Women's Health In South Tyneside: First World War Project

Thursday, 15 September 2016

Historical and creative outcomes...

After spending hours in the archive, online and at the writing desk, Women's Health in South Tyneside used the opportunity of its Annual General Meeting (9 September 2016) to showcase the research and creative writing its First World War History group had undertaken.

Gramophone with part of history research display in background.

As well as a display of the historical documents and research that the group had undertaken, the group created a soundscape to accompany the exhibition. Jude Murphy's song "The Munition Lass's Lament" was interspersed with creative writing which had been overseen by Tracy Gillman (see sidebar). By following the link below you can hear the recording of the group's singing, poetry, drama and prose:

Munition Lass's Lament

In addition, the photographs collected by the group (some of the group at work and some of First World War women) were used to stunning effect. A woman photo-sculpture was created as a memorial to the women who lived and worked in South Tyneside during the First World War (and today).

Some of the research from the WHiST History Group has been uploaded to the Durham at War website. Keep your eye out for more stories on the site:

Elizabeth McQuillan - munitionette footballer:
http://www.durhamatwar.org.uk/story/12759/

Mary Lyons - munitionette footballer:
http://www.durhamatwar.org.uk/story/12720/
A newspaper report of one of the matches that she played in:
http://www.durhamatwar.org.uk/material/613/

Isabella Shearer Walker - Commandant of Voluntary Aid Detachment hospital in Hebburn:
http://www.durhamatwar.org.uk/story/12765/
(and her husband):
http://www.durhamatwar.org.uk/story/12766/

Lorna Chittleburgh - nursing sister at Jarrow Voluntary Aid Detachment hospital:
http://www.durhamatwar.org.uk/story/12762/

Monday, 8 August 2016

Truth and Memory: visiting York Art Gallery's First World War exhibition, 11 July 2016

York Art Gallery, front entrance

Visit to York Museum

WHiST members say an exhibition entitled
BRITISH ART OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR.
(The largest exhibition for nearly 100 years.)

Two female artists were included, although they were not recognised until after the war ended.
The one who impressed me most was Anna Airy.
The saying; A picture speaks a thousand words describes her art perfectly.

Etta

WHiSTers arriving at the Gallery

Visit to York Art Gallery

WHiST volunteers trip to York WW1 Exhibition 11/7/16

Female artists were included. The pictures seem to speak to you, some were very dark, you could feel and sense the pain and fear in the trenches.

One of the "Hands On" parts of the exhibition which allowed people to respond the paintings.

York Art Gallery

As a group we travelled to York to visit an art gallery. We went to see an exhibition of paintings officially commissioned to depict World War 1. I found the paintings powerful, thought provoking. Some paintings showed the horrors of the trenches, whilst others showed how women took on male working roles.

Kelly

Follow the link below to see the gallery's website:

York Art Gallery: Truth and Memory exhibition

Monday, 20 June 2016

The Christmas Gift

Monday, 13 June 2016

An International Reaction to Whist's First World War Project

È così strano trovare delle donne – alcune delle quali dell’età di mia nonna – che si incontrano per parlare di cose come il genere o la condizione delle donne nella prima guerra mondiale, cose che mia nonna neppure conosce. Lei – mia nonna – non è neppure vagamente consapevole di queste cose e questo perché ha lasciato la scuola quando aveva 8 anni – o forse 10, poco importa. Comunque, cosa penso di queste donne e di questo incontro? Quello che fanno è straordinario. Questo incontro è straordinario.

P.s. Non avevo intenzione di essere maleducata nel parlare di età… Potete perdonarmi?

Photograph of working women of Venice, Italy. Taken around 1900. Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.

Finding women – some of them of the age of my grandmother – meeting to talk about things like gender or the condition of women during the First World War, things that my grandmother doesn’t even know, it's really weird. She – my grandmother – is not even vaguely aware of this stuff because she left the school when she was 8 – or maybe 10, it doesn’t matter. Anyway, my opinion about these women and this meeting? What they do is amazing. This meeting is amazing.

P.s. I didn’t intend to be rude talking about age… Can you forgive me?

Silvia

Map and flag of Italy. Picture with many thanks to Stasyan117 via Wikimedia Commons.

Monday, 16 May 2016

Research trip to London

On 15 March 2016 a group of women from Women's Health in South Tyneside set off on a research trip to London. The plan was to visit the National Archives and the Women's Library at the London School of Economics with the aim of furthering research skills and finding more out about the lives of women in the North East during the First World War. The two days that we spent in London inspired the following pieces of writing:

Working hard at The National Archives.

We search, like worker ants.

Find a thousand nuggets of information.

Now, to get it into our finished project!

Etta

The Group Visit to London was a wonderful experience where we all bonded together as women with a shared interest. Individuals thinking as one. Wednesday's visit to the National Archives was definitely a high point for me when I actually held the original documents concerning my grandfather's naturalisation dating back to 1905. I was also amazed to discover that until the First World War the majority of women didn't wear knickers. Imagine!!! The mind boggles!!!