The 90th anniversary of the Armistice sees the launch of the final element of a remarkable online archive that provides open access to an unrivalled database of primary source material as part of the JISC Digitisation Programme. The University of Oxford’s First World War Poetry Digital Archive now comprises over 7,000 digital images relating to the poets of the Great War. The collection brings together highly valued material currently dispersed across the UK and the USA.
Building on the success of the University’s existing Wilfred Owen archive (referenced by teachers and researchers worldwide), this multimedia collection contains images, text, audio and video relating to other major British ‘front line’ poets.
Highlights include manuscript material from:
- Wilfred Owen: all of his poems; military records; selections of letters, including his last letter home – from ‘The Smokey Cellar’; his personal edition of the ‘The Hydra’, the journal from the Craiglockart military hospital;
- Edward Thomas: drafts of all his war poems and war diary, and a selection of letters and prose articles;
- Robert Graves: drafts of his poems from ‘Over the Brazier’ and ‘Fairies and Fusiliers’; an extract from his wartime memoir, ‘Goodbye to All That’; and letters (one of which was written after he was listed killed in action – “I hope you haven’t been taking the casualty lists seriously again!”);
- Isaac Rosenberg: drafts of his poems (including ‘Daughters of War’ written in pencil on torn and muddied Salvation Army paper) and letters written during active service;
- Vera Brittain: drafts of her poems written as a nurse including ‘Perhaps’ (written after learning of the death of her fiancé, Roland Leighton’, her war diary, and letters to her fiancé, Roland Leighton
- Roland Leighton: poems and letters.
The archive also features:
- Contextual material – photographs, audio and film material from the Imperial War Museum including trench newspapers containing soldier poetry.
- Teaching resources – online tutorials, resources packs, links to appropriate websites presented using MyIntute, podcasts with famous commentators (including Ian Hislop)
And, throughout 2009, the archive will be augmented by collections covering the work of Edmund Blunden, David Jones, Ivor Gurney and Siegfried Sassoon.
“Aside from being widely dispersed, many of the manuscripts of the war poets are in a very fragile condition. Consequently direct access to this material will always be restricted. The First World War remains one of the keystones of modern history teaching at all levels and the war poets are, in many ways, the most vibrant and controversial ‘chroniclers’ of the conflict. Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon have always shined brightly but they are just two stars in a constellation of great poets; writers whose powerful work deserves to be much better known. The expanded First World War Poetry Archive – facilitated via the JISC Digitisation Programme – will play an important part in making this happen.” Dr Stuart Lee, manager of Oxford University’s Computing Services and a member of its English Faculty
Fun in the trenches, by Percy Matthews (contributed to The Great War Archive by Elizabeth Masterman)
The Archive also provides access to a wealth of World War I memorabilia enabling family items to be made public for the first time for use by educators and scholars. The ‘Great War Archive‘ website brings together 6,500 digital images of items submitted to Oxford University by members of the public. The majority of these images are of treasured family heirlooms which have never been on ‘public display’.
Author and academic Vivien Noakes: “Each of the items submitted to The Great War Archive tells a personal and, often very poignant, story. The archive provides a myriad of windows into the period – the Great War in microcosm. Access to this material can only enhance our understanding of what it was like actually to live through these momentous times.”
Items include:
- A bullet-dented tea can which saved the life of an engineer who repaired a bombing post whilst under heavy fire in Bullecort in November 1917.
- A souvenir matchbox made by a German POW for a British Lance Corporal after they had fought a raging fire together, saving many lives.
- Remarkable sketches of scenes and characters from military and civilian life by Private Percy Matthews, until now, an unknown artist, see image above.
The Great War Archive complements the First World War Poetry Digital Archive.
“The Great War is arguably the most resonant period in modern British history. The memorabilia and poetry archives will provide easy access to an unrivalled collection of material which will be of use to anyone interested in getting closer to this world-changing conflict.” Oxford University’s Project Leader, Kate Lindsay
Tags: General Arts and Humanities, Group News, Historical and Philosophical Studies
