KENDAL.- Lakeland Arts is part of the First World War Centenary Partnership, led by IWM (Imperial War Museums). The Partnership is delivering a global programme of events and activities inspiring young and old to connect with the lives, stories and impact of the First World War.

In July 2014, Museum of Lakeland Life & Industry opened a temporary display to explore the Lake District’s contribution to the First World War and the impact that was felt at home.

‘At first glance the conflict seems to have been so far away from the pleasant landscape of the Lake District, but further examination reveals that this region made a huge contribution to the war effort. Experiments in early flight on Windermere were instrumental to the formation of the Royal Naval Air Service, local industries and individuals got behind the war effort and craftsmen and women carved memorials and produced artwork to commemorate those who did not return home.’ James Arnold, Assistant Curator Social History, Lakeland Arts.

Diane Lees, Director-General of IWM says ‘We are all connected to the First World War, either through our own family history, the heritage of our local communities, or because of its long term impact on society and the world we live in today. Lakeland Arts are enabling people in the Lakes to understand the impact of the Great War on society today.’

The Museum takes you back through time to explore the story of the Lake District and its inhabitants. Isolated before the arrival of the railway and motorcar, this area developed its own unique customs and traditions. Recreated period rooms and workshops reveal how rural people lived and worked and played and how different life was before the introduction of machinery. Discover a Lake District kitchen, complete with traditional recipes and utensils, a bedroom full of vernacular furniture and furnishings – including a magnificent 17th century four-poster bed, a farmhouse parlour with a working phonograph and rare 18th century oak panelling.