histories and community chronicles include:
Ballads for Bomere Heath (2006)
Brummies reCollected (2000)
Oldbury: the town of the four moons (1994)
Cardboard Crowns & Cast Iron Cookpots (1996) – Hill Top, West Bromwich
Wake Up, West Heath..! (1997) – Birmingham
The Shambles, the Quack and Glory-for-me (1991) – Blackheath & Rowley Regis
The’ was onny one an the’ wo’ be another (1990) – Kates Hill, Dudley