Tag Archives for World War 1

I made a film!

We* decided to finish up Ombersley Remembers the WW1 Home Front by making a short film to show off some of the many discoveries made during the project. Hope you enjoy the trip!

It’s been a delight to work with the Ombersley Remembered research volunteers – I’ve never had so many keen researchers stick with me throughout.  I think there were about 15 by the end, but I do admit I lost count!

I think they were particularly enthused because the subject matter they were researching focussed on their own homes – we looked at the history of the parish in WW1 by finding out who lived in each featured house and what they were most likely doing through the war.

We were really helped here because the combination of surviving official records between 1911 and 1921 which meant we could tie individuals to their homes and occupations by using the 1911 census, the 1910 Finance Act returns (correct for 1914), electoral registers and commercial directories.  So much information, and that was before we started rummaging in the parish registers, newspapers and school log books!

The research was then used to create two parish tours focussing on the WW1 Home Front, which you can find and try out for yourself by visiting the project website.

Ombersley Remembers is my fifth community history project focussing on the WW1 history of Worcestershire.  Continue reading →

Food, Family & Home in WW1 conference

All films from the Midlands’ Women’s History Network conference on 5 March 2016 are now available online via the Women’s History Network West Midlands youTube channel.

The films include a 5-minute round-up of the event, and each of the day’s presentations:

‘The Kitchen is the Key to Victory’: Women, Food and the Great War

  • Professor Karen Hunt – University of Keele

Everybody’s talking about food: food and women’s magazines in the First World War

  • Jennifer Doyle – Kings College, University of London

Everybody’s Business: Film, Food & Victory in the First World War

  • Dr Stella Hockenhull- University of Wolverhampton

Researching Home, Food and Family: Panel Discussion and Q&A

  • Professor Maggie Andrews  -University of Worcester and Voices of War and Peace Community Engagement Centre lead on Gender and the Home Front
  • Susanne Atkin – independent researcher participating in WW1 in the Vale (HLF-funded project)
  • Julia Letts – Oral Historian and project co-ordinator for The Great Blackberry Pick (HLF-funded project)
  • Dr Janis Lomas – Independent Researcher
  • Chaired by  Jenni Waugh – Community History consultant and project co-ordinator for WW1 in the Vale (HLF-funded project)

Filmed for us by James McDonald of Clear Picture Productions.