Upcoming Forgotten Burton Stories events
- Jun 12
- 4 min read
We've got a busy few weeks' ahead as we make final plans for the stands we'll have at events in Staffordshire and Derbyshire during June and July 2026.
Silk Mill Lockout festival - June 20th
Our first appearance will be at the Silk Mill Lockout festival on Cathedral Green, Derby, on Saturday June 20th. This annual event commemorates the Silk Mill lockout of 1833/34, when hundreds of textile workers were locked out of their workplace during a dispute for better conditions and trade union rights.
There will be live music, community stalls and food stalls and it's free to attend. The day starts with a procession from Derby market place, through the city centre at 11am ending on Cathedral Green, in front of the Museum of Making. Elaine Pritchard will be on the stall selling copies of the Vale Rawlings book Friendship, Love & Truth and commemoriative postcards of Vale, reproduced from ones originally sold by the Independent Labour Party in 1914. All proceeds will be passed on to local charities YMCA Burton and SARAC.
Elaine said: "Last year I enjoyed chatting to visitors to this event about Vale's story and his connections with Derby. As the slogan for the festival says, I think it's important to 'remember the past'. Only through understanding the people and events that came before us can we hope to make sense of the present and improve the future for everyone."
Burton Regatta event - July 11th
Burton Regatta is one of the oldest sporting events in the country. This year it celebrates its 160th birthday with two days of races on the River Trent by rowing clubs from across the country.
There will also be a range of businesses, charities and community groups with stands at the event and the Vale Rawlings Project CIC will be there sharing our forgotten Burton stories on the Saturday only, July 11th.
Elaine will be selling books and postcards again and also running a tombola. She explained: "I'm very proud to have a presence at this historic event, which celebrates tradition and community spirit. The Spooner family - of Orton & Spooner fame - were closely involved with the sport of rowing in the town for many years. Charles Spooner helped to organise the regatta and was also a member of Burton's Leander Rowing Club and the Trent Rowing Club, which jointly organise this event. When his only son Jack was married, eight friends formed a guard of honour outside St Modwen's Chuch holding up oars to create an arch. As Orton & Spooner are another of my forgotten Burton stories, I'll take along some information about these two great entrepreneurs and the businesses they founded to share on my stand."
The regatta is held on the Washlands, close to the Ferry Bridge. Access for vehicles is via Watson Street and visitors can pay to park. Entry for spectators is free and races are held between approximately 8am/9am both days - July 11th and 12th - until around 5pm/6pm.
Barton Steam Rally event - July 18th & 19th
A week later, there will be a Forgotten Burton Stories stand on both days of the Barton under Needwood Steam Rally and Family Festival, July 19th and 19th. This event is held on the outskirts of Barton Under Needwood at Needwood Rise Farm, Barton Gate, Barton Under Needwood, DE13 8AP.
There will be vintage vehicles on display, miniature train rides, have-a-go activities, trade and craft stalls, and lots, lots more. Admission will be £9 with accompanied children aged 16 and under going free. All proceeds from the event go to the Midlands Air Ambulance charity.
At this event, Elaine will be displaying information and pictures about all three 'forgotten' local stories we celebrate: Orton & Spooner; Lily Thomas and Vale Rawlings.
If you've been meaning to buy a copy of Friendship, Love & Truth and want to avoid paying postage and packing, why not come along to one of these three events, meet Elaine and buy a copy by cash or card? ALL proceeds from that book are split between local charities YMCA Burton and SARAC.
Chainmakers event - June 27th
Although we're not having a stand at the annual Women Chainmakers' Festival 2026, Elaine is going along to experience this free, family fun day that commemorates a remarkable victory won by women who worked from home on piece work rates forging links for chains, often in small workshops attached to their homes. It was hard, hot, dirty work.
Their remarkable story is included in the Friendship, Love & Truth book as it was an important event that happened ahead of the 'Flycatcher girls' strike in Burton upon Trent and may well have encouraged the Burton women to launch their own fight against their piece work rates.
Suffragist and trade unionist Mary Macarthur was vital to the eventual success of the chainmakers and she is included in Elaine's talk on Rebel Women, currently taking bookings around the Midlands.
Elaine said: "I am looking forward to celebrating the legacy of Mary Macarthur and the chainmakers alongside other visitors to this event at Mary Macarthur Gardens, Cradley Heath, B64 5AP."
It takes place from 11am to 4pm.
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