FoBAH have been awarded a nearly £10000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to undertake research into the lives of children in Birmingham during the First World War. Preparatory work is now underway to publicise the project, recruit volunteers and to gather material for the official opening event which will take place during Birmingham Heritage Week on 12th September 5-6.30pm in the Wolfson Centre, Floor 4, Library of Birmingham.
This launch event, held in partnership with the Voices of War and Peace: First World War Engagement Centre, will showcase some of the resources held within Birmingham Archives including school log books, children’s home records, WWI postcards, maternity and child health records, Belgian Refugee records, photographs and newspapers. More information can be seen here:
http://birminghamheritageweek.co.uk/12-sept/children-at-war/
Big News – Interview with Liz PalmerProject co-ordinator, Liz Palmer, was recently invited to talk about the project on local TV channel Big Centre TV. The interview, with news presenter Bob Hall, (you may remember him from Central News) can be viewed now on Youtube As you can hear in the interview we will be recruiting volunteers to assist with various stages of the project – and we are hoping that FoBAH members will come forward and offer their time and skills too.
Can you help?
Prior to the launch event on 12th September we need to identify a range of archival material which will illustrate some of the themes that we hope to go on to research. These include education, health, play, work, family life and contribution to the war effort. We have a number of references to potential sources but the task of searching through volumes of school log books, Medical Officer of Health reports and photographic collections, to name but a few, would be made easier with a few more hands and pairs of eyes. If you have a couple of hours to spare on Tuesdays or Wednesdays over the next few weeks, and would like to assist, please email fobah@outlook.com and let us know when you are available.
Following the launch there will be many more opportunities to volunteer and we’ll be letting you know via this newsletter. But you can also follow progress via social media as follows:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BhamChildrenofWar
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BmChildrenOfWar
And Blog/website: https://birminghamchildrenofwarblog.wordpress.com/