A new exhibition from the Council marking the anniversary of the start of World War One is to be filled with the memories and artefacts of local residents.
Photo courtesy of Bath In Time
A number of events will be taking place to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Great War. Bath & North East Somerset Council wants to hear from residents so it can tell the story of the area between 1914 and 1918.
The free exhibition in Bath will be entirely made up of materials donated by members of the public, be they photographs, newspaper cuttings, or even a verbal story. The exhibition will take place in August.
Councillor Paul Crossley (Lib-Dem, Southdown), Leader of the Council, said: “We are inviting you, our local residents, to contribute to this forthcoming project by sharing photos, memories and artefacts from the First World War in order to share our collective history.
“We hope to unearth and bring to light the unique histories of local people who served in uniform and on the home front in 1914-1918.”
There are many stories to be shared. Local people worked in the Somerset Coalfield, the Bath War Hospital and the gunpowder factories at Wellow.
There are also the ‘thankful villages’ of Charlcombe, Woolley and Chelwood where all the men who served in the war returned home.
Councillor Ben Stevens (Lib Dem, Widcombe), Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development, said: “We hope through this exhibition we can bring together the collective story of Bath and North East Somerset to create an image of what life was like, both urban and rural, for the population of the area during World War One.
“The council welcomes any relevant stories that residents would like to share.”
If you would like to contribute or would like more information, contact exhibition organiser Claire Sharpe by email at [email protected] or by telephone on 07730 594 345.
