Ruth Sim Brummell and Pam Grimes, using the Historical Society’s resources as well as lent items, were very grateful to be allowed to set up World War I displays in the Landmark Harcourts window in north Grey Street and windows next to Home Living now belonging to the Deepwater Bakery.

Here people can ponder on the many facets of the war – depictions of battlefields, the slow  communications, the work on the home front, the action, the patriotism, the cartoons and attempts at levity or lighter moments. The role of local servicemen, e.g. Colonel Percy Phipps Abbott and some of his memorabilia are on display, as is the work of the women of  Red Cross, the  excitement and relief as the peace celebrations  march down Grey Street, the stirring posters designed to ignite patriotic fervour as they tugged at the heart strings, the shrewd cartoons in publications and a poignant  collection of World War I postcards.

Some of the pictures are sentimental, some  funny, but the letters on the reverse tell stories of men not wanting to worry their families, wanting to enquire after family members, often mentioning fellow servicemen by name.

Our deep appreciation to Jim Ritchie and the Deepwater Bakery; Gordon Taylor, Barry Newberry, the Abbott family, the Donnelly Family, the Mills family (Guyra) and all those who over the years have honoured us with custodianship of their precious family heirlooms.

The museum Services Memorial Room portrays several conflicts and our extensive archives include books, maps, family histories and attestation papers and much more.

We can assist families to learn more about their servicemen and women and we can guide in the search for official online information.

We hope families over the holidays will sort through, and  identify and name photographs, discuss family items, find out how to best store their possessions for longevity and decide what will eventually happen to them.

The museum hasn’t room for numerous identical items, but photographs and documents are unique and very valuable and we can scan and store them or we are happy to just borrow, scan and return.