Nantwich Museum exhibit - The Dowery Auxiliary Hospital

A fascinating insight into Nantwich life during the First World War has been unveiled at Nantwich Museum.

“Nantwich and the First World War – the impact of war on a market town” is a new exhibition at the museum on Pillory Street.

It recalls the early years of the war in the town, and is on display in the Community and Millennium Galleries until Saturday September 27.

From 100 years on we can now see how Nantwich responded as war broke out in 1914.

Using local and national newspapers, reminiscences, photographs and artefacts, the exhibition identifies the sudden realisation of impending war by an unprepared market town and follows the emergence of a community gearing up to support the war.

Nantwich Museum exhibit - One of VAD Mary Hesketh's certificates
One of VAD Mary Hesketh’s certificates

Visitors can witness the initial role played by leading local families, see soldiers’ and seamen’s tales of the trenches and naval battles sent home to families, read of family loss, kindness to strangers from a foreign land and the wounded.

There was the important role played by women who could be found not just knitting for the troops but being trained for jobs, especially in agriculture, when the men went to war.

Despite this it was remarkable how much remained unchanged before the dark days of 1916, the near starvation of much of Britain in 1917 and ultimate victory in 1918.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a series of talks at the museum with a particular focus on local issues of the time.

On Wednesday August 20, local author Mark Potts will speak on The Great War – the cost to the families of Nantwich.

The exhibition is being financed by a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant of £3,800 covering the cost of the display materials, interactive elements, a programme of events and accompanying literature.

It has also enabled members of the museum involved in its development to make fact-finding visits to other museums.

Contact Nantwich Museum on [email protected], call 01270 627104, or visit www.nantwichmuseum.org.uk

Nantwich Museum exhibit - Porch House - home to Belgium refugees
Nantwich Museum exhibit – Porch House, home to Belgium refugees

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