Women from the Post Office mending parcels. Courtesy of Imperial War Museum.
Exhibition Notice – Last Post: Remembering the First World War is running at the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms until February 28 2009.
It’s easy to forget how important the Post Office was during WWI. Whether it was a Dear John letter or a parcel or something more sombre, the Post Office continued to deliver during times of strife, often to the delight of people on the receiving end.
So it only seems right to have an exhibition celebrating their vital role and the tens of thousands of women who filled the 75,000 spaces left by the men who went to war.
These women who filled the Post Office job gaps became indispensable, sorting 12 million letters and one million parcels a week to be delivered to the front line trenches and around the world.
The Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms hosts this remarkable exhibition and seeks to demonstrate how letters were delivered to the front, how the Post Office dealt with dramatic increases in volumes of mail and the vital part that censorship played in the war effort.
Crime and Punishment tours and Town Hall Clock Tower tours are available by pre-booking only. For more information and booking please contact the box office on 0113 224 3801 or visit www.leeds.gov.uk.
Men sorting through sacks, Malta and Base X. Courtesy of Imperial War Museum.
“This revealing new exhibition shows how the Post Office coped with the huge increased volumes of mail and looks at the social impact of women joining the Post Office,” explained Phil Reed, Director of the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms.
“Also, for the first time visitors will be able to view a private letter written by Winston Churchill to his wife to be opened only in the event of his death.”
The personal facsimile of Winston Churchill’s letter to wife Clementine was sent from the Western Front where Churchill fought from November 1915 - May 1916 and visitors can see the tender letter on show.
The exhibition attempts to explore the story of soldiers and spies, machinery and medals, commitment and education and addresses how the Post Office responded to the war in ensuring soldiers and sailors, and even prisoners of war, received their mail.
An array of intriguing artefacts, posters and images from both the Imperial War Museum and The British Postal Museum & Archive’s collections will also provide an insightful look at the era.
A soldier writing from the front. Courtesy of Imperial War Museum.
A special highlight includes a rare opportunity to see the Victoria Cross awarded to Sergeant Alfred J. Knight, a member of the Post Office Rifles, whose brave and selfless acts included single-handedly taking on 12 German soldiers, killing three and leaving the rest to flee.
And recordings of personal stories from the period, including an account of a 13-year-old telegraph girl, will also allow visitors a glimpse into the era and the types of duties common to the role.
Tony Conder, Chief Executive at the BPMA commented: “The role of the Post Office in the First World War is an exciting story of bravery, spies and resilience against all odds told through this fascinating exhibition.”
Admission to the exhibition is £12 adults, £9.50/£7.50 concessions and free for children under 15.
