Beverley First World War commemorative exhibition looks at local scheme

The Beverley Community Museum is taking part in the East Riding’s First World War centenary commemorations with an exhibition that looks at the impact of the war in Beverley. The new exhibition, “Keeping the Home Fires Burning: how the First World War was felt in Beverley”, opens on Friday 6 June in one of the newly refurbished exhibition rooms at the Beverley Guildhall.

The curator of the Guildhall, Fiona Jenkinson, said, “We are pleased to be part of the First World War commemorations, and especially with our superb new exhibition room, which has been made possible with a grant from Arts Council England as part of the “Joining Up the Humber Museums” project. Our exhibition takes a slightly different approach to many of the others you will see because we look at how the war was felt within the town itself”.

Fiona added: “One of our volunteers trawled through the local newspapers for every week of the war and pulled out some fascinating facts about the period. Did you know, for example, that when zeppelin raids were threatened, the scouts cycled round the town blowing their whistles, and the gas works reduced the pressure, resulting in the lights dimming in every house? Or that residents were asked to collect fruit stones and nut shells to make anti-gas masks for the troops? The exhibition is full of such interesting snippets – never mind about the significant events that were happening over in Europe!”

“Keeping the Home Fires Burning” will run from 6 June to 29 November. The Guildhall is open from 10am to 4pm every Friday, and from 10am to 4pm on Wednesdays until the end of October. Admission is free.

The Beverley Guildhall is located in Register Square, Beverley.

The second Community Museum room will be closed until 18 July but the rest of the building will be open as usual. On 18 July, the second room will open with a new permanent display, entitled “Shaping Beverley”, which will look at how 1300 years of history have shaped the town.

Opening times from 2 May until 31 October will be Wednesdays and Fridays 10am to 4pm. From 1 November, the Guildhall will be open on Fridays only.

ENDS

For further media information, please contact:

Steve Eccles
Press Officer
East Riding of Yorkshire Council
County Hall
Beverley
East Riding of Yorkshire
HU17 9BA
Tel: (01482) 391441
Email: Stephen.eccles@eastriding.gov.uk
Twitter @East_Riding