PROJECTIDEAS

ResearchingaWarMemorial

Author:JohnBranston

1. Researching a War Memorial TherearemanythousandmemorialsacrosstheUKthatcommemoratethosewhodiedinWorldWar1or‘TheGreatWar’,whichwasfoughtbetween1914-18.Aswearecurrentlymarkingthecentenary(100yearanniversary)ofthatWar,itisagoodtimetotrytolearnmoreaboutwhathappenedandhowpeoplefromalloverourcountrywentawaytofight,sometimesinhorrendousconditions,tostandupforvaluesthatarestillimportanttoustoday.

OneofthebestwaystolearnaboutWorldWar1istoresearchawarmemorial.

Findingoutasmuchasyoucanaboutthosewhofoughtanddiedreallybringstolifewhatlifewaslikeinyourareaatthetime,thewayinwhichpeoplelefttheirfamiliesandtheirdailylivestogotomanyplacesaroundtheworld(butmainlyFranceandBelgium)

ThecurrentcentenaryofTheGreatWarmeansthatthereislotsofawarenessoftheWar,manynewresourcesandalotofsupportforyourresearchproject.Butyourprojectwillbeuniquelyinterestingtoyoubecauseitwilltakeyoutostoriesandhistoriesthatarespecifictowhereyouare.

Types of War Memorial Therearemanykindsofmemorials.Thelargestcommemorateallthemenfromatownorcitywhodiedfightinginthewar.Villagememorialsaresmaller,butdothesamejob.

Placesofwork,suchascompanies,factories,gasworks,tramandbuscompanies,banks,etc.veryoftenerectedmemorialstolostworkers.Thentherearealltheclubs,churchesandsocietiestowhichpeoplebelonged;ahundredyearsago,peoplewereveryengagedinsocialgroups,perhapsevenmorethantheyaretoday,astherewasnoTVorevenradioentertainment.

Animportantthingtorememberisthatwenowhavequiteaclearideaofwhatawarmemorialmightlooklike.ButinthewakeofWW1,thiswassomethingthateveryonewastryingtoworkout;therewerealotofdifferentopinionsandevensomequitebigarguments.Somepeoplethoughtitwouldbefittingtoputupsomethingusefultorememberthedead;youmightfindthatyourvillageorschoolincludesa‘MemorialHall’,ortheremaybea‘MemorialSportsGround’inyourarea.Otherpeople,however,thoughtitmoreappropriatejusttohaveasimplememorial,usuallywithalistofnames,bywhichthedeadmightberemembered.

Anotherareathatpeoplearguedaboutwastheroleofchurchmemorials.Alotofmemorialsendedupinchurches,butnoteveryoneinanareawenttothesamechurchandtherewerebigdisagreementsandseparationbetweenpeopleattending,say,theirlocalChurchofEnglandparishchurchandthosewhopreferredtobeaBaptist,orMethodist,orPresbyterian,orCatholic.Otherswantednothingtodowithchurchatall.Alltheseissueshadtobediscussedandagreed,withdifferentdecisionsbeingtakenonaplace-by-placebasis.

Thentherecamethequestionaboutwhattypeofmemorialshouldbeputup.Whenyoumentionwarmemorials,mostpeoplethinkofastonecross,usuallyinaprominentpublicplace.Buttherearealsoplaquesofwoodorstone,andthesecanbefoundinsideoroutsidedifferenttypesofbuilding.

Infact,memorialscomeinallshapesandsizesanditisaninterestingpartofthestoryofeverymemorialtounderstandhowitwasdecidedwhatsortofmemorialtochooseandwhereitshouldbeput.

Questions to answer about your memorial • Whoisincluded,andhowwasthelistgenerated?• Areyoudealingwitha‘memorial’ora‘rollofhonour’?Sometimesa‘rollofhonour’wasgeneratedduring

WW1tohonoureveryonewhowentofftofight,whereasamemorialonlycommemoratesthosewhodied.• Whenwasiterected?Sometimesittookseveralyearstoagreeandcommissionamemorial.• Whomadeit?Maybeitwasthelocalmonumentalmason,buttherearealsostoriesofe.g.schoolmemorials

beingmadebythepupilsoftheschool.• Whopaidforthememorial?Wasitthroughpublicsubscription,ormunicipalfunds,orabeneficent

donation?• Canyoufindanyhistoryoftheceremonyatwhichthememorialwasdedicated?

Things to find out about the people named • Sometimes,namesareonlylistedwithinitials,e.g.“J.ROBINSON”.Youwillneedtofindouttheperson’s

firstname.• Whatfamilydidtheyhave?• Wheredidtheylive?

o Howlonghadtheirfamilylivedintheareaandwheredidtheycomefrom?• Whatworkdidtheirfatherandmotherdo?• Whenweretheyborn?• Hadtheystartedworkthemselvesbeforetheywenttowar?• Hadtheymarried,ordidtheyhaveafiancéeorsweetheart?• Whendidtheyjointhearmedforces?• Whatpartofthearmedforcesdidtheyjoin?• Didtheyenlistvoluntarily,orweretheyconscripted?• CanyoufindanycluestoatimelineofwhattheydidduringtheWar?• Whatrankdidtheyreach?Whatdothedifferentranksmean,intermsofresponsibilitiesandalsowithinthe

hierarchyofthearmedforceinwhichtheyserved?• Wheredidtheyserve?Canyoufindoutanythingaboutwhatwashappeninginandaroundtheplacesin

whichtheyserved(countries/towns/villages)ataroundthetimetheywerethere?• Whereandwhendidtheydie?• Wherearetheyburiedor(ifneverburied)commemorated?

OurpicturesshowTavistockWarMemorial

• Whatawardsormedalsdidtheyreceive,orweretheyawardedaftertheydied?• Canyoutraceanylivingrelativesofthemennamedonthememorial?• Arethesamepeoplealsocommemoratedonanyothermemorials?Ifyouareresearchingaschool

memorial,thosesamepeoplemightbelistedlocallyatthechurch,oronthetownmemorial,orwithemployers,sportsclubsorothersocieties.Thinkalsoofthemilitaryconnectionandwhetherthereisaregimentalmemorial.

2. Sources of Information Ancestry.co.uk [http://www.ancestry.co.uk]

Thisisagreatcentralresourcethatcanprovideinformationfromcensuses,legalevents(births,marriages,deaths)andmilitaryrecordsaswellasotherpeople’sfamilyhistoryresearch.Thecensusesfrom1901and1911areparticularlyusefulintrackingdownpeopleinacertainareatoanindividualhouseintherun-uptoWW1,whichwillinturninstantlygiveyoumembersofthefamily,theirages,placeofbirthandwhatworktheydid.

Manyservicemen’sWW1militaryrecordsarealsoavailablethrough‘Ancestry’,althoughmanywerelostinthebombingofBritaininWW2.Someofthesurvivingrecordsappearwithsingededges,showinghowclosetheycametobeinglost!

Theoriginalpurposeof‘Ancestry’wasasagenealogy(familyhistory)researchsite,whichisperfectforthetaskofresearchingindividualservicemen.Manyotherusershavemadetheirownfamilyresearchpublic,makingitpossibletohituponthefamilyoftheservicemanyouareresearching.Thisnotonlygivesyoualotofadditionalinformation,butcanpotentiallyputyouincontactwithlivingrelativesofthementhemselves.

‘Ancestry.co.uk’isareallygoodstartingpointandshouldgiveyoulotsofleads.Takesometimetofullyexplorethedifferenttypesofmaterialavailable,takingcaretoensurethatyouarelookingatthecorrectindividualamongwhatmaybemanypeoplewiththesamename.Themoreinformationyoufind,themoreyoushouldbeabletoverifythatanythingyoufindrelatestothecorrectperson.

British Newspaper Archive [http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk]

Ahugelyusefulsourceofinformation.ThisisahugeprojectthatisdigitisingoldnewspapersfromacrosstheUKsothattheycanbesearchedandreadonline.Itisamazingwhatcanbefoundoutfromoldnewspapers,asthenewsinthosedayswasreportedingreatdetail.

Taketimetogettoknowhowtousethesearchfunction,selectingspecificperiodsoftime,specificareasofthecountryandevenspecificnewspapers,togettothedetailsthatmaybeoutthere.

Bearinmind:someofthetextthatthesystem‘searches’hasnotbeenaccurately‘read’bythecomputerscanner,sobecreativewithyoursearchesandtryvariantsofnamesandsearchforasmanyrelevantwordsandtermsasyoucanthinkoftogettothecorrectinformation.

Public Appeal for information Yourlocalnewspaperwillprobablybemorethanhappytopublishastoryaboutyoursearchforinformation.Thiscanleadtohelpbeingofferedbyallsortsofpeople.Ifyoumentionthenamesyouareresearching,youmightevenfindthatfamilymembersstilllivelocallyandarepromptedtogetintouch.

OnourWW1projectwebsite

www.ourmemories.org.uk

youwillfindlotsmorelinksandinformationtohelpyourproject

Military Museums Dependingonwhichunityourservicemanservedwith,theremaybeamuseumyoucancontactorvisittolearnmore.IndividualArmyregimentsoftenhavetheirownmuseum.Aswellasbeinginterestingplacestovisittoseeartefactsandlearnmoreabouttheregiment’sWW1history,theywilloftenhavehistorianswhohaveresearchedoperationsinWW1indetailandwillbeabletohelpfindthedetailsofwhatyourserviceman’sregimentwasdoingonandaroundthetimeoftheirdeath.Theymaybeabletoprovidecopiesofunitdiarieswhich–amazingly–werecompletedbyofficersatthetime,evenwhenatthefightingfront.Thesecanbeextremelydetailedandmaymentionindividualsoldiersbyname.TheNavyandotherspecialistservicesalsohavemuseumsanddedicatedhistorians.Someonemayhavewrittenabookabouttheunityouareinterestedin.

Onceyouhavefoundoutwhichunityourservicemanwaswith,dosomesearchingonline.

Local Studies Centre YourLocalStudiesCentrewillbeprovidedbyyourlocalauthority,usuallytogetherwitheithertherecordsofficeorthelibrary.Someonetherewillbeveryknowledgeableaboutotherlocalsources;boththoseheldbytheLocalStudiesCollectionitself,orbyotherrecordcentres.Theywillhavedocumentsaboutlocallife,employersetc.andmayalsobeabletogiveyouaccesstocontemporarylocalnewspapers(includingthosethatmaynotyetbedigitisedonBritishNewspaperArchives).

Theservicemenyouareresearchinglivedatatimewhenmeticulouswrittenrecordsofmanyaspectsofsocietywerekept.Schools,employersetc.keptrecords,asdidcouncils.Localstudiesexpertswillbeabletopointyoutospecificresources,wheretheseareknowntoexist.

Maps Trytofindoldmapsofyourarea,asthesecanhelpyouunderstandwhatyourareawaslike.Oldmapsmayshowtheimportanceoflargelocalemployers,suchasfactoriesandmills.Long-forgottenrailwaysandcanalsmighthavebeenanimportantpartofthelocalsceneinthedaysbeforethemotorcarbecamepopular.Youmaybesurprisedhowmuchoftoday’shousingdidnotexistintheearlyyearsofthetwentiethcenturyandthatsomeofitisbuiltoverthesiteofsomethinginterestingthatwastherebefore.Also,themeaningofstreetnamesinyourareacansometimesbeexplainedbyamapthatshowstheareaintimesgoneby.

Directories Eveninthedaysbeforetelephones,directorieswereavailablefromthePostOffice,orfromprivatecompaniessuchas‘Kelly’s’,listingeveryonewholivedinacertainarea.Oftenthesewereannualpublications,listingresidentsandcompaniesbystreetandbysurname.Thiscanprovideaddressdatafortheyearsbetweencensuses.Whereresidents’jobsandprofessionsarelisted,youcangetagoodsenseofthesocialclassofastreetordistrictatthetime.

Living Relatives BearinmindthatmanyofthemenkilledinWW1didnothavethechancetohavechildrenbeforetheydied,sowillnothavedirectdescendants.Butmanyofthemcamefromlargefamilies,withmanybrothersandsisters,sothereis

AstainedglasswindowinBradfordCathedral,YorkshireisdedicatedtothosewhoservedinWW1

agoodchancethatyoumighttracelivingdescendantsofthose.‘Ancestry.co.uk’isonewayofpotentiallydoingso,asmentionedabove.

Alternatively,yourlocalrecordsofficeshouldhaverecordsofbirths,marriagesanddeaths,meaningthat,ifpeoplehaven’tmovedtoofar,thentheyshouldbetraceable,evenwherewomenhavemarriedandtakendifferentsurnames.Inthisway,youcanbuildatleastpartofafamilytreedowntothemodernday.

Ifyouareluckyenoughtobeworkingwithquiteunusualnames,simpleGooglesearchescanlocatepeople,nomatterwheretheyare.Itcanstillbeachallenge,however,tomakecontact,evenifyouknowpeople’snameandlocation.Fortunately,socialmediaorfurtherGooglingcanmakeeventhispossible,tothepointofbeingabletomakecontactbye-mailorsocialmediamessenger.

Itcanbeveryexcitingtomakecontactwithlivingrelativesofpeopleyouhaveresearchedinconnectionwithawarmemorial.Theymayhaveartefactsandphotographsthattheywillsharewithyouandthatwillreallyhelpyouunderstandmuchmoreaboutthe‘names’onyourmemorial.Theywillcertainlybepleasedtohearthattheirrelativeisstillbeingrememberedtoday.

Other memorials Haveathinkaboutwherethereareothermemorialslocally,especiallyinchurches,townhalls,orinotherpublicplaces.Trytogotoseethem,toseewhethertheyincludeanyofthesamenamesthatyouareresearching.

Yourresearch(e.g.oldnewspaperarticles)maymakeyouawareofamemorialthatwasputupnearlyahundredyearsago,buthassincedisappeared.Thiscanhappenifabuildingcloses,orchangesuse.Canyoudosomedetectiveworktofindoutwhathappenedtothememorial?

Local historians Whynottrytofindoutwhetherthereisahistorianwholivesnearyouwhohasspecialistknowledgeaboutyourarea,oraboutyourlocalmilitaryregimentoraboutWW1.Checkyourlocalhistorysocietiesetc.Orperhapssomeoneconnectedwithyourschool(e.g.aparent)iswillingtosupportyoubyhelpingtoco-ordinatewhatyouaredoing.

Organisations dedicated to commemorating WW1 Therearesomanyexcellentresourcesavailablefromkeyorganisationsandcharities;itisworthexploringthefollowingsites:

• TheImperialWarMuseum[http://www.iwm.org.uk/]• TheRoyalBritishLegion[http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/]• TheWarMemorialsTrust[http://www.warmemorials.org/]• TheCommonwealthWarGravesCommission[http://www.cwgc.org/]

Internet Searches ItispossiblethatinformationonservicemenyouareresearchingisouttheresomewhereontheInternetandthatthiscanbefoundbysearchingusingregularsearchengines(e.g.Google),butitisbesttofindoutasmuchaspossiblefromtheabovesourcesbeforedoingthis,astheremaybemanymenwiththesamenameacrosstheUK.

3. How to commemorate your research Oneofthemostimportantthingsaboutdoingresearchismakingtheinformationyouhavefoundavailabletootherpeopletofind.

Onceyouhavecompiledyourresearch,orevenasyouaregoingalong,thereareanumberofthingsyoumightthinkaboutdoingtoshareyourfindings:

PLEASETELLUSABOUTYOUR

SchoolWW1project

grenville@ourmemories.org.uk

youwillfindlotsmorelinksandinformationtohelpyourproject

Website Awebsiteisagoodideaforsharinginformationbecauseyoucankeepupdatingitanditcanbefoundbyanyoneallovertheworld.ThisisimportantasmanyfamiliesfromtheUKmovedtoothercountriesaroundtheworldduringthetwentiethcentury.

Issomeoneyouknowgoodatwebsitedesign,orcanyougettogripswitha‘template’site,ora‘blog’stylepagetoshareinformation.

OnourWW1www.ourmemories.org.uk/links.htmlwebsitethereisapagespecificallylistingmanyorganisationsthatwouldalsobeabletooffersupportinginformationforanyschoolresearchonWarMemorials.

4. Bringing the research to life at your school

Re-enactment Couldyoure-enactaspecificpartoftheWW1historythatyourresearchhastaughtyouabout?Forexample:theenlistmentprocess.Imaginetheteachersarerecruitmentofficersandthepupilsareenlistingforservice.Whatsortofquestionsareasked?Findthecontemporary‘AttestationPapers’online(Google‘WW1attestationblank’)foreachrecruittofillin.

Or,witholderpupils,thinkabouttheprocessofconscription,whyitbecamenecessary,andtalkabouttheissuesthatsurroundedwhetherpeoplewereconscriptedornot(protectedindustry,dependents,medicalissues,tribunals).Canyoufindreportsofsuchtribunalsinthenewspapersofthetime?

Art AllformsofartlendthemselvestoexploringandcommemoratingWW1themes.PictorialartcanexplorelifeattheFront,ascanmodel-making.SomeWW1memorialstooktheformofstainedglasswindowsinchurches:thereisgoodscopehereforfreeexpressionofideas.

Written work and literature DiariesfromtheFrontandletterswrittenhomearetworeadyexamplesofhowWW1researchcaninspirewrittenwork.

Thestudyofwarpoetrycanitselfleadtothecreationofpoetrythatisspecifictoyourresearchandtheindividualsyouareresearching.

Music Canyoulearntoplayorsingsomecontemporarysongsthatsoldierswouldhavesungastheytriedtomaintaintheirspiritswhileinbillets,orastheymarchedalongtheroadstotheFront?Whatotherpiecesofmusicarefromthattime,orhavebecomeassociatedwiththecommemorationofthedeadofWW1?Doyouknowthehymnsthatwereplayedatthededicationceremonyofmemorialsyouhaveresearched?OrcanyouputnewlyricstoapopularWW1tunethattelltheWW1storyofyourschool,churchorvillage?

ThereareWW1Songchoicesfor

yourschooltoperform–see:

www.ourmemories.org.uk

youwillfindlotsmorelinksandinformationtohelpyourproject

Reaching out OnceyouhavetracedthehousesinwhichyourWW1servicemanlived,youcouldmakecontactwiththecurrentoccupantsofthathouseandtellthemaboutthehistoryofsomeonewholivedinthehousebeforethem.

Youcouldarrangetowalktoschoolfromthathouseonemorning,tore-tracethestepsthatthesubjectofyourresearchwouldhavetaken.

Youcoulddesignandprintpostcardsthatthecurrentoccupantsofthehousecoulddisplayintheirwindow,totelltheworldthatsomeonewentfromthathousetofightinWW1.

Exhibition Putonanexhibitionofyourartwork,poetryandphotographsofotherlearningandactivitiesthatyouhaveconductedaspartofyourWW1.TrytosourcesomeWW1artefactssuchasmedals,etc.Invitethelocalcommunity,parentsandanylivingrelativesthatyouhavetraced.

Assembly: November 2018 and beyond Whataboutdedicatingaschoolassembly–perhapsclosetoRemembranceDayonNovember11th–tothecommemorationofthepeopleyouhavebeenresearching?Perhapsyoucanrecreateelementsoftraditionalservicesofremembrance,orreadpoetryyouhavecreated,aswellasusingappropriatemusic.

YoucouldputtogetheracommemorativefilmorPowerPoint(tomusic)thatsuccinctlytellsyourWW1storyandthatcanbeusedintheassemblyorupdatedinfutureyearstobeshowneveryNovemberasareminder.

Don’tforgettotellusallabout

YourPrimarySchoolWW1project

grenville@ourmemories.org.uk

youwillfindlotsmorelinksandinformationtohelpyourproject