Life in Craven during the Great War is spotlighted in a new exhibition that has been officially opened at The Folly in Settle.
1916: Chronicles of Courage is the third in a series of exhibitions being staged by the lottery-supported Craven and the First World War project, which aims to develop people’s understanding of life in the district during the conflict.
Conducting the official opening was Dr Jessica Meyer, from the Legacies of War project at the University of Leeds, who will return to The Folly later in the year to deliver a talk on the evacuation of wounded British servicemen from the frontline.
Curator, Anne Read, said: “1916 was a momentous year, in which the people of Craven played their part with great courage.
“It was the year in which conscription was introduced and conscientious objectors stood up for their beliefs, and terrible battles were fought at Jutland and – best-known of all – on the Somme.
“Our displays tell the stories of local men and women who served their country in many different ways – in the medical services and ambulance units, as well as fighting in the trenches and at sea.”
The exhibition has been curated by Kate Croll, Janette Talbot and John Asher. “We remember and salute the courage shown by the people of the Craven area,” they said.
Visitors can experience graphic reconstructions of life on the battlefields through installations of a section of trench and a first-aid post fitted out with medical and surgical equipment from the period.
Rob Freeman, for the Craven and the First World War project, said: “The support from the Heritage Lottery Fund has allowed us to see the centenary through to its third and arguably most important year, as 1916 marked a defining moment in the war.”
The exhibition runs until October.
Visit ncbpt.org.uk/folly or call 01729 822893 for more details about the exhibition and venue opening times.
Published in The Craven Herald, 4 May 2016