CRHnews - Constantine Remembers Great War Contribution

Описание: This video is not an official Constantine Museum production but hopefully encourages YT viewers to go see for themselves its artefacts and local history memorabilia. Our grateful thanks to the Museum for allowing us to film at their magnificent heritage centre in the summer of 2016.

CONSTANTINE MUSEUM volunteers have been busy for several months researching the parish of Constantine’s involvement in World War I in preparation for a commemorative event next month, reported the Falmouth Packet.

The work has built on the significant contribution, undertaken a few years ago, by residents Ronnie Rashleigh and Sally Coot, to find out about the 26 who served in the Great War but did not return.

The number included four who lost their lives in the Somme and two who had emigrated and served with the ANZACs in Gallipoli.

The first Constantine resident to lose his life as a result of the war was William Bishop, a stone mason, who was returning from the USA on the SS Lusitania, when she was torpedoed off the Irish coast on May 7, 1915.

Recent research has focused on the 134 who are known to have served and returned. A number of descendants have come forward with information, photographs and objects.

Not only have volunteers been able to find out about experiences on the Western Front but diaries have surfaced detailing life in the Royal Marines both aboard ship and at Scapa Flow, while another from a member of the Royal Garrison Artillery records life in Egypt and Palestine.

The volunteers have been impressed by the funds raised by Constantine Church, the four chapels and the local war committee for the Red Cross, serving members of the parish and Belgian refugees.

The women of the parish were active under the leadership of Mrs Hext of Trebah and produced clothing for servicemen and their families.

They were also keen to increase food production and organised cheese making courses and encouraged potato growing and the keeping of chickens.

In advance of the establishment of the Women’s Land Army in 1917, they organised talks with local farmers to gauge their acceptance of women working on the land, one farmer thought it would be better to employ 12 to 14-year-old boys.

At least one woman from the parish joined the WLA in 1918 and won prizes for milking at the November Truro Dairy Show.

The outcomes of the museum’s research will be showcased in Constantine Remembers – a Commemoration of a Parish's Contribution to World War I, on display at the Tolmen Centre from 10.30 to 5pm on August 6 and 7.

Contributions to the exhibition will also be made by the Helford River Scouts, Constantine School, Constantine Cottage Garden Society and the Women’s Institute.

The event will begin with a short service at the War Memorial in the churchyard led by Rev Terry Axe, followed by Constantine Silver Band who will be leading the way to the Tolmen Centre in Fore Street.

During the afternoon there will be storytelling and singing from the Trengilly Singers and Katie Kirk, a singer from West Cornwall.

A member of the Great War Society will be camped on the lawn and will provide demonstrations.

On Sunday music will be provided by Constantine Ukulele Band and Jo Mattingley will be giving talks on 100 Faces 100 Stories, the result of Cornwall-wide research undertaken in 2014.

Don Garman, Constantine Museum’s collection coordinator, said: “The museum team looks forward to welcoming descendants to the event and they will be very welcome to attend the service at the War Memorial. We would like to thank the Cornwall Community Fund for their support.”

http://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/...