Wednesday 24 September 2025 7.30pm THERE IS NO NEED TO BOOK
Almost 10,000 foreign nationals in the North East became friendly or enemy aliens at the outbreak of the First World War. Their lives were often seriously affected by hostile attitudes and restrictive wartime legislation. This talk looks at some of the personal experiences and harsh realities endured by innocent people, but also at stories of support from local individuals.
Our Speakers
Our talk will be given by Silvie Fisch and Rosie Serdiville.
Silvie is an Associate Researcher at the Oral History Collective at Newcastle University and Managing Director at Northern Cultural Projects, a women-led Community Interest Company that strives to promote inclusivity, social and historical justice, and community empowerment through history, heritage, and cultural initiatives. She is currently developing a Community Archive for Byker. She is also an activist and involved in the Mutual Aid Movement.
Rosie is a local historian and writer who currently works for Tyneside Irish Centre delivering cultural, heritage and welfare projects. She is particularly interested in telling the stories of ordinary people who so often get left out of the record. She is fascinated by domestic history and by the lives of women and radicals (preferably both). She is an also a Director at Northern Cultural Projects.
Our Venue
This event will take place at St George’s United Reformed Church on Newton Road, High Heaton NE7 7HP. It is on the corner with Boundary Gardens, the same block as Heaton Stannington’s football ground, Willow (formerly Grounsell) Park.
There are excellent public transport links including the numbers 18, 38, 52 and 553, which stop right by the church.
There is car parking on the surrounding streets.
Booking
The event is free to Heaton History Group members and costs £2.50 for non-members. There’s no need to book. Just turn up on the night.
