Four years ago Red House Museum, Gomersal, Yorkshire created a hugely popular special Exhibition 'All Clear on the Home Front', which toured museums around the area before returning to Red House to mark the 60th Anniversary year of the end of the Second World War.
鈥楢ll Clear on the Home Front' brought to life memories of wartime Kirklees with personal artefacts, images, memories and even the sounds of the Home Front. Displays covered air raids, the 鈥榖lackout鈥, rationing, 鈥楳ake-do-and-Mend鈥, work and leisure, the Home Guard and personal relationships. The Exhibition has now been digitally archived and can be accessed via the Red House website (details below).
The exhibition is based on oral history interviews carried out all around Kirklees, West Yorkshire around the mid-1980s. Museum Officer Helga Hughes, who curated the exhibition said 鈥淭he Second World War is still vividly remembered by those who lived through the danger and hardships of the time. Around 20 years ago people all around Kirklees were interviewed about their wartime experiences. Their memories helped create this exhibition - some are amusing, some angry, some happy, some sad. They capture the real and personal stories of life at the time.鈥
Red House is the delightful former home of woollen cloth merchants the Taylor family and has fascinating Bronte connections. Charlotte Bronte visited her friend Mary Taylor here and featured Red House in her novel Shirley. Atmospheric period rooms and enchanting recreated 1830s gardens at this award winning site ensures it receives visitors from all around the world.
The 'All Clear on the Home Front' Exhibition archive can be accessed at www.redhousemuseum.co.uk
This will take you to the Kirklees Council homepage for Red House - please scroll to the bottom of the page to find the options menu and select 'All Clear on the Home Front'(from Feb 2006)
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