From 1984 to 1986 people, in particular school children, all got involved in collecting information on their local area to celebrate the 900th anniversary of the Doomsday Book by creating a new, updated, electronic version. The collected information became The Doomsday Project which was a collection of laserdiscs and special BBC computers. The country was broken down in to ‘D’ blocks with the data collection done mostly by schools, the information included text on local geography, history, legends and also more contemporary personal things such as favourite music, games, etc. As well as the text each block could also contain up to 3 photos. Many schools bought the discs and computers as a learning resource (the World Wide Web as a concept was still some years away).
A few days ago the BBC launched a new website where all of this previously difficult to access information (only a handful of working systems still exist) is now online and searchable. It’s an amazing glimpse in to Portsmouth and Southsea life in the early to mid 80s and there are some great images. The new website also allows you to upload new information and photos too.
If you are 38+ you may well have memories of being involved in the project in collecting and writing information. Personally I remember the day my group went out to a tiny village in Essex in the hot summer but instead of writing things we played near the river and weir. Oh well. Does anyone have any memories of taking part in the project? If so please add a comment, would love to hear people’s memories.
You can find out more about the original project on HERE and the BBC article and access the online version below:
www.bbc.co.uk/history/domesday
Tristan Savage
12 May
Man. I remember the days of the BBC Micro. My dad had one for years, as did the school of course. Don’t recall much about Doomsday at school, but then I don’t remember much about school full stop.
Richard Savage {Tristan's Dad!]
16 May
I don’t remember much about The Doomsday Project either, 1986 is a long time ago! I do remember my BBC Micro though, very well. I had two at one time. Gave them to Tristan’s old school when we moved. R.
John Scriven
9 February
I was teaching at Northern Parade Middle School in ’86 and we were given the 2×3 Km block that included Portsdown Hill and Boarhunt. We went out in the minibus each week to collect data & photos which the kids really enjoyed. Unfortunately the data was out-dated before the kit arrived a year later – a shame as just 10 years later it could have been put on the web. It was fun to see the photos again though.
John
12 June
We were lucky enough to have this set up at the Grammar School, might be the reasons I turned into a Laserdisc enthusiast later in life. Who knows what they did with the kit.