In 2022, QueenSpark Books will be celebrating its 50th anniversary. Since it formed in 1972 as a grassroots campaign against a planned casino at the Royal Spa in Queen’s Park, it’s published over 110 books documenting the ‘People’s History’ of the city. From life in the World Wars, to clubbing and performance art; from working life to days on the beach; from memories of childhood poverty to accounts of newly-arrived migrants – the first-hand stories in its archive are a unique record of what makes Brighton what it is today.
To mark the anniversary, QueenSpark Books will be publishing a landmark book comprising 50 stories, and is looking for tales, anecdotes and reminiscences from Brighton residents on the following themes:
Places – Clubs, squares, buildings, seafront, shops – which place is/was significant to you, and why?
Work? – Cab driver, bar staff, cleaner, teacher… tell them about your working life
What makes Brighton ‘Brighton’? – The characters, the atmosphere, the geography – what does it mean to you?
John Riches, development director at QueenSpark Books, said: “We’re very proud that, for nearly 50 years, we’ve been telling the stories of the people of Brighton & Hove – and we’re really excited to find out what new stories are out there.”
Stories can be short and anecdotal, but should be no more than four sides of A4, or up to three minutes of speech. They do not have to be ‘well-written’ or perfectly told – if selected, they will be edited for publication. By submitting your story, you give permission for QueenSpark to publish it in print, and online.
To get involved, send your text or audio to 50Stories@queensparkbooks.org.uk by July 31, 2021.