ARMISTICE CENTENARY COMMEMORATIONS

November 2018 sees the centenary of Armistice Day which saw the end of fighting in the First World War. To mark this occasion Kirklees’ largest war memorial, the Tolson Memorial Museum, is holding a number of special events to which members of the public are invited.
The mansion in Ravensknowle Park, Wakefield Road, Huddersfield, was the home of Legh Tolson when his two young nephews, Robert and James, were killed in the First World War. He gave the house to the people of Huddersfield in 1919 to become a museum in their memory.
The museum marked the 2014 centenary of the start of the First World War with a new permanent gallery ‘Huddersfield’s Great War Stories’ which includes a specially commissioned film, ‘Loss and Legacy: The Tolson Story’, that tells the poignant story of the Tolson brothers. At the same time, a Heritage Memorial Garden was created by the Friends of Tolson and Ravensknowle with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. It honours all the Huddersfield service men and women who have died in the service of their country and is a place of remembrance at any time of year.
In addition to these permanent commemorations to those who have sacrificed their lives, Tolson Memorial Museum is marking the Armistice Day centenary with the following events:
Lost Legacy – Muslim Roots in the British Army, Saturday 13 October 2018 – Sunday 3 March 2019: an exhibition by young people from the Huddersfield Pakistani Community Alliance showing their relatives’ significant contribution to WWI and WW2, with family histories, positive stories and incredible Muslim role models. It has been produced by HCPA with The British Army and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Free, accessible by stairs only.
Rise up in Remembrance, Saturday 20 October 1pm-3pm: on the 100th anniversary of the death in battle of James Tolson, aged just 20, the Friends of Tolson and Ravensknowle will be unveiling a 6ft ‘Tommy’ silhouette in memory of all those from his home town of Huddersfield who died during WWI. It is one of many Tommies rising up in communities across the country in remembrance of those lost in conflict and is part of this year’s national ‘There But Not There’ fundraising campaign for armed forces mental health charities. There will be poppy making for children and poetry readings throughout the afternoon. Free
Film screening of ‘The Battle of the Ancre’, Friday 9 November 7pm: in partnership with the Imperial War Museum, Tolson Museum presents the powerful film, The Battle of the Ancre and the Advance of The Tanks (1917) which is a masterpiece of British non-fiction cinema. It shows the final stages of the Somme campaign on the Western Front and features the first ever scenes of tanks in battle and the difficulties experienced by the British Army fighting on ground beset with mud. Digitally restored, the film is accompanied by Laura Rossi’s specially commissioned musical score. £3 per person. Booking is essential, please ring 01484 223240 or book on Eventbrite: https://tinyurl.com/ycb5mjrr
Remembrance Service in the Heritage Memorial Garden, Sunday 11 November 10.45am: a special service to commemorate Armistice Day will be held in the beautiful and contemplative garden in Ravensknowle Park, next to the museum. Organised by the Friends of Tolson and Ravensknowle. Free
In addition, Kirklees Museums and Galleries staff and volunteers will be taking WWI artefacts and their stories into local communities. The public will be able to handle objects from the museum collections at the following events:
Newsome 1918 event at Newsome Scout Hut on Saturday 13 October from 12 noon till 5pm
Re-dedication of 5th Duke of Wellington’s Regiment War Memorial at the Drill Hall, St Paul’s Street, Huddersfield on Sunday 4 November from 2pm to 4pm.
Cllr Graham Turner: Cabinet Member for Corporate Strategy, Cultural policy and Asset Strategy said:
‘We are honoured, together with the Friends of Tolson and Ravensknowle, to be hosting the commemorations for the armistice of the First World War at Tolson Museum, which was given in memory of the Tolson brothers, and has been a war memorial for the town of Huddersfield for almost 100 years. We are pleased to be working with partners Huddersfield Pakistani Community Alliance, as well as the Imperial War Museum to deliver our diverse programme which will also include a chance to hear stories and handle artefact relating to WWI in a range of community venues. We hope that all members of our community will join with us to commemorate the armistice and pay tribute to those lost in this terrible conflict from Huddersfield and South Kirklees. It’s beholden on us all to remember all those from whatever back ground they came from, who made the ultimate sacrifice, so that we could enjoy the democratic freedoms we all hold so dear’.
For further information contact Tolson Museum tel: 01484 223240.