Ties that Bind

Private Jesse Hill [WAVE: DX554]

Over the last few weeks we have been supporting Big Brum Theatre in Education Company with their new WW1 project, Ties that Bind, which is supported by the HLF. We’ve been lucky enough to see previous WW1 productions by Big Brum and have been in awe of their creativity, passion and immense talent for working with young people in order to explore complex and challenging situations. Ties that Bind involves working with young people from schools in Birmingham and Wolverhampton to explore the experience of the young men involved in the First World War and their relationship to each other. This week I went with Matt and Richard from the company to Wolverhampton Archives, where I previously did some work, to explore a particular deposit that I hoped would be inspiring for the project. 

Birmingham: Leading the Way

Birmingham Archives Kynoch Factory, WW1 images 

In 1914, Birmingham's reputation as a centre of medical specialisms came into it's own. The rapid set up of the First Southern General Hospital at Birmingham University on 15th August, just 11 days after war was declared, following months of preparation, set the template for Military Hospitals across the country serving the wounded in the coming years. A mere cursory look at the Mills' Munitions Factory photos at Birmingham Archives and Heritage gives an indication of the numbers and severity of the injuries to come.

Professor Jonathon Reinarz' talk at Birmingham University on 11th February 2016 to launch People's Heritage Co-operative Untold Stories Project provided a great start to a project which has at it's heart the uncovering of the stories of those wounded soldiers, the medical professionals they came into contact with and the development of medical practice and provision for injured and disabled soldiers.

Untold Stories events

Gym, Highbury Hospital, Reproduced with permission of the Library of Birmingham

A series of talks will be held in February and March 2016, open to members of the public as well as Co-operative members. Do please get in touch if you would be interested in volunteering for this project, or have any family stories that you'd be willing to share.

HLF fund untold stories of Birmingham's injured soldiers

Soldiers at Highbury Hospital in Moseley. 

Reproduced with permission of the Library of Birmingham

We are pleased to announce Untold Stories: Birmingham's Wounded Soldiers from WW1, a new project funded by a Heritage Lottery Fund First World War Then and Now grant. The project will focus on the untold stories of soldiers returning to Birmingham from the Great War with serious physical and psychological injuries. It will map the sites of hospital treatment and convalescence that were set up in the city and will explore what happened to the soldiers after their treatment ended.

Edwardian Baths saved and restored

Birmingham Opera Co ‏@BirminghamOpera  Jan 14

Byron Jackson @stirchleybaths opening ceremony!

Stirchley Baths were officially opened on 14th January 2016, or strictly speaking, the re-opening of the Baths after some 105 years!

Richard and I attended this official ceremony as Stirchley Baths reappeared in its new guise as a community centre with halls, meeting rooms, cinema space and café.

Have a go at National Archives webinars

SOLD OUT webinar for 'Using the National Register of 1939'

I recently took part in one of the webinars organised by The National Archives - in this case 'Using the National Register of 1939'.  These 'webinars' are a relatively new service and offer a combination of a live broadcast and an element of interactivity as you can pose questions during and after the broadcast. I have signed up for a couple of these now and they have been a useful introduction to similar topics - I'd recommend having a go!

Favourite thing in archive? An archivist

The young archivist team at Paganel Archives

We've been asked to blog about our favourite things in Archives for explore your archive week.  Archives are great, but my favourite thing in Paganel Archives are the young archivists. They're (literally) what makes the Archives!