WHAT a Gaunless Valley history group planned as a small exhibition to mark VE Day is turning out to be “quite a big thing” .
Evenwood and District History Society has been overwhelmed by some of the items, such as gas masks and tin hats, that have been coming in since the group announced it will be putting on Victory in Europe display in May.
Brian Carter, of the group, said: “We are looking at two sections in the exhibition. One is the war as such and the other is life in Evenwood, Ramshaw and Evenwood Gate during the war.”
The war section will feature the extensive research that villager Kevin Richardson has done on each of the names that appear on the village’s war memorial.
What life was like in Evenwood is told through newspaper clippings, photographs and interesting objects, such as a trophies for a Chrysanthemum Show in 1945, one of which was awarded by the Bishop Auckland MP and Chancellor of the Exchequer of the time, Hugh Dalton.
Evenwood and District History Society member Jackie Dodds said: “We thought it really funny that they were growing chrysanthemums during the war.”
Among the photographs is one of children from Ramshaw Primary School sitting on an air-raid shelter and another shows Doris Lowson tending to a pig in her Alexander Terrace garden.
Mrs Dodds said: “She kept a pig which she used to feed her family and make a few bob from selling pieces of pork to other people – a way of life at the time.”
The group has been surprised by people’s reaction to an appeal for old letters, postcards, telegrams, photographs or anything else that tells more of what life was like during the war years.
Mrs Dodds said: “We were only going to do a small event with what we already had, but it is turning out to be something quite bigger.”
People’s interest in Evenwood’s past has been piqued by a noticeboard the group has put on the front of the parish hall, which has a new theme every six weeks. Recent displays have included photographs of the village at Christmas and in winter.
The current theme is Valentine’s Day and features old photographs of couples on their wedding day.
Mrs Dodds said: “It is amazing how many people comment on it – it is brilliant. We just enjoy what we do and it is wonderful that we have had a really good response from the village.”
People who have items that could feature in the exhibition can visit the group when it meets at Randolph Community Centre every Monday at 11am, or they can leave a message on the “I came from Evenwood and Ramshaw” Facebook page.
The exhibition will take place at Evenwood Parish Hall from 11am to 3pm on Friday, May 8, and Saturday, May 9, and from 1pm to 3pm on Sunday, May 10.
