25 years ago the BBC launched an ambitious project to record a snapshot of everyday life across the UK for future generations. Launched in 1986 to celebrate the 900th anniversary of the original Domesday Book, the first BBC Domesday project was one of the most pioneering interactive campaigns of its time.
In an attempt to capture the essence of the UK in one place, the BBC asked the public to submit details about their local area to help compile a digital snapshot of the country. Over a million people, mainly school children, took part in the groundbreaking initiative surveying over 108,000 square km of the UK and submitting more than 147,819 pages articles and 23,225 photos. All the data – pictures, maps, video, surveys, statistics, essays and personal testimonies – were digitally etched into two high-tech laser discs.
However, due to costs and the rapid development of technology the system rapidly fell into obscurity and obsolescence, and very few people ever got to see the finished results or their contributions.
Now 25 years on, the archive has been republished onto a dedicated website giving people of all ages an opportunity to explore the images and articles from the past. It’s called Domesday Reloaded.
Use in Class
The site provides a very interesting glimpse into life in the UK 25 years ago. Teachers might want to use the resources as part of a class or school project to compare how we live today to life 25 years ago – ancient history as far as most primary school children are concerned. In 1985 the most high-tech device out there was the Sinclair Spectrum or BBC B computer! Use the site to inspire your school to make their own Domesday Book (or Blog, or Wiki) about your own local area.
Visitors will also be able to get involved and help bring the project into the present day by sending in their current stories, comments and photographs, via the website, blogs and Twitter, to compare how life in Britain has changed, and how some things have stayed the same. This could be something that your classes could get involved in.
Take a look here : http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/domesday
Interestingly the what has prevented the domesday project material from being published in recent years has been legal problems rather than technical ones. Personally I have been fascinated by the Domesday Project ever since I heard about it in my school days. I think it was a real example of a memorable teaching aid and I think it school children today will be fascinated by the pictures and essays. I expect they will find the recent history of their parents generation far more exciting than ancient history.
I have set-up a ‘Domesday Special Interest Group’ website as a community resource for people interested in domesday and getting involved in the reloaded project. Hope you don’t mind me posting the link http://www.domesday1986.com/ I’m not trying to spam your blog, I hope you will agree it is relevant.
Hi Darren,thanks for the link – good luck with your project!