Stockport's Great War Experience

As part of the 2014 Heritage Open Days, Stockport Heritage Trust and St. Mary's Parish Church put on a whole day of 'Great War Experience'.

The exhibitions, talks and guided walks gave a picture of life in Stockport between 1914 - 18.

All aspects of the Home Front were covered including John Bull, who was utilised at the time to encourage recruitment. Our own recruitment barrow was set up in the Market Hall, to encourage the young people to take part and discover the kind of roll they would have been expected to play, from women making ammunition at Heaton Norris and engines for tanks at Mirrlees, to men being sent to man submarines, build roads and railways or dig tunnels.

There were two choirs, the Tiviot Dale Methodist  Church Singers and St. Mary's Church Singers as well as the Stockport Accordion Band, all entertaining with songs popular at the time.

Exhibitions included the Conscientious Objectors, Willow Grove Cemetery, Heaton Mersey Red Cross Hospital, postcards and letters sent home and a selection of the hundreds of posters use for recruitment, propaganda and public information.

The dungeon was also open with a display of crime and punishment.

The staff in the Heritage Centre did an amazing job trying to cope with the numbers of public and the organiser, Kevin Dranfield would like to thank ALL the volunteers who worked so hard on the day to make the event a huge success