We’re seeking stories from Paignton people about Paignton benches…
What’s the collective term for a group of benches?
What would bench gossip be like, if they could speak?
Which Paignton bench has the longest history?
What’s your favourite bench in Paignton and why?
Do you have a story about a particular bench?
Send us your favourite Paignton bench or story!
A photo, painting, poem, eulogy, memory?
Please get in touch to tell us your story. We’ll be recording people telling their bench stories in our next Strandline session on Saturday 27th July, 10am - 1pm at Unit 5 Community Lounge, Victoria Square just off Torbay Road. If you’d like to come and tell your story, please get in touch! All Strandline sessions are free of charge. You don’t have to book, but it’s helpful for us to know who is coming along.
If you can’t make our session on 27th July, you can still contribute your story! Just email: sara@filament.org.uk with your story - as an email, word document, image, video or audio recording. We can accept emails up to 15MB. If your files are bigger than this, please send them via a free transfer service such as wetransfer.com
Here some of the bench stories that we’ve collected so far…
Mary’s Bench up Clifton Road (https://w3w.co/dollar.tiny.flock). Mary saw this bench being removed, campaigned to have it returned, and now tends it by weeding and varnishing. She loves to see people resting on the bench, breaking their journey walking up the steep hill.
Jim’s Bench on the Eastern Esplanade (https://w3w.co/zone.heap.cones). Jim loves to sit on this bench, especially at night, looking out to see. Sometimes you can hear the sea from this Strandline bench.
The Big Tree on the junction of Dartmouth Road and Fisher Street (https://w3w.co/resist.loser.goods) used to have a metal bench surrounding it. Now seats are carved into the trunk. We think it’s a kind of bench, but not a chatty kind.for a creative meet up and walk with Paignton Heritage Society around Old Paignton. Starting at the Liberal Club, the walk will take us around old Paignton, with rich discussion and creative activities as we go.
This series of workshops are part of Strandline - a new creative project in Paignton, sharing our everyday stories & making something new for our town. Tell your story & get involved!
From May to October 2024, ‘Strandline’ will take us on a journey into & around the beating heart(s) of Paignton, it’s people, and their stories. Artist-musicians Steve & Emma are leading the project. They invite you to discover Paignton’s “history from below”, to explore the oldest parts of town, and to unearth hidden sounds, tales, perspectives, music, images & much more.
Strandline is being funded by Historic England's Everyday Heritage grant programme, celebrating working class histories.