It "set the stage" for what came next, in terms of where we had come from and what had been happening. 1966 was chosen as a start date, as that was when Market Harborough really began to grow.

Purpose: Developing a community picture of our world, values and histories

Summary of the three timelines – personal, local and global listing events, activities and experiences from 1966 to 2007

Personal themes
Hatches – matches – despatches
Triumphs and tragedies
Sport
Mobility – overseas
Career milestones
Educational milestones
Claim to fame
Ill health – self or family
Sacrifices
Middle "class-ness"
Ambitions
Someone met Castro (travelling)
Tragedies – people survived lots of experiences
Best bits and worst bits
Wide range of values
Unpredictability
Lots of people moving to Harborough
Mix of ages
Lots of different jobs / skills
Family histories
People's achievements
No-one's ordinary

Local Themes
1966 – negative times
recession, reduction in employment, closure of businesses / entertainment / closure of railway line / Symington's building demolished
1980 – 81 – positive times
"84" – change
new properties built, reduction in transport time to London (Commuter Route), bypass project, Sainsburys, general retail uplift
89/90 – lack of commercial confidence
1996 – 97 – Uncertain times
increase in development – houses, lack of infrastructure to support it (lack of services)
still uncertain with hope
2007
lack of family facilities/services (entertainment, hospital, police)
town geared to professional couples (shops and restaurants, pubs and theatre)
facilities geared to older people


Number of/spread of comments reflects non-local nature of participants (or short memories!)
Positive nature of comments
Concern / feelings about buildings and places (+ve, -ve)
Lots of community issues and arts and sports related references (+ve)
Thread of transport issues, positive ones further back
Lots happened recently
Environmental issues / events

Global Events
No mention in 'global' issues of different Government policies and how these affect provision of education, health, justice, system etc
Influx of new comers – Asian, Somalian, East/Central European – not really developed in term of impact (influx/influence of Traveller population also? EU practices/policies)
Media influence noticeable since mid-80s with increased number of events
Royal interest throughout
Global village mentality – migration of people and issues (political 7/11 and foot & mouth etc)
Technology and media feeding frenzy
Empowerment Vs authority
Quiet issues lacking
Sports is a relief
Cycle of conflicts, beginning and ending
Scientific/engineering advances
Disasters caused by humans
Sporting achievements
Economic issues / political issues
Climate change
Risk awareness: flooding, AIDS, bird flu
Rural issues
Social issues: population change

Common across all three timelines
Change is inevitable
War, famine and disaster present in every decade – what impact on West? Rocks infrastructure of Countries
Political consequences of the above
A lot of global issues are negative
Technological development – made the world smaller – changed the way people behave and think
Sport is a common denominator – encourages participation
In contrast to Global "Local" is very positive
Increase local activities/civic community development leads to feeling of "community spirit/citizen engagement"
Four common themes (Local)
Health, retail, leisure, housing
Personal themes
Families/children, schooling, university / education, employment
People moved to Market Harborough – why?
Links to communities and disaster – immigration
Martin Johnson on all sections – is he Harboro's most famous son?
Local business development on decline
In local – lots of environment issues
In global – lots of environment issues
Is this a "common" theme?
Are politics important – on every sheet? Do they shape the world?
Locally Harborough grows – new houses, new roads, new school, new people (in a 15-20 year period – rapid changes that mirror a lot of the global changes happening in the West)
Transport a common thread moving into MH/relocation/mobility
Sense of place/location
Education – own and children's – making transitions
Leisure – changing picture – old forms closing, new opening
Change!
Plenty of community activity
Martin Johnson
No references to racism, crime, reflection of cultural diversity, drugs
Buildings – important to people!
Travel