The Great War Centenary 2014-2018
To commemorate 100 years since the outbreak of the Great war History’s Maid is proud to offer a variety of new characters to reflect the role of women and experiences of the home front as well as those of ‘Tommy’. We have been at the fore of commemorative events for several institutions including the Imperial War Museums, English Heritage, Somme 100, Doncaster 14-18. Kate also worked as an adviser for the BBC ‘World War One at home’ series.
The Detonator – A first world war munitions worker tells of her work at the Dick Kerr’s factory and her new found love and skill for football.
One woman’s war – A heartfelt story of a woman’s experience of WWI recruitment, home front, rationing and separation from her husband.
Peace campaigner – A woman who views the war as futile and unjust tells of the controversial and vibrant peace movement in the North West throughout the First World War.
VAD Nurse – based on WWI nurses diaries, first hand accounts and letters this emotional piece gives an overview of life during the Great war – losing a loved one, life on the home front and working as a nurse in a field hospital that is preparing for the Battle of the Somme .
The horses tale – stories from the Womens remount section – As the First World War broke out it became clear that horses were needed for war work: hunters to carry Officers, dray horses to haul waggons and guns and mules and ponies to carry heavy loads. These horses need training for their new work and the remount section undertook the task of preparing them for their new lives on the frontline.
Cordite and canaries! – meet Mo, a cheeky ‘canary’ who works in a munitions factory to do her bit on the home front….
FANY goes to war – the extraordinary story of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, a group of gallant gals who were trained to rescue the wounded on horseback and what they really did during the Great war.
Letters from the Trenches – a husband and wife separated by the First World War exchange letters.
Male scripts: When the guns stopped firing, Christmas in the trenches, WWI Tommy and ‘The Wipers times,’ a 1914 policeman in full Edwardian costume interacts with the public and talk about peace keeping, his duties and his attitudes towards society .
Family and domestic life 1914 – a cook, servant or lady of the house can give her thoughts and insights into life before the war ie social divide, pastimes, fashions, food etc and how the war will affect them ie turning houses into hospitals, footman joining up, women going into war work for better paid jobs, knitting socks and putting together comfort packs etc
Suffragette – our resident Suffragette can interact with the public, undertake interventions and protests and draw attention to herself whilst imparting her opinions and knowledge of the suffrage movement, the different ways of campaigning, the cat and mouse act and the acts of other campaigners such as Emily Davison.
Recruitment officer – a recruiting officer enlists young men (and girls) teach them rifle drill, marching and prepare them for a life of war.
Talks and lectures
Great war fashion – an illustrated talk about the changing fashion before and during the Great war
A woman’s work? – a talk detailing the changing role of women and the various roles they played throughout the war, from rolling bandages to front line nurses, from munitions girls to the womens land army.
If the subject you require isn’t here please do enquire, we are only too happy to try and help
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