Page 41 - South Issue 12

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Abingdon Museum looks back to 1914
and re-creates a typical recruitment day
As the centenary of the beginning of The Great
War approaches, Abingdon Museum has been busy
preparing to commemorate this momentous event
in history. It has organized three projects to capture
and record the local significance and effect of The
Great War. Bob Frampton, a museum volunteer has
spent over a year researching the history of Abingdon
before and during The Great War. He has delved into
the microfiche records of the North Berks Herald
which descriptively record daily life in Abingdon
throughout the period and found many fascinating
facts. Numerous local families have also contributed
to his research with stories and photos that vividly
portray the lives of individuals.
The research for the book has also contributed to
a very special exhibition at the Museum, opening
on 5 August, called Abingdon in the Great War. The
exhibition combines detailed accounts of the war
from the point of view of local men and women,
touching upon town industries and work, joining
up and serving in the forces, the threat of Zeppelin
raids, food shortages and the many small changes
in daily life, as well as taking a moment to reflect on
the brutal reality of war. Individuals and museums,
both local and national, have contributed towards
the exhibition and with their help the Museum will
be able to display a wide range of artefacts covering
many aspects of life at home and in the trenches, one
hundred years ago.
To complete the commemorative events the Museum
will host a free family day in Abingdon Market Place
on Saturday 13 September, supported by the Heritage
Lottery Fund, and as part of Heritage Weekend.
The event will be a marvellous recreation of life
in Abingdon 100 years ago to the day, with many
professional displays including a real War Horse, a
WW1 music wagon and a special Punch and Judy
with Kaiser Bill and Tommy Gunn taking leading
roles. There will be lots of things to do and see from
10am until 4pm, with many local groups providing
interludes of music and drama. Market stalls, dressed
in early 1900’s style, will sell old fashioned goods from
sticky buns to wooden spoons, led by the well-known
Abingdon culinary shop Added Ingredients. Visitors
shouldn’t be surprised to see many re-enactors in
period clothing in the Market Place and Museum,
whilst performers act out scenarios likely to have
occurred during the early days of the war. Cadet
groups will perform drills and encourage the children
to join in. Families will be able to get involved in
traditional activities such as butter churning, casting
of pewter toys, learning signalling techniques, and of
course enjoying traditional music throughout the day.
To round off the activities following the opening of
the Abingdon at War exhibition, Rick Stevens and
Gareth Howell – history advisor for BBC Nottingham
– will conduct two days of lectures for adults and
children’s workshops on 5th and 6th August. Topics
covered will include ‘An introduction to Trench
Warfare’, ‘British and German Grenades of the Great
War’, ‘The causes and course of the Great War’ and
‘The evolution of strategy and tactics of the Great
War’. Please see the museum page atwww.abingdon.
gov.uk or visit @abingdonmuseum twitter feed to
find out more and book your place.
On 13 September the Museum is pleased to
be supporting SSAFA, a military charity whose
foundations date back to before The Great War.