First World War memorials, commemoration and community in North East England, 1918-1939
This thesis examines how local variations in economic, political, social, cultural and religious circumstances influenced First World War remembrance in the North East between the wars. It is divided into two parts. The first is concerned with the creation of every kind of memorial, from large county schemes to the smaller projects of villages and institutions. It investigates the people involved, the decisions they took, what they produced and the wider communityâs response to their efforts. The second part considers commemoration - that is, the rituals and ceremonies which grew up around memorials, their public messages and private meanings, and how they began and evolved over time. It also considers the responses and attitudes of the veterans and the bereaved to public commemoration. The thesis finds that although there was a great deal of similarity in the way in which communities remembered, there were also differences. The differences can be located in the ways in which communities drew on their culture and traditions to âpersonaliseâ remembrance and made it more meaningful, thus enabling them to return their loved ones âhomeâ. However, from the little evidence available it is apparent that
Coss, Denise
First World War memorials, commemoration and community in North East England, 1918-1939. This thesis examines how local variations in economic, political, social, cultural and religious circumstances influenced First World War remembrance in the North East between the wars. It is divided into two parts. The first is concerned with the creation of every kind of memorial, from large county schemes to the smaller projects of villages and institutions. It investigates the people involved, the decisions they took, what they produced and the wider communityâs response to their efforts. The second part considers commemoration - that is, the rituals and ceremonies which grew up around memorials, their public messages and private meanings, and how they began and evolved over time. It also considers the responses and attitudes of the veterans and the bereaved to public commemoration. The thesis finds that although there was a great deal of similarity in the way in which communities remembered, there were also differences. The differences can be located in the ways in which communities drew on their culture and traditions to âpersonaliseâ remembrance and made it more meaningful, thus enabling them to return their loved ones âhomeâ. However, from the little evidence available it is apparent that
first_world_war memorial commemoration community north_east_england examines local_variation economic_political social_cultural religious_circumstance influence first_world_war remembrance north_east war divide_two_part first_concern creation every kind memorial large county scheme small project villages institution investigates people involve decision_take produce wide community response effort second_part considers commemoration ritual ceremony grow around memorial public message private meaning begin time also_consider response attitude veteran public commemoration find although_great deal similarity way community remember also difference difference locate way community draw culture tradition remembrance make meaningful thus enable return love home however_little evidence_available apparent