Need an excuse to spend a few hours at your local Llandaff pub or cafe? The Llandaff Society has the perfect reason: Mass Observation.
On Thursday 12 August, the people of Llandaff — along with communities around the UK — are asked to take a spot of time to record what they see, do and think. You can record your day in a journal, photograph a street, answer a questionnaire, or observe life in a pub or cafe.
The Mass Observation Communities Online, or MOCO for short, has partnered with the Llandaff Society to record daily life to make history in this patch of Cardiff.
Where did mass observation come from?
In 1937, Mass Observation called for people from all parts of the UK to record everything they did and thought from when they woke up in the morning, to when they went to sleep at night on 12 May. The resulting diaries provide a glimpse into the everyday lives of all sorts of people in the late 1930s. They are stored, with many other diaries and papers, at the Mass Observation Archive at the University of Sussex.
What is this Mass Observation Communities Online project?
MOCO expands on the mass observation tradition by asking community groups to participate in a nation-wide initiative. Thursday 12 August is the day for people around the UK to participate. But if you’re busy baking cupcakes, taking a holiday, or working, MOCO doesn’t mind if you observe Llandaff on a different day.
Do I have to live in Llandaff to observe?
No way. You can live anywhere in the UK, and you don’t even have to observe in Llandaff. The project is designed to capture a range of observations across the country. So if you’d rather sip a coffee in a city centre arcade, take photos down by the bay, or keep a journal as you ramble up in the valleys, MOCO will welcome your contribution.
What’s the value in mass observation?
With participation across the country, the aim is to create a national archive of written and photographic accounts that reflect a day in the life. The Llandaff Society wants this archive to become a valuable record for the community.
How do I submit my mass observations?
- Keep a diary for a day, and submit it here.
- Answer the MOCO questionnaire, and submit your response here.
- Observe life in a pub or cafe, and submit your thoughts here.
- Photograph a street, and submit your photos here or your video here.
Where will my observations go?
The submissions will be displayed on the MOCO online archive and donated to the historic Mass Observation Archive.
If you still have questions about the project, contact the Llandaff Society at webteam@llandaffcity.co.uk.
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