Tynemouth WW1 Commemoration Project

Free training in family history and opportunities for new volunteers.

The Tynemouth Project has been engaged for two years assembling the history of the more than 1700 men of the former Borough killed or died as result of the Great War. Now, as the centenary of the beginning of the war looms, in just 14 months, the project is moving into a new phase. A number of tasks are nearing completion whilst events planned for the centenary year – 2014 - are now entering a detailed planning stage. A number of opportunities will arise for new volunteers to join the project to carry out a range of tasks associated with the staging of an exhibition of materials brought to us by relatives over the past 28 months and the organisation of a major commemorative event in Northumberland Square on 3^rd August, 2014.

In addition, we hope that there will be a concert in September, 2014 at The Sage - Gateshead, that will mark the enormous rush to join up by men from across the North East and which made such a significant contribution to the raising of the Kitchener New Armies. This will be organised in conjunction with The Army Benevolent Fund and will feature musical entertainment with connections to the region and the war - both popular and classical. In addition there will be illustrations of the history of the formation of the many famous units recruited locally, with poetry, song, readings and an extract from a dramatic episode in the war currently being researched for a full length production by local writer Peter Mortimer.

The staging of these events will require a lot of organisation. Anyone who would like to get involved in any aspect of this programme is welcome to contact the project.

The project steering group decided recently, following a pilot survey carried out in one area of the town that it intends to proceed with its plan to place a memorial marker on as many of the houses still standing today from which a local man died in the war – subject to the agreement of the current residents. The development of this proposal will entail a significant amount of work for which volunteers will be needed to make contact with owners and residents of the properties concerned. Further details about this will be announced here shortly.

The Project’s grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund includes money to provide training in Family history research techniques and sources of information. This training is open to any member of the public who is interested in researching or finding out more about their own family and is not restricted to project volunteers. Training is delivered by Pam Walker, a qualified teacher of family history and a member of the project group. Details of this and the availability of places can be had from the Project Workroom or via e-mail from Pam.Walker@relativelyhelpful.co.uk