"Remembrance: The War Stories You Didn’t Learn At School"

"Remembrance: The War Stories You Didn’t Learn At School" with Shalina Patel

Summary:

We think we know the world wars of the twentieth century. Think of the First World War and we remember rats in the trenches, the Christmas Truce and the guns falling silent at 11am on the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Yet the war was shaped by empire on an unprecedented scale, drawing millions of people from across the globe into a conflict whose popular memory remains overwhelmingly European.

And we definitely think we know the Second World War. Its stories, language and legacy still permeate British culture today. Yet here too, there are people and places whose contributions have too often been pushed to the margins of the story.

This Remembrance Day, join historian Shalina Patel as she goes beyond the familiar stories to uncover some of the people who have been overlooked: the women whose wartime experiences we rarely remember, the spies whose secret work helped change the course of the war, and the millions of men from across the British Empire who fought and served.

Because remembrance isn't just about remembering the stories we already know. It is also about asking whose stories we have forgotten.

Bio:

Shalina Patel has over 15 years of experience in the classroom. In 2018 she won the Silver Pearson Teaching Award for Outstanding Teacher of the Year. She has been featured in publications from the Guardian to The Times and on programmes like BBC Woman’s Hour, BBC’s Teach Me a Lesson and Newscast as well as in several history documentaries for The History Channel and Channel 4. Shalina is also a trustee at Chalke Valley History festival and works alongside cultural institutions like the Imperial War Museum and Historic Royal Palaces. Shalina’s first book ‘The History Lessons’ was released in May 2024 and was heralded by the Guardian as aiming to ‘show adults their historical blind spots’ by ‘highlighting stories traditionally left out of the textbooks.

Venue:

Pizza East, Shoreditch
56 Shoreditch High Street
E1 6JJ

Event Running Time:
Doors from 7pm
Introduction: 7:25pm
Lecture: 7:30pm
Q&A: 8:10pm

FAQs:

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Pints of Knowledge is a series of public talks where experts, researchers, and big thinkers share fascinating ideas all in the relaxed setting of a pub. We bring brilliant minds and curious audiences together over a pint, covering topics from science and politics to history, art, and beyond.

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At each Pints of Knowledge event, you’ll hear engaging talks (approx. 40 minutes) from expert speakers on fascinating topics — followed by an audience Q&A (approx. 20 minutes). The vibe is informal and social, set in a pub where you can grab a drink, meet interesting people, and enjoy big ideas in a relaxed setting.

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