There are lots of free First World War events happening as part of the Doncaster 1914-18 HLF project
Sat 22 April
Doncaster & District Heritage Association Local History Fair Featuring The Great War on Tour
Doncaster Museum & Art Gallery, Chequer Road, DN1 2AE 11am – 4pm
The Annual Local History Fair organised by the member groups of the Doncaster & District Heritage Association [DDHA]. There will be stalls, displays, family activities, re-enactments and entertainment. Doncaster 1914-18’s Great War on Tour will be there to launch ‘Our communities in War’, a new series of pop-up exhibitions focussing on the involvement of local people and places in the First World War created by local history groups. Bring along your First World War family objects to be scanned and added to a new online community archive. Doncaster 1914-18 is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Cost: FREE. Just turn up!
Sun 23 April
Mexborough First World War Walking Tour
Meet at Mexborough Railway Station, S64 9AQ 11am – 2pm
2.5 mile walk telling the story of how the First World War impacted on Mexborough. You will take in landmark memorials, buildings and some of the personnel who contributed to the war effort. Tour led by Bill Lawrence of Mexborough Heritage Society and author of From Pit Town to Battlefields: 1914-1916 Mexborough & The Great War *Dogs welcome. Please wear suitable footwear.
Cost: FREE. (Donations to Mexborough Heritage Society welcome). Just turn up!
Mon 24 April
Hickleton Hall: At Home, At War
Doncaster Central Library, Meeting Room 1 2pm – 3.15pm
Hickleton Hall is a Grade II listed Georgian Stately Hall situated in the picturesque village of Hickleton. Continuing on the theme of Doncaster 1914-18: At Home, At War this talk will focus on one house, Hickleton Hall. Topics include life as a dairy maid; Lord Halifax’s diary entries and some notable visitors to the ‘big house’, including T.S. Eliot and Kathleen Kennedy (sister of JFK).
Cost: £2. Tickets can be purchased from the Central Library. Please call 01302 734307 or email central.localhistory@doncaster.gov.uk
Tue 25 April
A Brief History of Doncaster Parish Church and the Restoration of the Queen’s Own Yorkshire Dragoons’ Memorial
Doncaster Central Library, Meeting Room 1, DN1 3JE 2.30pm – 3.30pm
A two-part talk discussing the history of the site from the 1st Century to Norman times, to the Parish Church and the Minster as it is known today. You will also find out about the restoration of the Queen’s Own Yorkshire Dragoons memorial & the research into the histories behind the names on the memorial. Cost: £1.50. Tickets can be purchased from the Central Library. Please call 01302 734307 or email central.localhistory@doncaster.gov.uk
Wed 26 April
Doncaster 1914-18: Stories from the First World War
Doncaster Central Library, Meeting Room 1, DN1 3JE 10.30am – 11.30am
Join the Doncaster 1914-18 project team and volunteers to hear some of the highlights from First World War stories submitted by Doncaster’s residents since 2015. Find out about wartime nurses, remarkable battlefield stories, a scrapbook, and Vic the dog! Doncaster 1914-18 is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Cost: £2. Tickets can be purchased from the Central Library. Please call 01302 734307 or email central.localhistory@doncaster.gov.uk
Wed 26 April
Drop-in First World War Family History Surgery
Doncaster Central Library, Meeting Room 4, DN1 3JE Time: 12pm – 3pm
Would you like to research your family’s history but don’t know where to start? Or are you stuck on a question relating to a person or place you’ve started researching? Join our resident expert Bill Bevan for help with all of your family and local history research queries, and find out how to share your First World War stories via the Doncaster 1914-18 website. Doncaster 1914-18 is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Cost: FREE. Limited places. Please call 01302 734293 and ask to speak to a member of the Doncaster 1914-18 team to book a place, or email info@doncaster1914-18.org.uk
Thu 27 April
Presentation of the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Colours
Sir Nigel Gresley Square, DN1 3BU 10am – Onwards
Doncaster Council is hosting a presentation ceremony in Sir Nigel Gresley Square where The Rifles Regiment will be presenting the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (K.O.Y.L.I.) Colours. The ceremony starts at 10am and promises to be a great spectacle with military band and around 100 military personnel on parade. The Great War on Tour team will be present at the Presentation of the K.O.Y.L.I. Colours and will be showcasing a new memorial trail commemorating the lives of the First World War Victoria Cross winners with connections to Doncaster and the surrounding area, and exploring sites associated with them. Cost: FREE. Just turn up!
Fri 28 April
Work and Industry in the First World War: Family and Local History Workshop
Doncaster Central Library, Meeting Room 4, DN1 3JE 10.30am – 3.30pm
Do you have an ancestor who worked for the railway, in mining or local industry during the First World War? Do you want to find out more about them, or just want to find out more about Doncaster’s Home Front history during the First World War? Join resident expert Bill Bevan to view original objects relating to Doncaster’s Home Front History, and find out how to use them to carry out research. Doncaster 1914-18 is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Cost: FREE. Limited places. Please call 01302 734293 and ask to speak to a member of the Doncaster 1914-18 team to book a place, or email info@doncaster1914-18.org.uk
Sat 29 April
Edward Thomas: War Poet World War One Poetry Writing Workshop & Performances
Upper Room, Doncaster Brewery & Tap, 7 Young Street, DN1 3EL Workshop 2.30pm-6pm / Performance 7pm-9pm
An event in two parts. Produce your own poem based on the work of the poets of the Great War. Led by local poet Ian Parks, the workshop is open to beginners and experienced poets alike; just bring a pen and paper and let the poets of the First World War inspire you to write a poem of your own. ‘Read to Write’ commemorates the 100th anniversary of the war poet Edward Thomas with readings from his poems, journals, and letters. Supported by Right Up Our Street, Doncaster 1914-18 and Read to Write.
Cost: Workshop £2. Performances FREE. Places limited. Please reserve your ticket now to avoid disappointment. Call 01302 734307 or email central.localhistory@doncaster.gov.uk
Wed 3 May
Women and Children in the First World War: Family and Local History Workshop
Doncaster Central Library, Meeting Room 4, DN1 3JE 10.30am – 3.30pm
Want to find out what the women and children in your family were doing during the First World War, and how Doncaster’s women and children contributed to the war effort? Join resident expert Bill Bevan to view original objects relating to Doncaster’s Home Front history and learn how to use them to carry out research. Doncaster 1914-18 is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Cost: FREE. Limited places.
Please call 01302 734293 and ask to speak to a member of the Doncaster 1914-18 team to book a place, or email info@doncaster1914-18.org.uk
Thu 4 May
Ambulance Trains
Doncaster Museum & Art Gallery, Chequer Road, DN1 2AE 10.30am – 11.30am
During the First World War ambulance trains were used both at home and abroad to carry sick and wounded men away from the front line. They were filled with men suffering from terrible medical conditions and were often crowded, smelly, dirty and dangerous. Over two million men were lucky enough to be transported all the way back to the UK where they could recover in ‘Blighty’ hospitals.
Talk led by archivist Alison Kay from the National Railway Museum.
Cost: £3. Tickets can be purchased from the Central Library. Please call 01302 734307 or email central.localhistory@doncaster.gov.uk
Thu 4 May
Testament of Youth screening & First World War Nursing Talk
Doncaster Little Theatre, DN1 1JD 7pm – 10:30pm
Kate Vigurs will bring history to life as a First World War nurse. Discover more about the life of a nurse during wartime and about Doncaster’s Auxiliary hospitals. The costumed talk will be followed by a screening of Testament of Youth, based on the memoir of the same name written by Vera Brittain, a First World War nurse. Cost: £5.50. Tickets can be purchased from the Central Library. Please call 01302 734307 or email central.localhistory@doncaster.gov.uk Tickets can also be purchased from Doncaster Little Theatre’s Box Office.
Sat 6 May
Denaby and Conisbrough History Fair
Denaby Football Field, St Albans Church Entrance 11am – 3pm
Explore the History of Conisbrough and Denaby with stalls, interactive activities, music, a heritage walk and dancing. Local schools will also be displaying their recycled art projects that represent Denaby and Conisbrough’s history. Supported by the Well Denaby project. Cost: FREE. Just turn up!
To access the full festival programme, please visit:
http://library.doncaster.gov.uk/web/arena/doncaster-heritage-festival