Week-by-week blog and displays in Ceredigion

Ceredigion Archives commemorated the First World War by creating a weekly display and blog which mirrored the effects of the war in Cardiganshire on a week‑by‑week basis. Starting in August 2014 and using a wide range of sources, including public and private archives, and local newspaper reports, Archives Assistant Margaret Jones curated identical displays at Aberystwyth Library and in the Council Offices in Aberystwyth. Copies of the display were sent out to other libraries in the county, and the material was also blogged bilingually to a wider audience.

Steven John, creator of the West Wales War Memorial Project website encouraged archive staff to use information, and in turn they supplied him with new material from their research.

Contemporaneous sources make it very clear that the aftermath of the war was a very significant part of the story, so the display and blog continues on an ad hoc basis.

The service worked hard to sustain the commitment and the results provide a fascinating insight into the lived experience of the war in one area.

Read more: ww1ceredigion.wordpress.com

Left: Women of all classes found new freedoms in war work. Ena Parry of Plas Llidiardau, Llanilar and friends resting from agricultural work. n.d. but c. 1915. Image supplied by Archifdy Ceredigion Archives (ADX.710.6)