Mayflower 400 Oral History Project
+ FREE Filmmaking Workshops for Young People


2020 marked the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower on its now famous journey to the New World. The Mayflower and her sister ship, Speedwell, set sail from West Quay, Southampton, on 15 August 1620, carrying 102 passengers. Around 40 of these were the Puritan Separatists who, through time, have become known as America’s Founding Fathers. They settled in what had been the Native American village of Patuxet. The village had been abandoned by the Wampanaog people who lived there after the death of the majority of its inhabitants in a ‘great plague’ (1616 – 1619), brought by English and European invaders. ​
See below to book your free place on the Filmmaking Workshops
​for ages 12-18 on 12, 13 & 14 April 2021.
Southampton is the first city to look at a Mayflower anniversary through the lens of migration, looking at the sailing in the context of Southampton’s long-history as a place of refuge, migration and transmigration, drawing out themes pertinent to modern Southampton.  The City has marked the anniversary through a series of educational, cultural and community programmes.

City Eye has worked with oral historian Padmini Broomfield to reveal the stories of 12 migrant community members living in Southampton. Using these personal stories of journeys to Southampton, lives before and after arrival, settling and establishing Southampton as the new home, we are working with young people in the city to create short films inspired by these experiences.
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Workshops will take place at MAST the new performing Arts Venue next door to City Eye on Guildhall Square in Southampton. ​
Due to Covid-19 group sizes are restricted so don't delay - book your place today! If, however, you later change your mind or are unable to attend PLEASE let us know.  Otherwise you will be preventing another young person from benefitting from this experience.  ​
Come and join our FREE Easter Holiday workshops
We are looking for young people age between 12 and 18 who would like to join a FREE filmmaking workshop to learn from the stories told and to make a short film inspired by them.   These workshops will take place in-person and subject to necessary Covid-19 safety measures.

The workshops will take place  on 12,13 and 14 April. 
Your workshop will take place over all three days but you can choose to come to sessions at

10.30am to 1pm each day
OR 
2pm to 4.30pm each day

You will get to work with skilled and experienced filmmakers who will guide you through the process of creating your film.  We will be using the voice recordings from our interviews with migrants to Southampton along with a collection of other resources such as film footage, photographs, sound effects and music.  Due to Covid-19 we are restricting use of some equipment so wherever possible we would like participants to bring their own device to undertake any filming.  This could be a phone or a camera that will take video footage. If you don't have one please don't worry, you will still be able to take part and have a great time doing so!  Beginners and young people with some filmmaking experience are welcome.
For more information about our work to develop and support young filmmakers of all ages (and to check what a good time we all have!)  click here to see our Young Filmmakers film!

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This project is part of the city-wide Mayflower 400 programme of events and activities and is supported by
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