Celebrating 70 years of Mass Observation

Day Conference
University of Sussex
Friday, 11 May 2007
10 am – 4.30 pm

This conference will be of interest to all those who have used and enjoyed the Mass Observation Archive or who want to know more about it:

This will be a lively and interactive event. We have a series of prestigious presenters at the beginning of the day including Lord Asa Briggs (Patron of the Archive), Professors Ruth Finnegan and Brian Street (Archive Trustees), historian Juliet Gardiner, novelist Margaret Drabble, film makers Steve Humphries and Richard Broad. In the afternoon there will be an Any Questions Event chaired by Professor Al Thomson with a team of eminent panellists including Claire Langhamer, Liz Stanley, Louise Purbrick, Dorothy Sheridan and James Hinton. This will be an opportunity for participation from the audience.

At lunchtime, there will be a chance to browse a market place of posters and presentations by users and partners of the Archive. You will see the latest digital version of the MO Archive and the most recent books.

Conference registration form available: www.massobs.org.uk or from the MOA, The Library, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QL Register before 13 April. £35 waged/£25 unwaged. Refreshments and a buffet lunch provided.

Evening anniversary events
Thursday 10 May at Komedia in Brighton: author and journalist Simon Garfield and guests will talk about his books based on Mass Observation diaries including Our Hidden Lives which was made into a TV drama for the BBC’s Lost Decade Series. Further details from Komedia: www.komedia.co.uk or Box Office: 01273 647100

Friday 11 May at the Brighton Dome (part of the Brighton Festival) An audience with Victoria Wood who played one of the MO diarists in her own adaptation of Nella Last’s War. The drama, “Housewife, 49”, was shown to critical acclaim on ITV in December 2006. Further details: www.brightonfestival.org or Box Office 01273 709709.