The Project

Your support will enable 10 year olds to explore country houses’ Caribbean and East India Company connections. The children will advocate for better public knowledge of the British countryside’s colonial histories.  

The Need

The colonial histories of country houses are little known about outside academia. This child-led history project will pay for children to explore the archives and present their research findings to national audiences.   

How we will do it

Our team of country house historians will work closely with 10 schools and 10 country houses to explore the global connections of stately homes: from heritage furniture and black servants to colonial trade.  

Pupils will communicate their discoveries and personal responses through personal essays and social media campaigns. We want the children to think of themselves as future leaders in the field and to narrate the countryside’s colonial histories in compelling new ways. Writers will help the children to craft and disseminate their writing about this topic. 

The project will culminate in a kids’ conference (adults can sit in the audience!) with children presenting their essays and discoveries in panel discussions. The conference will be held at the University of Leicester.  

How you can help 

Can you help to produce a new generation of advocates for British colonial history? 

Your donations can help fund the first two schools to travel to two of our National Trust country homes. 

If just 18 donors give £20, one of our schools will be able to visit archives at a National Trust country house. 

Social Media

Please follow and share our Twitter page and Word Press blog for more information and updates. 

@youthledhistory   |  #ColonialCountryside  |  @newwritingleices

The Future

This pilot project will help us bid for Art Council Funding, allowing the project to kick start a national initiative.