First World War history marked at York museum (From York Press)
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First World War history marked at York museum
8:51am Saturday 8th September 2012 in News
By Nadia Jefferson-Brown, nadia.jefferson-brown@thepress.co.uk
John Hoyland, community co-ordinator for the Changing Spaces Project, with a First World War Vickers machine gun at the Castle Museum, York
WEAPONS, paper wedding dresses and love letters from the front are among the First World War objects going on show in York this month.
September is “1914 month” at York Castle Museum where curators and other experts will be leading a number of events looking at different aspects of the Great War including art and religion, and the effects it had on those who lived through it.
It is a chance for visitors to get close to items in the museum’s collection, from machine guns to sketch books, which capture the horror and also the humour of life in the trenches.
Details will also be revealed about a major new exhibition about the 1914-18 period which is being held at York Castle Museum from 2014.
1914 – When The World Changed Forever will be a five-year exhibition designed to change and refresh with time to mark centenaries between 2014 and 2018. It will be showcased in a newly created exhibition space on the first floor of the museum.
A lift will be installed allowing disabled access to the floor for the first time and more space will be opened up – with all office space moved to the second floor.
Amy Parkinson, learning manager for York Museums Trust, said: “We have some amazing objects from World War One in our collection here at the museum and we wanted to get some of them out now for people to see and handle. It will be a rare chance for people to get up close to these artefacts and to hear their incredible stories from experts.
“We also hope it will whet their appetite and get them thinking about our major exhibition about this incredible part of our history, opening in 2014.”
The 1914 month is part of the York Museums Trust’s new Adult Learning programme for York Art Gallery, York Castle Museum, York St Mary’s and the Yorkshire Museum. A wide variety of events and workshops are taking place over the next 12 months.
Events during 1914 month include a talk today from 2pm to 2.30pm, examining religion, spirituality and the British Tommy in the First World War by John Hoyland, of York Museums Trust; a talk on the horrors of gas warfare (September 19, 12.30pm to 1pm); and a look at the collections of the museum and what impact the development of weapons technology had on the war (September 21, 2pm to 3pm. £5 to book).
For more details visit yorkmuseumstrust.org.uk or pick up a programme at any of the four sites.
Comments(3)
Woody G Mellor
says...
10:39pm Sat 8 Sep 12
Coriolanus
says...
10:20pm Sun 9 Sep 12
George Appleby says...
9:39am Sat 8 Sep 12
He volunteered for 5 years aged 15 in 1915 for the Navy and was trained in the latest technology; wireless telegraphy. I have a copy of his records and he kept going back for training and served on 8 different ships. I assume to pass on what he had learned.
He was Leading Telegraphist on HMAS Sydney for 2 years, the largest of the 6 vessel Royal Australian Navy which was formed in 1913 from ex RN ships. Australian war records show that the Sydney took out the German raider Emden, driving it ashore on one of the Indian Ocean Islands and taking the crew captive. Emden had bee reaping havock on shipping by disguising itself and the opening up its gunnery and sinking many ships with the loss of life. He left postcards of places all around that area, the Mediterranean and South America, and was there at that time.
They also dropped off troops at Gallipoly, were also in the North Sea later and attacked by a Zeppelin; the first naval vessel to be attacked from the air. The battle lasted 2 hours. The Sydney did not have the elevation on its guns to hit the Zeppelin and the Zeppelin, the speed to keep up with the Sydney. They both ran out of ammunition. He came out in 1920 served 7 years reserve and I was born 1928; one of his greatest achievements.