Memories of Middlesbrough legend Wilf Mannion wanted for new Black Path Press community publishing project
Wilf Mannion statue outside the Riverside Stadium’s Ayresome Park gates
MEMORIES OF MIDDLESBROUGH LEGEND WILF MANNION WANTED FOR NEW BLACK PATH PRESS COMMUNITY PUBLISHING PROJECT
MEMORIES of “Golden Boy” Wilf Mannion are wanted as part of a collaboration between Manchester Metropolitan University historian and Heritage Unlocked founder Dr Tosh Warwick and Black Path Press – a community publishing project set up by artists Foundation Press.
The new short publication, Memories of Mannion, will be the first to focus on memories of the South Bank-born inside forward by drawing on reminiscences from the former Boro star’s family and contributions from the wider public. The booklet, which will be available free to local libraries, community organisations and schools, will also feature a range of historical material including extracts from recordings held by The British Library, documents from Middlesbrough Libraries and oral history material from the collections of Teesside Archives.
As well as inviting submission of memories online, the project is inviting members of the public to come along to share memories and bring along memorabilia relating to the former Ayresome Park great at The Brilliantly Boro Hub in Middlesbrough’s Hillstreet Shopping Centre on Saturday, August 10th (11:30-13:30) and South Bank’s Golden Boy Green Community Centre on Monday, August 12th (10:00-12:00).
Boro fan Dr Tosh Warwick, who grew up on Hampden Street in South Bank, said: “Wilf Mannion is South Bank’s most famous son and his achievements as one of Middlesbrough and England’s greatest ever footballers are well known. The Black Path Press Community Publishing Project provides a fantastic opportunity to showcase South Bank’s heritage and the Memories of Mannion publication will help bring together stories of Wilf Mannion’s extraordinary footballing prowess and encounters outside of sport”.
Artists Adam Phillips and Deborah Bower from Foundation Press said: “We were invited to design a public artwork on a wall along the Black Path. To open up the conversation of what we should include in this artwork, we decided to set up a community printing press called Black Path Press. So far we have published 25 books, working with many different groups and individuals. Each book covers a different topic relating to the Black Path or South Bank. The printing press we have set up is based in Golden Boy Green Community Centre on Normanby Road – a building named after Wilf Mannion, so we would love to hear more about people’s memories of the man himself.”
Those interested in sharing their own memories of Mannion can do so by visiting one of the public sessions, emailing info@heritageunlocked.com, visiting www.heritageunlocked.com/projects/blackpathpress or contacting 07591093136 by August 26, 2019.
Black Path Press is a Great Place Tees Valley project, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England National Lottery Projects. More information on the Black Path Press Community Publishing Project can be found at https://foundationpress.org/workshop/black-path-press/.