The above group photo is of the staff - The Western Front Association

museum, finishing at the new City
Soldiers gallery, where she spent a little
more time. As the Colonel-in-Chief of the
Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, into which
the King’s have amalgamated, she had a
particular interest in the gallery.
The new gallery covers the history of
the regiment from the raising of the 8th
Regiment of Foot by James II, through to
recent campaigns fought by the Duke of
Lancaster’s. As well as traditional
displays, visitors can try on versions of
some of our hats and helmets, they can
find out how to identify medals, listen to
extracts from soldiers diaries and search
for their relative on our First World War
database.
At the end of March the first event was
held in the new venue. Hopefully it will be
the first of many successful days. Visitors
could speak to our experts about
researching their First World War
ancestor. They could take in a talk, with
subjects ranging from Noel Chavasse VC
to Bantam soldiers who were ‘shot at
dawn’. There were also local
organisations represented, including the
Western Front Association and the local
Record Office and visitors had a chance
to meet our own Tommy Atkins. Children
could take part in craft sessions and all of
our visitors could enjoy a choir who
roamed the building singing songs from
the musical drama Bullets and Daffodils.
The Family History event, like all of our
events, was free to enter. We do not yet
have official numbers, but we estimate
that 4/500 people came along and
enjoyed the day. We have not yet agreed
a full programme for the coming months,
but there will be talks in June and July.
Please have a look at our website for
coming events -
www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk
14
Editor’s Note: I briefly visited the new
gallery in March and was particularly
impressed by the use of touch-screen
technology to give information, especially
on medals.
Liverpool Scottish Regimental Museum
Trust, November 2011 to April 2012: Ian
Riley
Our archive is now firmly reestablished
in two offices off Dale Street
in Liverpool, by courtesy of the very oldestablished
Artists Club where we hope
we are not causing too much
inconvenience to our hosts despite a little
gentle pre-paint wall-washing which
prompted the arrival of three fire
appliances in one of Liverpool’s
narrowest streets. The tiniest drop of
water had penetrated a fire alarm breakglass
box. There was a Monty
Pythonesque moment when a fully kitted
fireman entered an office, the gun-deaf
occupants being until then oblivious to
the shrieking alarm and intent only on
cataloguing. Full marks to the Merseyside
Fire and Rescue Service for a very
impressive response and our apologies
to all three clubs to which the alarm
relayed.
Cataloguing of the archive has
recommenced as has photography of
items. I have a chest condition possibly