How an ambitious community museum project hopes to turn Ashfield's narrative on its head

If you ask someone what they think of Ashfield then you’re more than likely to be met by plenty of cynicism about the area’s appeal - or perceived lack of it.

It’s fair to say the district gets plenty of bad press with the doom-mongers all too keen to highlight anti-social behaviour issues and the factories and businesses that have been lost to the ages.

Ashfield's residents are being urged to contribute their life stories to a new museum project which celebrates life in the district. Here are a group of mineworkers at Newstead Colliery back in the 1970s and who would have many tales to tell.

placeholder image — Ashfield's residents are being urged to contribute their life stories to a new museum project which celebrates life in the district. Here are a group of mineworkers at Newstead Colliery back in the 1970s and who would have many tales to tell.

But one community project is now aiming to turn that narrative on its head by celebrating all that has been, and still is, good about the area through the opening of a new museum.

Organisers say the People's Museum of Ashfield will put local lives, urban legends and unsung stories on the centre stage and reflect the social, cultural and historical identity of the district.

Sutton-born sociologist Dr Lisa McKenzie grew up on the town’s Carsic Estate and knows only too well about the pride of having local roots.

It makes the former Pretty Polly worker an ideal person to sit on the project’s organising committee.

“There is a lot to celebrate and that is what we want to do,” she said. “We are really interested in everyone’s stories, whether your family has been here 300 years or three weeks.

“Everyone is included in this and that is what is important to us. Ashfield has got a long long history, but it is still here and so are we. It’s not all about things that happened in the past and we are very interested in talking about the whole thing.

“What we are doing, I think, is very important and more important than it first appears. Places like Ashfield have been forgotten and are too often dismissed as places where nothing, or only bad things, happen and that is why I think this project is far more important than anything they do in London or even Nottingham.

“We are doing something really positive and important.”

The story-gathering process has now begun with folk from across the district being urged to contribute their memories and memorabilia in the coming months.

And it’s not just relics from the 60s that are of interest with the museum aiming to provide a comprehensive picture of both past and present.

“Lots of people are talking about lots of different things. Obviously factories and coal mines, the railways, that industrial heritage, will never leave us - that is our foundation here,” added Dr McKenzie.

“There are also new stories coming through as well. We have got young people who we are going to talk to and we want their stories as well. We are looking back, but we are looking forward as well.”

The project is being led by Nonsuch Studios on behalf of Ashfield District Council as part of the Ashfield Creates programme, alongside Dr McKenzie.

The temporary museum is expected to be open in spring 2027 at an as yet undecided location.

For further information visit https://ashfieldcreates.co.uk/museum/