John_Hartley Posted 13 February , 2018 Share Posted 13 February , 2018 I think I'm about to be approached to write one, as part of the village's Armistice commemorations and I'd appreciate any tips as to content. Note this is not a war memorial booklet, as such (we did that in 2014). So, I presume much of the content will be "home front". But exactly what aspects to include? Unless anyone can advise on sources, I presume I'm pretty much reliant on any mentions in the local weekly newspaper. I have in mind to include something on general DORA restrictions, men returning on leave or wounded, food shortages, the creation of the war memorial. I'd also include a fairly hefty appendix of biographies - those for the war memorial men have been done for ages. And I'm working on biographies of the men known to have served (a search on Ancestry of the village name threw up a decent number in the service and pension papers). Grateful for any thoughts. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesmessenger Posted 13 February , 2018 Share Posted 13 February , 2018 John What about your local Record Office? Charles M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard_Lewis Posted 13 February , 2018 Share Posted 13 February , 2018 The local press is a good start. Add in local council committee minutes and reports. Possibly parish council stuff, too. Local school log books, church magazines, local sports club histories. Local Red Cross reports re war services. Any refugees billeted nearby? Local record office is a must, as Charles said. Bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 13 February , 2018 Share Posted 13 February , 2018 Hi John, My next book will be on Sevenoaks during the war and much of it will be on the Home Front. The topics you suggest sound about right. There's more insight on my website at sevenoaksww1.org but topics there include Belgian refugees, nurses and care of the wounded, rationing and restrictions, Christmases, local tribunals, conscientious objectors, local churchyards, men who survived (and whose stories were not appropriate for the war memorial book). I've used local papers to appeal for information, the papers of the time, local record offices etc. Also had luck looking on auction sites for memorabilia, I've found postcards home from men billeted in the town or to relatives, which helped build up a good story. My book will be roughly 60,000 words, but Sidcup, near me, have produced a much smaller booklet along the same themes that is very good. Let me know if I can help further. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 13 February , 2018 Admin Share Posted 13 February , 2018 If you've not already done so perhaps a look at Ian Beckett 'Home Front 1914-1918' ISBN 1-903365-81-6 and Caroline Dakers 'The Countryside at War' ISBN -0-09-468060-4 is a great account of rural life during the war, both offer a good background to some of the topics you may wish to consider. Dakers in particular discusses the aftermath of the warned its impact on rural village life, e.g. the Land Army disbanded in 1919; land settlement schemes for veterans in the country; the displacement of women workers and the Women's Institute created as a direct result of the war. What, if any were the issues concerning the local MP and other worthies? I would definitely want to look at the work of the Local Tribunal, I came across an author who wrote a book called 'Kitchener's Men' and yet was seeking an exemption, I keep meaning to follow it up but each little story like that would seem to entail a great deal of work! Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geraint Posted 13 February , 2018 Share Posted 13 February , 2018 John Search for Belgian refugee family camps (many were there for 5 years). Any POW working camps? Local aristocracy involvement - ie here Ruthin Castle turned into a Red Cross hospital and the Cornwallis West family and other local dignitaries did their local bit in forming local groups responsible for egg collection, sewing soldier comfort groups, war bond collection by organising social events. Then there oral history. Go after people you know who lived there during the fifties and buy them pints for their info! They'll be happy to talk about Taid and his mates. I found that writing to today's local press bought forth volumes of material regarding the 1920s and 30s. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Tall Posted 13 February , 2018 Share Posted 13 February , 2018 Don’t forget any Volunteer Training Corps the village might have had. Local newspapers are your best bet for information on home front activites. We used it extensively for ‘Kenilworth & The Great War’. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard_Lewis Posted 13 February , 2018 Share Posted 13 February , 2018 Any 'industry yearbooks' for the area? I found a couple in the local record office on coal production and it was handy background info. Depends what industries (if any) were in or near the place you will be writing about, of course. Bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnmelling1979 Posted 13 February , 2018 Share Posted 13 February , 2018 (edited) Hello An interesting thread.... I myself have for the past 4 years, created a website for my two local villages exploring the men on the memorial. Last week I started a new page looking into the survivors who came back, discharged from duty for medical reasons etc And I'm also looking into the local employment at the time verses population statistics. Definitely look on https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ Cheers John M Edited 14 February , 2018 by johnmelling1979 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 14 February , 2018 Share Posted 14 February , 2018 John- Your location is a "village"-No need to say which one. Highly likely that it had/ has a main C of E church-Always worth looking for the parish magazine for the war years. Many subscribed to a Church Publishing Company format-monthly-homoilitic junk short stories-standard across the country-and a section of local info. Hit and miss-but the hits are parishes which reported what had happened to it's servicemen. And church archives can be even more expansive on secular matters- mostly held in county record offices as a result of diocesan instructions in the Fifties and Sixties. Nonconformist records tend to be good- not noted for parish mags but smaller congregations often kept better records. Again, many "chapel" records are still with that retail brand of nonconoformity-but often not in the original place, as chapels shut down or combine or become bingo halls. I do hope you will tell us which village it is when you have been suckered volunteered to do it. You never know what is out there-as this Forum repeatedly shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 14 February , 2018 Author Share Posted 14 February , 2018 10 hours ago, voltaire60 said: I do hope you will tell us which village it is No secret. It is Gatley. Then still a distinct village, although with others, part of an Urban District Council and, since 1974, part of the Borough of Stockport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Tall Posted 14 February , 2018 Share Posted 14 February , 2018 Don't know which village or county you could be researching, but if it was Warwickshire you could take advantage of a huge on-line WW1 database that volunteers (including myself) have been working on for the last four years at the County Record Office. We have listed literally thousands of WW1references held in the archives - mostly home front, but also letters, diaries, photographs etc. It won't show you the actual record but will give you all the references you need to look them up. It's at https://apps.warwickshire.gov.uk/ww1records It would be worth enquiring if other Record Offices have done the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonraker Posted 14 February , 2018 Share Posted 14 February , 2018 For the sake of a few minutes, check "Gatley" in the IWM and Kew catalogues, plus The Times on-line archive. Moonraker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard_Lewis Posted 14 February , 2018 Share Posted 14 February , 2018 I found stats on the 1918 flu pandemic in the Swansea Corporation 'Reports of the Medical Officer of Health'. Bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 14 February , 2018 Share Posted 14 February , 2018 Always worth a general check on BNA. I found an article about Rudyard Kipling visiting Sevenoaks and nearly being detained by a soldier who didn't recognise him, in a Scottish paper. Never seen the story in local sources. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 14 February , 2018 Share Posted 14 February , 2018 12 minutes ago, MattB said: Always worth a general check on BNA. I found an article about Rudyard Kipling visiting Sevenoaks and nearly being detained by a soldier who didn't recognise him, in a Scottish paper. Never seen the story in local sources. Definitely, and worth using any variation of search terms. I even found out which platoon, of which Company a couple of Gordon Highlanders served in, and a King's Liverpool lad, all from newspapers one would not normally have thought would have mentioned them. Have also met and am now firm friends with relatives of a few of the men am researching. They have photographs, letters and in one case given me a nick-name that I would never have known otherwise. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 15 February , 2018 Author Share Posted 15 February , 2018 Thanks for the many ideas - appreciated. Unfortunately, none of the Stockport newspapers are on BNA yet - so it looks as though I have a number of visits to the local history library and their old & knackered microfilm readers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilkley remembers Posted 15 February , 2018 Share Posted 15 February , 2018 (edited) You could try the Gateways to the First World War Project which is being run by the Arts and Humanities research Council. They can put you in touch with experts who will advise about specific projects. There is a list of their network on the link below. However, I would advise you not to think of contacting one of the experts as he was sent down for 6 years last week. Although,to be fair he probably has more time to deal with any query. http://www.gatewaysfww.org.uk/research-network Edited 15 February , 2018 by ilkley remembers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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