The title of this first world war exhibition is taken from a quote by the author and Manx cultural activist, Sophia Morrison, who wrote on 25 March 1915: “At this present time Manx hearts are especially drawn together in the thought of the gallantry of all the fine Manxmen who are fighting for us by land & sea. May all of [them] come safely through this terrible ordeal, & may Peace soon bless us.”
A lot of research, a considerable amount of it primary, has obviously gone into the creation of this exhibition, which takes a thematic, rather than chronological, approach.
Visitors learn of the significant parts played by the Manx people in military and home-front spheres, including the role a fishing boat crew had in rescuing survivors from the Lusitania, the British ocean liner sunk by a German U-boat in 1915.
The exhibition took two years to develop and the time invested has yielded engaging results. The curator, Matthew Richardson, began his research by putting out appeals in local newspapers for information, photographs and objects that would help tell the story of the Manx role in the war.
A clear and succinct synopsis explains the trigger for the first world war. Its geographical reach is illustrated with a simple map, making it accessible to younger audiences or those with little understanding of the period.
The exhibition takes a personal view of this conflict, emphasising how everyone in society was touched by it. Stories from men, women and children from all walks of life, are very much in the voices of the individuals.
Although there are no contemporary audio recordings, interviews with those involved have been read by Manx people, giving life to the testimonies.
Display sections are given over either to an individual’s story or a specific theme. Each section combines text, a variety of illustrations, objects and either audio or film footage. Herbert Mills of Onchan is one such example.
In 1917, he was a driver in the tank corps at Cambrai in northern France, where he had a narrow escape when his tank was hit by a shell. A serendipitous outcome from the museum’s research was the ability to tell Mills’s descendants of their relative’s wartime experiences.
Life was challenging on the home front as well. Even those who know little about the experience of world war on the island may be aware of the existence of the internment camps, Knockaloe being one of them.
A former farm, this camp became so big it had its own railway branch line and at one point housed about 25,000 people, including Germans, Austrians and Turks. Most of those interned were sent back to their country of origin after the war, sadly resulting in some families being permanently separated.
Manx general strike
Some of the original structure from one of the huts has been used in the exhibition as an example of camp accommodation, which visitors can enter.
The exhibition is full of interesting objects – about 50% from museum collections and 50% loans. Many items are familiar but together with their stories they take on new meanings.
An example is the horseshoe worn by Molly, a horse that was requisitioned for service overseas but was fortunate enough not only to survive but also to be returned following the armistice.
One of the rarest groups of objects on display are the overalls worn by munitions workers. Manx women from all walks of life aided the British war effort, many taking up jobs in the armaments industry. One of the other original objects that represents the reserved occupations is a plough that had been used by the women mentioned in the exhibition.
As well as the familiar tales of life at war and on the home front, the exhibition also tells the story of the constitutional crisis on the Isle of Man that led to the 1918 general strike.
The strike took place on Tynwald Day and brought the island to a halt, altering the balance of power between the island’s inhabitants and its government. The inclusion of this story reflects the comprehensive coverage of the period in the exhibition.
Visitor engagement
A connecting area features a learning resource for all ages called the Exploratorium. It is a good-sized room that is a cross between a huge handling box and a learning centre. Visitors can engage with objects and watch clips from films such as Aces High and Oh! What a Lovely War.
Though these fictional interpretations may not appeal to everyone, I did see a number of people watching them for quite some time.
A small museum team worked together on the development and production of this exhibition, and they have done a great job keeping costs down while producing a high-quality display.
As this exhibition is four times the usual size of the temporary displays it has been housed in the art gallery, where the mobile wall arrangement is utilised to great effect.
Banners are used instead of exhibition panels and text and images were designed in-house so the cost of production was kept low. The in-house display cases are high quality and will last for years.
Not all the results of the research carried out by museum staff could fit into the exhibition, so this information has been put online. The accompanying book, which is excellent, provides an opportunity for the memoirs of those involved to be expanded on.
This exhibition is a superb example of a team working successfully to overcome fiscal, design and logistical challenges. It deserves to attract lots of visitors from those connected with the Isle of Man and beyond.
Elaine Edwards is a senior curator at National Museums Scotland
A lot of research, a considerable amount of it primary, has obviously gone into the creation of this exhibition, which takes a thematic, rather than chronological, approach.
Visitors learn of the significant parts played by the Manx people in military and home-front spheres, including the role a fishing boat crew had in rescuing survivors from the Lusitania, the British ocean liner sunk by a German U-boat in 1915.
The exhibition took two years to develop and the time invested has yielded engaging results. The curator, Matthew Richardson, began his research by putting out appeals in local newspapers for information, photographs and objects that would help tell the story of the Manx role in the war.
A clear and succinct synopsis explains the trigger for the first world war. Its geographical reach is illustrated with a simple map, making it accessible to younger audiences or those with little understanding of the period.
The exhibition takes a personal view of this conflict, emphasising how everyone in society was touched by it. Stories from men, women and children from all walks of life, are very much in the voices of the individuals.
Although there are no contemporary audio recordings, interviews with those involved have been read by Manx people, giving life to the testimonies.
Display sections are given over either to an individual’s story or a specific theme. Each section combines text, a variety of illustrations, objects and either audio or film footage. Herbert Mills of Onchan is one such example.
In 1917, he was a driver in the tank corps at Cambrai in northern France, where he had a narrow escape when his tank was hit by a shell. A serendipitous outcome from the museum’s research was the ability to tell Mills’s descendants of their relative’s wartime experiences.
Life was challenging on the home front as well. Even those who know little about the experience of world war on the island may be aware of the existence of the internment camps, Knockaloe being one of them.
A former farm, this camp became so big it had its own railway branch line and at one point housed about 25,000 people, including Germans, Austrians and Turks. Most of those interned were sent back to their country of origin after the war, sadly resulting in some families being permanently separated.
Manx general strike
Some of the original structure from one of the huts has been used in the exhibition as an example of camp accommodation, which visitors can enter.
The exhibition is full of interesting objects – about 50% from museum collections and 50% loans. Many items are familiar but together with their stories they take on new meanings.
An example is the horseshoe worn by Molly, a horse that was requisitioned for service overseas but was fortunate enough not only to survive but also to be returned following the armistice.
One of the rarest groups of objects on display are the overalls worn by munitions workers. Manx women from all walks of life aided the British war effort, many taking up jobs in the armaments industry. One of the other original objects that represents the reserved occupations is a plough that had been used by the women mentioned in the exhibition.
As well as the familiar tales of life at war and on the home front, the exhibition also tells the story of the constitutional crisis on the Isle of Man that led to the 1918 general strike.
The strike took place on Tynwald Day and brought the island to a halt, altering the balance of power between the island’s inhabitants and its government. The inclusion of this story reflects the comprehensive coverage of the period in the exhibition.
Visitor engagement
A connecting area features a learning resource for all ages called the Exploratorium. It is a good-sized room that is a cross between a huge handling box and a learning centre. Visitors can engage with objects and watch clips from films such as Aces High and Oh! What a Lovely War.
Though these fictional interpretations may not appeal to everyone, I did see a number of people watching them for quite some time.
A small museum team worked together on the development and production of this exhibition, and they have done a great job keeping costs down while producing a high-quality display.
As this exhibition is four times the usual size of the temporary displays it has been housed in the art gallery, where the mobile wall arrangement is utilised to great effect.
Banners are used instead of exhibition panels and text and images were designed in-house so the cost of production was kept low. The in-house display cases are high quality and will last for years.
Not all the results of the research carried out by museum staff could fit into the exhibition, so this information has been put online. The accompanying book, which is excellent, provides an opportunity for the memoirs of those involved to be expanded on.
This exhibition is a superb example of a team working successfully to overcome fiscal, design and logistical challenges. It deserves to attract lots of visitors from those connected with the Isle of Man and beyond.
Elaine Edwards is a senior curator at National Museums Scotland
Project data
- Cost £48,000 (including exhibition, Exploratorium and new display cases)
- Main funder Manx National Heritage
- Curator Matthew Richardson
- Exhibition design in-house
- Display cases in-house
- Installation in-house
- Exhibition ends 15 April 2015
