Migration Films

To complement our Education Resources we worked with local filmmakers Doherty Associates and City Eye to create a set of films exploring Southampton’s history as a city of migration and refuge. In partnership with locally-based historians, Professor Tony Kushner, Dr Nazneen Ahmed and Don John we have eight films exploring 14 stories which cover significant moments in Southampton’s role as a Gateway City. This does not cover all the aspects of migration that have occurred through the centuries, nor cover every people group, but the common themes of finding refuge and a new home in Southampton are explored in depth through the education resources. Access the films here.

Letters to the Mayflower

In 1620, one of the key events that happened in Southampton was the reading of a letter from John Robinson, the Puritan Separatists Pastor who had remained behind in Leiden; this was read on board the ship before she sailed away. 

The letter discusses how to live onboard, and in their planned new settlement, in a way that is understanding and accepting of difference. He discusses the nature of good governance, telling the Puritans that they should work for the common good, elect a good leader who can do that, and that they should pick a man for his honourable actions and not because he looks flashy or talks a good talk.

If you were writing a letter to the Mayflower passengers today, what would you want to say about their voyage? Find out more about ‘Letters to the Mayflower’ 

Poetry Resources

To support KRYT, Audacious have worked with ArtfulScribe to commission Susmita Bhattacharya to create a digital resource package to be made available to schools to support KS2 teachers delivering poetry sessions, teaching students how to write poetry about the Mayflower. 

Kennings are a Norse form of compact noun that can result in memorable imagery to contain in a poem. Access the video workshop

List Poems are poems which are created based on a list of items. In Susmita’s workshop we start off with a list of supplies that would have been taken on the Mayflower’s journey. Access the video workshop

A Tanka is a Japanese form of syllabic verse consisting of 5 lines of poetry. Access the video workshop 

Mayflower Mosaic Trail

Dotted around the Old Town you will find a series of 12 mosaic ships created by Will Rosie. Commissioned by the 2019 Mayor there is also a large mosaic which echoes the design of a previous commemorative Mayflower stamp.

Use the map here to find all 12!