Facing the Past: Black Lancastrians at Judges’ Lodgings

Katie Evans, Exhibitions Editor
Facing the Past: Black Lancastrians
Lela Harris. Facing the Past: Black Lancastrians, Judges Lodgings, Lancashire County Council.

Facing the Past: Black Lancastrians at Judges' Lodgings, Lancaster Until 5 November 2023 Tickets from £2.00 — Book now

Facing the Past: Black Lancastrians is bringing to light the forgotten histories of Black Lancastrians through a series of beautiful portraits by artist Lela Harris.

The exhibition presents Harris’ captivating imagined portraits of Frances Elizabeth Johnson, Thomas Anson, John Chance, Isaac Rawlinson, ‘Ebo Boy’ and Molly, all of whom were living in the area in the 1700s. By piecing together their lives through church records, runaway slave adverts and family stories, Harris has restored their identity and their place in historical narratives. 

They lived at a time when Lancaster merchants were invested in the selling of tens of thousands of enslaved Africans. Poignant and striking, the imagined portraits sit alongside some of those who benefited from slavery, going some way to confront the area’s role in the enslavement of people.

Facing the Past: Black Lancastrians is a collaboration between Lancaster Black History group, Judges’ Lodgings Museum, The Institute For Black Atlantic Research at UCLan, Sociology at Lancaster University and local schools. 

Where to go near Facing the Past: Black Lancastrians at Judges’ Lodgings

Lancashire
Bar or Pub
The Stonewell Tap

The Stonewell Tap is a lively craft beer bar on Church Street, Lancaster, which boasts 16 craft beer taps and 4 real hand-pulled ale pumps.

The Music Room from Atkinsons Coffee Roasters Lancaster
Lancaster
Café or Coffee Shop
The Music Room

The Music Room from Atkinsons Coffee Roasters is a cafe situated on a Grade II listed Georgian pavilion with sun trap outside seating.

Lancaster Castle Lancashire
Lancaster
Tourist Attraction
Lancaster Castle

Lancaster Castle’s origins date back almost 1,000 years. This Grade 1 Listed Building occupies a city-centre hilltop location on the site of three successive Roman forts.

Lancaster
Library
Lancaster Library

Sitting in the heart of Lancaster is the Lancaster Library. When not serving its usual function, this beautiful space is occasionally transformed into an unlikely gig venue.

The Grand Theatre in Lancaster
Lancaster
Theatre
The Grand Theatre, Lancaster

First opened in 1782, the theatre is now host to amateur drama, music and dance and professional touring companies. Tours of the historic building are available

Lancashire
Restaurant
The Herbarium

This plant-based cafe and bar serves delicious vegan breakfasts and coffees in the day, before transforming into a fantastic dinner venue in ‘Herb after Dark’.

Filbert's Baker artisan bread in Lancaster
Lancaster
Shop
Filbert’s Bakery

Filbert’s bakery is a family owned bakery that provides delicious fresh bread every morning along with breakfast goods, cakes and savouries.

Photo of a sign that says 'Keep This Gate Locked'
Tourist Attraction
A Wing

Formerly a debtor’s prison, Lancaster Castle is not only a tourist attraction in its own right, it also plays host to a most unusual pop-up club.

Lancaster
Event venue
The Storey Creative Industries Centre

Multi-purpose venue comprising an auditorium and lecture theatre, gallery space, café bar, Visitor Information Centre, hireable meeting rooms and conference/events spaces and private offices.

The Dukes, Lancaster
Lancaster
Theatre
The Dukes

Lancashire’s only producing theatre hosts exciting seasons of work featuring new writing and the classics in a converted church in central Lancaster. The Dukes is also a cinema, hosts gigs, talks and other special events, run a youth theatre and is a popular all day cafe bar.

An interior shot of the arches within Lancaster Priory
Lancaster Priory

Lancaster Priory Church is a vibrant, open and inclusive church at the heart of Lancaster. Music, education and community are at the heart of their mission.

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