Chatting Behind the Lines - Curator's tales and musings

  O n the 28th February 1900, General Roberts finally relieved Ladysmith. For four months the inhabitants had suffered severe  hardship but the British garrison had held out despite many Boer attacks.  Serious shortages of food and an increase in sickness rates made the situation extremely difficult. In desperation, horse meat became the order of the day. After much fighting in the surrounding hills, The Border Regiment, as part of General Hart's Brigade, were part of the relieving force. Within our collections we have a pink sash emblazoned with the words 'RELIEF OF LADYSMITH' followed by the February date, the surnames of the two Generals (White was besieged with his Natal Field Force in Ladysmith and Buller after trying several attempts to relieve the garrison, finally broke through), and 'Border Regiment.'   The Relief was celebrated all over the British Empire and back in England, flags were hung from public buildings, bonfires lit and some children were gi...

 Another week of lockdown fun. Working from my dining room table whilst trying to prevent my cat from joining my online meetings with the excitement of a supermarket visit to purchase my weekly shopping. I could use these same sentences to describe my life since New Year. Yes, just plodding along. However, a little bit of excitement this week with a social media post that awakened the nostalgic part of my brain. The Big Wood files have been found. Now you may think 'what is she talking about?' or 'who is this Uncle Bill character?' but those of you from a military family may remember listening to these stories broadcast on BFBS radio. I certainly did. It has been over 75 years since the first broadcast during the Second World War of the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) to soldiers serving in Algiers. It developed  and evolved to provide a radio service to the armed forces, their families and veterans keeping them in touch with home, including the BBC's Gen...

  It's Valentine's Day. Unlikely that any of us has been out for a meal or a romantic weekend away this year.  Scanning the collections to support today's blog post, I decided to incorporate a photograph of the wonderful First World War sweetheart pin cushion. The intricate work undertaken by recuperating soldiers.  But last week, I was sorting out some boxes in the Museum and came across some letters written in June 1916.  We hold many letters in the collections. Some are donated as part of a larger collection of objects. I carefully opened one archive box and came across a collection of letters written during the First World War. I gently took the letters out of the box to have a closer look. Written by a soldier to his Workington wife, they are chatty and warm and start with an affectionate greeting which highlights their relationship. 'Dearest Sweetheart' starts much of the correspondance but the last part of one of the letters shows the tenderness between the c...

Throughout the lockdown we still have a responsibility to check on the Museum, to make sure there are no problems and inspect the collections. Today I headed down to Alma, watching folk on their daily walk (despite the cold weather) and gazing in amazement at the queue to go shopping in the neighbouring Sainsbury's as I journey to the Castle. First call, kettle on for a warming coffee. The lack of noise, chatter, the hustle and bustle of visitors, volunteers and staff is absent but as I walk round the main gallery there is no shortage of people. I like to check the building without putting on the main lights so the only illumination is the emergency lighting. No sounds from Helen Skelton on our audio tracks, no soundtrack of explosions and machine guns in the trench area. It's eerily quiet except the sound of my voice as I talk whilst wandering round. Half-lit display cases highlight the people who form part of the history of the Regiment. Objects with their own stories to tell...