Member Article

‘Threads of War: The Story of First World War Khaki’ project at Sunny Bank Mills receives National Lottery Funding

Sunny Bank Mills Ltd in Farsley, near Leeds, is delighted to have been awarded £10,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for its project ‘Threads of War: The Story of First World War Khaki’, which has been made possible by National Lottery players through HLF’s First World War ‘Then and Now’ programme.

The focus of this project is on the ordinary and the extraordinary life of cloth and the individuals who made and were affected by khaki production in a textile mill.

The project is inspired by the Guard books in the collection: these are the reference books which detail the cloth produced at Sunny Bank Mills from 1829 till 2008 by year and season, with order references. The books contain the narrative of cloth production by this prestigious worsted manufacturer, who produced the finest worsted cloth of its day.

To mark the Centenary of the First World War, this project will enable local people to learn more about the importance of Farsley and its community in the Great War.

The aims are to develop opportunities for sharing and highlighting findings from these unique books; and researching and gathering evidence of what life was like for the local population. An exhibition will showcase the findings, including pop-up performances communicating workers’, Mill and community lives.

There will also be a programme of local school workshops using artefacts to explore the role of children in Farsley during the War, and to discover what life was like. Many of the events will be open to those involved in research, the local and wider community, media and general public, providing a unique opportunity to delve into the ordinary and the extraordinary life of cloth and the individuals who made and were affected by khaki production at the Mill.

To communicate the progress of the project, the Sunny Bank Mills website will document activities, host pictures and videos and share findings; this will create a legacy that can be accessed across the globe. The exhibition will become part of a lasting display in the Archive with potential for future tours to local schools and libraries.

Pop-up performances will infuse life into the characters and individuals who we have learned about during our research, bringing a three-dimensional dynamic to the exhibition. The performances will be created with the input from volunteers creating opportunities to share findings and create new local characters.

Irene Lofthouse, writer, storyteller, actor, heritage interpreter and creative catalyst working with museums, schools, community groups and heritage sites across Yorkshire, will be involved to uncover hidden histories and secret stories of life in the Mill and village, ensuring that these will be accessible to the community.

Using these in the school workshops enables today’s children to relate to the reality of life as a child during the First World War. Children’s experiences of games played by those in WW1, as well as other activities – such as fund raising and entertaining the injured troops from the local hospital – will raise awareness and understanding.

Threads of War will establish links between local, regional heritage, history and education, and will enable local schools to explore their local heritage, linking the past and future in the present.

Commenting on the award, Rachel Moaby, Archive Curator said: “We are thrilled to have received the support of the National Lottery. We have a unique collection of Guard books in the Archive which shed light on life in Farsley in WW1. We are so pleased that we are now able to share this with our community, delve deeper into it and introduce a wider audience to our heritage.”

David Renwick, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “The impact of the First World War was far reaching, touching and shaping every corner of the UK and beyond. Thanks to National Lottery players, HLF has already invested more than £90million to more than 1,700 projects – large and small - that are marking this global Centenary; with our small grants programme, we are enabling even more communities like those involved in the Threads of War project to explore the continuing legacy of this conflict and help local young people in particular.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Robert Beaumont .