Freelance Educational History

keith.gregson.t21@btinternet.com

Telephone (+44) 0191 5109206

 After leaving teaching to register as a free-lance historian, musician and writer in November 2003, I was involved in many different activities working in schools, museums and libraries up to my 70th birthday in 2018. Here are just a few examples;

  • Taking a large number of school sessions in musical support of a National Portrait Gallery Exhibition in Sunderland Art Gallery.
  • Taking a large number of school sessions on life in the coal mines (19th and 20th century) in Washington F Pit museum – usually a week or more – thirteen consecutive years (2004-16).
  • Working with a Sunderland School and a Jarrow school on writing songs for a Bede and Biscop project – performed at churches in Jarrow and Monkwearmouth
  • Interactive whiteboard literacy support in primary schools using Shoofly’s material  – (see www.shooflypublishing.co.uk )
  • Producing a CD of songs/worksheets for schools using songs of coal mining and working with individual primary schools on mining history through song.
  • Working with Sunderland museum to produce a CD of songs for schools using songs of fishing 
  • Working with Newcastle’s Discovery museum to produce a CD of songs and work for schools based on sea shanties and traditional music,  producing worksheets for special needs pupils’ visits  and participating in a successful ‘Pirate Day’ (2006), River Day (2007) and Mining Day (2009)
  • Working with Washington Old Hall ( National Trust) to create a three session scheme based on Tudor music, song, dance and a Tudor murder mystery
  • Working with Northumberland schools on researching, writing and performing mumming plays.
  • Working at Arbeia Roman fort on Roman life with special needs pupils -see account of this in ‘Working Together -Innovative work from the N E Regional Museums Hub’ booklet
  • Taking an interactive musical Book Bag round branch libraries to encourage youngsters to read and join libraries (numerous!).
  • Working with Sunderland Museum to provide back-up musical material for their Boomtown Exhibition in 2008. 
  • Working on an extended Creative Partnership on local heritage with Prior Park School, Berwick Summer 2009 
  • School Assemblies for Tyne and Wear Museum Service – including Tudors and Working on the Railway (nine years continuous).
  • Creating a musical project relating to the art of L S Lowry in Sunderland.
  • Producing CD of own songs written over 35 years (sold out).
  • Working with new pupils at Monkwearmouth School on song writing and performance (Summer School 2011) and following this and other projects at the school into 2012.
  • Creation of complete historical package for ‘Singing the City Sunderland’.

And now semi-retired on this front although some of the work related to the above is now available (free) via my YouTube Site