WW1: Home Front Dean – Your Heritage Centre Needs Your Stories
Do you have any memorabilia or interesting stories from the First World War?
To commemorate the centenary of WWI, the Dean Heritage Centre will be working with the Forest of Dean Local History Society to produce an exhibition on the Great War later this year. The aim is to show how WWI affected the Forest of Dean and the exhibition will look at the impact the war had on those in the forces as well as life at home.
Nicola Wynn, Collections officer said: “We have many objects from WW2 but not so many from the WW1 period. We’d like to ask if anyone has any objects they could donate or loan to us for a few months for the WW1 exhibition. These objects could be directly associated with the war or illustrate aspects of home life e.g. medals, letters, photographs, memoirs, uniform, certificates and other ephemera.”
The First World War was a global war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918. It was the fifth-deadliest conflict in world history with more than 9 million combatants killed in action.
The Centre has recently received an authentic side drum from Mitcheldean brass band, kindly donated by David Tuffley. His father, local historian Les Tuffley, was given the drum in the early 1990’s complete with drumsticks. The Mitcheldean brass band had an inconsistent life and was disbanded in 1914 and never reformed. DHC staff suspect that one reason for the band folding was the outbreak of the war.
If you are interested in loaning objects or sharing a story with the Dean Heritage Centre please contact, in advance, Nicola Wynn Collections Officer at the Dean Heritage Centre tel. 01594 822170 or e-mail Nicola@deanheritagecentre.com, to make an appointment.
The Centre will also be holding a commemorative event on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd August to mark the centenary of WW1. If you would like to take part, please contact harri@deanheritagecentre.com.
Harri Le Claire, PR and Event Manager said: “We’d like the weekend to be one that honours those who fought in WW1, both at home and away, and also the men and women who are in our military forces today. I’d be interested in hearing from any clubs, musicians, re-enactment or special interest groups that could bring something extra to the event.”
Entry to view the exhibition and for the event will be included in the Centre’s admission fee and more information can be found at www.deanheritagecentre.com.
Please note: Please do not send or bring in artefacts without an appointment. Reception staff will not receive artefacts for submission however a submission form can be filled in and passed on to the collection officers to consider. For more information about the acquisitions process, please visit www.deanheritagecentre.com/museum/aquisitions.htm
Explore Gloucestershire
27 January 2014
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