Two months ago I said that we are very keen to promote, share and protect the history, and we want to invest into, the heritage of the club. We want to do this with you our Members, all Bees fans but also the Brentford Community
The “Heritage” pillar of our work at Bees United, will be very much about remembering where we have come from as a club, and how that has led to the culture and values that the club has today, but also to reflect the wider historical, social and educational context that Brentford FC has in the community. A BU board member pointed out astutely, that “Brentford FC has been around since 1889. We have social history and football in our blood and there is a lot the club has done in the community since it began”.
Bees v Huddersfield August 1935
All Bees undoubtedly agree about the photos and memories of those huge Griffin Park crowds of the 1930’s, under Harry Curtis’ management but we also believe we have a wider, richer heritage as a club than “merely” the football (although what incredible days they must have been – and how wonderful it is to see the current owner, team and management trying to replicate those days!)
Here are some more details about how we are setting about to plan to celebrate this history and first and foremost to protect our heritage.
Brentford FC does have a rich history
A Digital Archive – an Online Museum
The key part of “Heritage” that we will be investing into and launching in the future, is a “Digital Archive” or “Online Museum“. We will soon be working with the Club to formalise the detail of an agreement, to look after, to curate and catalogue afresh, all the very special items in the Club’s collection (currently in storage) and other items. This collection will be treated in the same way as exhibits in a museum are, in terms of the way we will protect, record all the different objects and papers that exist now and then, of course any future items which may be presented to grow the collection
Many of you would have seen some of these items during the special “Farewell to Griffin Park” exhibition held at the London Museum of Water and Steam, at the beginning of the Bees adventure into Premier League football!
Sergi’s own piece of Heritage. Brentford’s first Premier league goal vs Arsenal
Meanwhile, around the corner from the Steam Museum, at the brand new GTech, Sergi Canos was making his own contribution to creating new Bees Heritage.
Sergi scored Brentford’s first Premier league goal, out smarting Leno with that crowd roaring, near-post kick from 15 yards in the 22nd minute on Friday 13th August 2021, against Arsenal!
We want to share all the aspects and tell all the stories, of Brentford FC Heritage, from the black and white photos, the programmes, people’s voices, historic Brentford sites and other memorabilia, right up to today’s history making, Women’s and Men’s teams and all their achievements.
Collating a new record
Lists of the BFC collection have been made in the past for different reasons but as the items in the collection have changed, they are now no longer accurate so we look forward to and we prepare for, a new start. This will take many careful hours as we will record at museum standard, all the detail today what will last for years to come. We will also have permanent access to items which will be hosted solely online for all to search and view. If an item is within our Custodianship, it will eventually be scanned and or photographed so it can shared with you, and can be seen, from wherever you are. Lots of preparation is under way to prepare for this which.
The biggest project
This may be Bees United biggest enterprise since owning and selling the club. We are going to keep you posted with our progress. We have already been in touch with a few of the experts from our Bees family whom in their different ways have spent thousands of their own hours collecting, storing, photographing and painstakingly compiling records, and there are many more people to talk to.
We need their help.
We are going to ask for your help too!
Just a digital archive hidden in storage?
No, not really, one key and fundamental objective is certainly to protect our heritage and physical displays always carry their own risks as we have seen. Some items are fragile and regular movement may not be advisable but there are other ways to share what we are doing and to help people know about this in different ways – this is where you come in.
What does Heritage mean for you
We are working on different ways to help connect people with all things to do with Brentford but why not share your own ideas – tell us HERE
The founding of the club in 1889 is a massively important chance to commemorate where our Club was actually founded, back in 1889, which was called the Oxford and Cambridge by Kew Bridge and we hope to create a significant commemoration.
A Heritage trail would bring alive places which are part of our history around the historic Brentford sites where the club’s history started all those years ago. But history is people, it’s you who are the real history of our club so we want to record your voices added to existing recordings and videos.
Later this year, in June, Brentford Voice launch the second Canal Festival. Brentford’s Canal festival folllows the huge success of last year’s inaugural event takes place in June this year and we will have a presence.
Last but not least, you flocked to the exhibition at the Steam Museum back in 2021 and we hope to host new, shorter brief exhibitions, Pop ups, of our real collection of items with different themes.
But what are your ideas, thoughts and suggestions – Tell Stuart HERE