Natasha Silk and Flo Pollock – Graduate Researchers at The Keep

From the 14-25 of July 2014, we were exploring the First World War material held in The Keep archive.

The principle focus of the project was to identify material that demonstrated the impact of the global war on the local communities in Brighton and Sussex. There is a wealth of relevant material including photographs, diaries, letters and posters. There are also many other sources in the archive which can provide insights into other aspects of the war. Examples of what we found included numerous photographs of Indian soldiers, jingoistic propaganda posters and personal diaries written on the frontline.

Natasha – I have been interested in the First World War since I was at school, studying both the basic facts about the war and the literature which came from the war period. Following on from this I specialised in the First World War at degree level with a particular focus on the bereavement and mourning of frontline soldiers. As it is the centenary of war I am now particularly interested in making the war more accessible to wider the community. Through projects such as this the more interesting and significant aspects of the war can be made more widely available in the form of primary source material. This is perhaps even more significant a hundred years on so the lessons to be learnt from the First World War and men who gave their lives in the war are not forgotten.

Flo – One reason I find the First World War so interesting is because there is such a wealth of accessible primary material on it.  Therefore through looking at the poems of Wilfred Owen, reading diaries from soldiers at the front line or looking at photos of soldiers you can really grasp how this conflict effected people’s lives. I feel it is really possible to gain an accurate insight into the effects of this event, that in itself is captivating. Furthermore as a student of history I find the First World War fascinating as I would argue that this event marked a watershed moment in European history. In the horrors of the trenches the past was blown away and the modern world began.