As part of the inaugural Cambridge History Festival, Historyworks hosted an event on Saturday 28^th February, at the Museum of Cambridge (formerly the Folk Museum) to explore the history of famous Cambridge Tudor, Thomas Hobson.

Historian Helen Weinstein shared local history stories about Thomas Hobson, which was followed by children from ‘Shout Aloud!’ choir teaching members of the public some fun songs about Thomas Hobson, written by CBBC’s Horrible Histories writer, Dave Cohen, which they joined in with enthusiastically!

There was then the opportunity to meet Thomas Hobson, himself, the famous Cambridge Tudor philanthropist and Inn-keeper and experience Elizabethan life with Matthew and Gill of http://www.historyneedsyou.com/, making history engaging and fun. Hobson described how people would come to his Inn to hear news from afar, whilst playing games and listening to music- such as the distressing news of the Spanish Armada descending on England and the good news about Queen Elizabeth.

Members of the public also had the chance to see the original fountain that Hobson funded to bring fresh water to the people of Cambridge, and examine a unique portrait of Hobson, showing the whiskers and urine-soaked ruff of this eminent citizen. 

This family-friendly event was part of the ‘Creating my Cambridge & Singing History – Celebrating Cambridge Past & Present’ project, which was devised by Historyworks and generously supported by a John Lewis Cambridge Music Award. 

To find out more about the Cambridge History Festival visit:

http://www.folkmuseum.org.uk/page.php?id=462

To find out more about visiting the Museum of Cambridge visit:

http://www.folkmuseum.org.uk/