This exhibition aims to respectfully tell some of the stories and experiences of the Black community living and working in the Armed Forces in Wiltshire during the World Wars of the 20th Century.
Using stories of individual soldiers, videos and artworks from local craft groups discover more about Black history during the 20th century and the presence of servicemen from the Caribbean and America during WWI and WWII in Wiltshire.
We are still actively researching these stories and adding them to our collection. For this reason, this exhibition does not claim to be a comprehensive Black history of the World Wars in the local area. If you have stories that you would like to share, please do let us know. We will share them and preserve them for future generations.
As part of the historical context of this exhibition you will find some objects, media, and quotes which contain language not acceptable by today’s standards.
If you would like to give us exhibition feedback, please talk to one of the team members or email us: lestweforget@wiltshiremuseum.org.uk.
ONLINE LECTURE: Lest we Forget
A lecture by Selena Carty linked to Lest We Forget: the Black Contribution to the World Wars in Wiltshire
Selena Carty is a Cultural & Ancestral Genealogist, Global War Heritage Specialist and an Identity & Empowerment Consultant. She founded the BlackPoppyRose CIC & BlackRose of Remembrance in 2010 to remember the African, Black, West Indian, Caribbean, Pacific Islands & Indigenous Nations contributions to Wars/Revolutions/Rebellions since the sixteenth-century. Using symbols, wreaths, artefacts and more to empower and educate communities world-wide.
Thursday 1 February, 7.30pm. FREE, but please book a place online (the Zoom link will be sent on the day).
Black Servicemen of Wiltshire - We See You Now: ‘The Crafty Club’ of Tidworth
An installation in this exhibition is a thoughtful creative response to Lest We Forget: the Black Contribution to the World Wars in Wiltshire. Everyday objects, very familiar to the Black servicemen featured here, have been transformed into art via decoupage using fragments of original artwork created during the project with other source material.
It was created by ‘The Crafty Club’ a community club in Tidworth supported by the Army Welfare Service. The club provides time and space for socialising, together with an opportunity to explore new crafts.
The project was funded by AiM and led by artist Tamsin Loveday. She introduced the crafters to techniques including bookbinding, monoprint, collage and more, while supporting participants engagement with the themes in the exhibition.
Forgotten Generations Banner
A banner created by the Nepali Ladies Craft Group of Tidworth, inspired by the life of Albert Jarrett, who served in the RAF as an engineer during World War Two, and then later moved to Britain as part of the Windrush generation.
The group, who meet once a week to do a range of crafting activities and socialise, felt an affinity with his story due to their own family links with the Armed Forces, as well as experiencing racism themselves when they moved to the UK, much like Albert.
Taking inspiration from African American story quilts, the squares represent different periods of Albert’s life, from growing up in Jamaica, to serving in World War II, and his later return to Britain where he raised his family - of whom he was very proud.
Gallery
Regent Circus, Swindon (1945) (detail), by Harold Dearden
(c) Swindon Museum & Art Gallery / Swindon Borough Council.
Enlistment recruitment poster
(c) National Army Museum
Enlistment recruitment poster
(c) National Army Museum
The exhibition runs at Wiltshire Museum from Saturday 11 November 2023 to Saturday 17 February 2024
- Winter Opening Times 10 am to 4 pm (Monday 30 October to Friday 22 March 2024).
- Before making your journey, please check the Visit Us page for details of potential changes to these times, e.g. Bank Holidays.
Entry to the exhibition is included in your admission ticket - book online. Tickets cost from £7.50 (concessions available). Free for under 18s.
Digital Resources
Digital resources have been prepared to support the 'Lest We Forget' and 'Eric Walrond' exhibitions by Isaac Rawcliffe, MA Student at the University of Winchester.
To view the resources Click Here
Plus: Eric Walrond: A Caribbean Writer living in Wiltshire
An exhibition telling the story of Eric Walrond, spotlighting his time in Wiltshire, drawing attention to his writing and the political issues which he sought to tackle
At Wiltshire Museum from Saturday 11 November 2023 to Saturday 17 February 2024.
Find out more HERE.
Acknowledgments
Lest We Forget: The Black Contribution to the World Wars in Wiltshire” is made possible with the help of a number of individuals and organisations, including:
Advisors:
BlackPoppyRose
Dr Wendy Sims-Schouten
Louisa Adjoa Parker
The Army’s Multicultural Network
Wiltshire Race Equality Council
Funders:
Association of Independent Museums
National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery Players.
Racism and historical racial language
The language and tone of the exhibition content has been checked by sensitivity checkers to ensure it is respectful, and takes a balanced approach to the difficult themes of racism that are present.
If you feel you could be impacted detrimentally by reading about racism or seeing historical racial language, please consider this before entering the exhibition, so that your visit to the Museum is as enjoyable as possible.