Celebrating Local History Month with Newcastle Libraries

We are delighted that the Ballast Hills Burial Ground project is taking part in Local History Month 2025, hosted by our valued project partner, Newcastle Libraries. The library has put together a brilliant and diverse programme of talks, walks, and workshops throughout May, all highlighting the richness of our region’s past.

As part of the series, Mike Greatbatch and Myra Giesen will be giving a talk on Tuesday, 20 May at 14:00, titled “Buried Stories: Exploring Ballast Hills Burial Ground.” We’ll be sharing recent discoveries from the project, including fascinating histories drawn from archival research, and offering reflections on the site’s changing significance over time. Whether you are familiar with the burial ground or curious to know more, we hope you’ll join us for this free event at Newcastle City Library.

Although the event is free, booking is essential. To reserve your place:

  1. Visit Eventbrite
  2. Select Tuesday 20 May
  3. Click Get tickets
  4. Scroll down to find and book the Ballast Hills event at 14:00

You can browse the Libraries’ full programme of Local History Month events in the digital brochure here. It’s packed with great opportunities to explore and celebrate Newcastle’s past, we’re thrilled to be involved.

We hope to see many of you on the 20th!

Conference Report: The 10th Nordic Geographers Meeting

The 10th Nordic Geographers Meeting, held at the University of Copenhagen from 24 to 27 June 2024, focused on the theme “Transitioning Geographies,” addressing global changes and strategies for equitable transitions. This international conference, organized by the Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, attracted approximately 430 attendees with six concurrent sessions over three days.

A presentation on the Ballast Hills Burial Ground (BHBG) project made by Myra Giesen was featured in the session titled “The cultural renegotiation of urban cemeteries and graveyards: multi-functional spaces of death, sacredness, recreation, and ecosystem services.” Organized by Johanna Adolfsson (Stockholm University), Sara Borgström (Royal Institute of Technology), and Annika Dahlberg (Stockholm University), the session included a diverse lineup of speakers, including Julie Roussett (University Gustave Eiffel – Lab’URBA), Avril Maddrell (University of Reading), Helena Nordh (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences), Johanna Adolfsson and Myra. The discussions covered a broad spectrum of issues related to burial sites, offering rich opportunities for networking and collaboration relevant to the BHBG project.

This session facilitated discussions on a wide range of issues related to burial sites, providing an intimate and engaging environment for exchange. The presentation elevated the BHBG project’s profile, connected it with researchers in similar fields, and expanded its professional network.

As a result of this exposure, the BHBG project is now recognized as an active research initiative within The Cemetery Research Group, enhancing its visibility and collaboration opportunities.

Acknowledgment is extended to the School of Education, Communication, and Language Sciences Research Committee, Newcastle University, for partially funding this conference attendance.

10th Nordic Geographers Meeting Logo