World War 2 local history archive
Beck Isle Museum, Pickering, together with
support funding from the Local Heritage Initiative
is currently building a local history archive
relating to Pickering, Northern Ryedale and the
North York Moors areas and its residents in the
Second World War.
The museum's oral history team is conducting
recorded interviews within the community of local
people, both those that served in the Armed Forces
and those that remained on the Home Front.
However modest people feel their own stories may
be we would be very pleased to listen and record
them. It is also possible for people to contribute
written memories or stories and experiences if they
feel they do not wish to be recorded. Life in all
aspects is to be covered, from farm and
agricultural life, to village and town experiences,
service life and civil defence. We also urgently
seek related wartime period photographs and
documents to copy for the archive.
One of the aims of this project is to build a
wartime period map of locations of defences and
camps etc within the area. Bomber Command bases and
personnel of No 6 Canadian Group, also units of The
Polish 1st Armoured Division and The Guards
Armoured Division are just some of the specific
research areas we wish to document.
It is so important to capture and record this
period of our local history and heritage before it
passes from living memory. Stories or memories
regarding wartime are also welcome from people who
perhaps did not live in the area during the period
but have since moved here. If you feel you can help
in any way or contribute to the project please
contact;
Beck Isle Museum of Rural Life, Bridge St.,
Pickering, North Yorkshire,
YO18 - 8DU
Mr Gordon Clitheroe - Curator - 01751 - 473653
The project Co-ordinator Roger Dowson can also
be contacted on his personal email at:
localmilhistory@aol.com
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The museum has won a grant of £5,000 from
the Yorkshire Museum Libraries and Archives Council
plus the Department of Education. The funding will
pay for the development of education resources at
the museum. These include the publishing of a
teacher information pack, both in the printed
format and to be available through our web site,
which is currently being redeveloped.
Assisting with the project are local schools,
their students and volunteers at the museum.
Dave Roberts, of local business Nameline, will
also assist with the project.
Local schools have been invited to take part and
so far students from Lady Lumleys and Pickering
Infants School have been involved.
Can you help?
1914 - 1919 Great War Project
The Museum with start-up funding from the
'Sharing Museum Skills Millennium Awards Fund' is
gathering material relating to both Pickering and
the other towns and villages within Ryedale during
the First World War.
Photographs, Postcards, Documents, Newspaper
Articles, letters and diaries etc. are sought to
copy for the archive. Also stories of general
information relating to the people of Ryedale
during the Great War are invited.
Local War Memorial listings and details are
being housed on a computer database at the museum,
so if you know of any memorials (large or small) in
your area we would love to receive any information
along with a list of names and details recorded on
them. This work is also relative to the 'National
Inventory of War Memorials', a joint 'Imperial War
Museum & English Heritage' project.
It is hoped that further funding and support
will enable this project to grow into a
considerable archive and resource for use by the
general public, school parties, genealogist's and
historians alike.
Please feel free to contact the museum with any
help or questions you may have relating to this
project.
Telephone / Facsimile: 01751 473653
Email: beckislemuseum@aol.com
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