First World War 100
Programme overview
Jackie Marfleet and Sarah Leggett
Background
Government-wide commitment to commemorating the centenary
• £50m funding committed so far
• Imperial War Museum leading cultural sector
• Topical and controversial: ‘four years of Remembrance Sundays’
Benefits
Unique opportunity to harness public interest in the government’s archive and
to make the record more open than ever before
• Unique selling point – our records
• Step up - raise our profile on a sustained basis
• Develop our audience – more people, more interested
• Improve our capacity to run this type of programme
Our response
First World War 100
• Five-year engagement programme developed by Marketing and ARK
• Input from across the organisation
• Governed by Centenary Task Force
Our approach and objectives
The First World War 100 programme will:
• Make primary sources accessible on a new scale and in new ways
• Make access to First World War sources simple with a web portal and clear
signposting to main sources
• Attract new record users and establish them as archive users
• Develop the skills and enthusiasm of existing users
• Unexpected, untold – challenge to convention
• Make original contributions to First World War enquiry and debate
Themes
2014
2015
Diplomacy
2016
Technology
2017
Home Front
Bravery and courage
Medicine and health
Global perspectives
2018
Air and sea
2019
Peace
Programme activities: records and data
WO 95 (unit war diaries)
The largest digitisation project we’ve ever attempted ourselves, and a key
element of the programme
• 1.5 million pages (2,097 pieces) from France and Flanders
• Phased release on Discovery throughout 2014, from January
Programme activities: records and data
Operation War Diary
Crowdsourcing data from the unit war diaries using thousands of volunteers
• Partnership project with Imperial War Museum and Zooniverse
• Launching January 2014
• Our biggest ever volunteer project
Programme activities: records and data
More digitisation and cataloguing projects, including:
• MH 47: Central Military Service Tribunal and Middlesex Appeal Tribunal
• WO 400: Household Cavalry
• BT 99: Merchant Navy crew lists
• WO 339: Officers’ service records
Programme activities: online
nationalarchives.gov.uk/firstworldwar
• New portal bringing together new and existing resources – the online home of
First World War 100
• Showcase for new digital content, such as data visualisation, maps, research
guidance, links...
Programme activities: online
Blogs, podcasts and other digital content, including:
• My Tommy’s War blog, now a year old and gathering momentum
• New social media activity (@The_War_Office from 2014)
• Webinars, live chat, interactive events...
Programme activities: on site
Full programme of on site activity, including:
• Stakeholder events
• Regular talks programme
• Conferences and other events
• Displays and exhibitions
Programme activities: media
Great media opportunities for The National Archives:
• Around 2,500 hours of WW1 broadcasting on BBC alone
• ‘Blockbuster’ launches of key elements, such as WO 95
Programme activities: external events
Attending Who Do You Think You Are? Live 2014:
• Space next to IWM in WW1-themed area of show
• Provide records advice
• Sign visitors up to our mailing lists
• Recruit volunteers for Operation War Diary
Programme activities: archives sector
Supporting the wider archives sector to participate in the centenary:
• Raising the profile of archives, including Explore Your Archive
• Opportunities to involve archives in our activities
Programme activities: education and outreach
Full programme of on site and online activities, including:
• Build on the success of our current offering
• Develop teachers’ programme to reinforce importance of primary sources
• Battlefield tours for teachers, students and adults
• Outreach projects: women, mental health, BME communities
How you can get involved
Help us spread the word and develop the programme!
• Sign up to our enewsletter
• Follow us on social media for regular updates (#fww100)
• Contribute ideas and content, including My Tommy’s War blogs
• Invite your contacts and stakeholders to our events
• Volunteer for Operation War Diary (help us beta test it now)
• Help us keep momentum going - tell people about the programme
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