LETTER: Local perspective on the Great War

In response to Norman Gilham’s concerns (WSCT 23 Jan 2014) that the decision to hold Horsham District Council’s Horsham Museum and Art Gallery’s World War One exhibition was a ‘cheap and political stunt’, I can assure him that at no time have museum staff been under any political pressure to hold any exhibition.

The reason why Horsham Museum and Art Gallery has held the exhibition so early in the year is simple: from 2012 onwards the television, radio and book publishers began to announce that 2014 would see an explosion of material commemorating the start of World War One.

I thought it would be appropriate at the start of 2014 to hold an exhibition which gave a local aspect to a national and international story, putting it into a local context by using memories of five individuals who recounted the War and supplementing these with powerful photographs and objects owned by local people.

The exhibition tries to mix emotion and education to inform and provide an understanding of events. It will be the first of a number of exhibitions that Horsham Museum and Art Gallery is holding over the next five years which will try to give a local perspective on the Great War.

Later this year there will be a photographic display on the fallen, and that will be followed by an exhibition on how art and culture reacted to World War One, supported by Toovey’s Fine Art and Valuers.

In 2015 we will be holding an exhibition on Trench Art and in 2016 an exhibition which updates one held 100 years before on historic weaponry that raised funds for The Red Cross.

Further exhibitions are planned to follow in 2017 and 2018.

Throughout 2014 and beyond, Horsham District Council, along with a wide range of community groups and organisations, will be holding events and exhibitions to mark World War One. At every stage the events will be commemorative both of those who died and of those who returned home to their community.

Readers may like to know that Horsham Museum and Art Gallery has not forgotten other historical anniversaries and events; during August, the peak holiday period, there will be an exhibition on dragons to mark the 400th anniversary of the first mention of the Horsham ‘dragon’, and in 2015 events to mark the end of the Napoleonic wars 200 years ago.

‘The First World War 1914-1919 Memories and Memorabilia’ is open until 29 March 2014.

JEREMY KNIGHT

Museum and heritage manager, Horsham District Council, Causeway, Horsham