Diverse Narratives - Cheshire in World War One

The Diverse Narratives project, hosted by the Department of History & Archaeology at the University of Chester, explored the lives of "other" groups in Cheshire during the First World War. The stories of Belgian refugees, German POWs, Jewish soldiers or Australian munitions workers amongst others had been largely written out of local histories of the conflict. The aim of this project was to research these "forgotten" histories and to reconnect the public with them. Although based at the University, the project worked in close collaboration with external partners, including local history groups, Handforth Parish Council and St Werbugh's Catholic Church in Chester. Funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund helped the project to disseminate research findings in a touring exhibition, which was displayed in Cheshire shopping centres. The project also worked with local schools to discuss the diversity of war experiences in their own region.