What is Flame Keepers?
Flame Keepers is an oral history project dedicated to recording the memories of the men and women who worked at the Ronson Lighter Factory in Newport, Isle of Wight, between 1961 and 1982.
At its peak, Ronson employed around 400 people – many of them young women from across the Island, for whom the factory was a first job, a source of independence, and the place where lifelong friendships were made. The factory was cited in Parliament for outperforming every other Ronson site in Europe. Yet almost nothing of its working culture has been formally preserved.
Flame Keepers is here to change that.
Who’s behind it?
The project is run by Discover More CIC, a community interest company based in Ventnor on the Isle of Wight, with the Flame Keepers project being managed by Tracy Mikich.
What happens to the recordings?
The stories, photos and memories collected through Flame Keepers will be preserved and shared – with families, with the wider community, and with future generations. Nothing will be used without your agreement, and you’ll always be in control of what you share.
Who funds it?
Flame Keepers is part of Creative Island’s Past Futures programme, supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation (HIWCF).