The project will recruit volunteers to investigate and catalogue the war-related collections before making them available to the public. Some of the interesting details and images uncovered will be shared through social media on the Northumberland Archives Facebook page and Museums and Archives Northumberland Flickr site, as well as through a special project blog. Additional information will also be added to the online catalogue and a number of community events will take place around the county as part of the project.

Sue Wood, Head of Collections at Northumberland Archives, is delighted that this grant will help to uncover fascinating records and information about the First World War and make it accessible to the public.

Sue said: “The generous grant from HLF presents a wonderful opportunity for Northumberland Archives to open up many more of our collections relating to the First World War to the communities of Northumberland and beyond. Our project will tell the stories of the contribution that the people and communities of Northumberland made to the war effort in the theatres of war and on the home front.”

Ivor Crowther, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund, North East, said: “The impact of the First World War was far reaching, touching and shaping every corner of the UK and beyond. As the Centenary approaches we’re pleased to support Northumberland Archives as it uncovers previously hidden material and untold stories and creates a digital legacy giving the community a unique insight into Northumberland life during the war – on both the Western and the Home Fronts.”

Notes to editors

Northumberland Archives
Northumberland Archives, the archives service for Northumberland, is based at Woodhorn in the south east of the county with an office at Berwick Upon Tweed. Its role is to preserve historic artefacts, records and Local Studies material relating to the County of Northumberland and to make these available for consultation by the public.

You can follow the project discoveries by visiting the Northumberland Archives website, Facebook page and Flickr page.

Further information

Deborah M Tate, Marketing Officer, Woodhorn on tel: 01670 624 478 or email: dtate@woodhorn.org.uk.

Anyone interested in finding out about volunteering opportunities should email: collections@woodhorn.org.uk, or telephone 01670 624 455.