George Kellett's World War One Diary: December 1918

Throughout 2014 have been tweeting entries from a World War 1 soldier’s 1918 diary. You can follow George Kellett’s diary entries on Twitter @WW1_Diary.

This is the last month's diary entries.

For George Kellett's November diary entries please see our previous blog: November 1918 

Sunday 1 December 1918

ED again today

Wednesday 4 December 1918

Left Malonne for Sclayn

Thursday 5 December 1918

Left Sclayn for Huy

Friday 6 December 1918

Left Huy for Ouffet  about 22 kilos

Saturday 7 December 1918

Left Ouffet for Soumagne about 23 kilos

Sunday 8 December 1918

Left  Soumagne at 9am for Becco about 8 or 9 kilos

Monday 9 December 1918

Left Becco for Longfaye a march of 23 miles

Tuesday 10 December 1918

No march today a day of resting

Wednesday 11 December 1918

Left Longfaye at 8am Elsenborn

Friday 13 December 1918

Left Kesternich for ?

Saturday 14 December 1918

Arrived at Duren

Tuesday 15 December 1918

Making bread sticks for the company.  Went down town after went in a café for a supper where they had a violin and piano.  Had a good time.

Thursday 17 December 1918

Out for a short march from 10am to noon

Wednesday 25 December 1918

Had dinner in the gym a jolly good food.

Saturday 28 December 1918

No parade standing by to make Rifle Racks for the barracks

Sunday 29 December 1918

No parade again today but have not started work yet.  Went to church service in the town tonight with Cpt Palmer.

The Twelve Days of Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Our Christmases, hectic though they may be, are actually a doddle compared to the traditions of old. Medieval people celebrated all 12 days of Christmas, from December 25 through to Epiphany – the day the three kings turned up with gifts for the newborn Jesus – although they did not usually feast every day. Some households had their big feast on Christmas Day. For others it was the first of January or the 6th, depending on local custom.

"The Twelve days of Christmas" song was first published in 1780,  without music.  The tune we all know coming much  later in 1909.

We have introduced 12 objects from our collections into Wakefield Museum's displays (please note, the museum is now closed until 9am on 5th January).

'A partridge in a pear tree'  - Partridge from natural history collection

"Two Turtle Doves" - Unmarked, Dunderdale stoneware teapot

"Three French hens" - Christmas card decorated with image of hen and roses.

"Four Collie Birds" - Blackbird from the Waterton Collection - the word 'collie' coming from collier, meaning black

"Five gold rings"- 500 year old ring with wording 'I'm all yours' in medieval French from Sandal Castle

"Six geese a-laying" - Painted wooden fan made with goose feathers

"Seven swans a-swimming" - Valentine card given to Frances Eliza Waddington c. 1880

"Eight maids a-milking" - Milk can produced 1910-15 with  J.C.B. trade mark

"Nine ladies dancing"  - Victorian lady's dance card and pencil made by Faber -  dated 24th February 1876

"Ten lords a-leaping" -   A ceramic bust of Lord Derby

"Eleven pipers piping"  - Wooden pipe with metal ring top and bottom

"Twelve Drummers Drumming" - Tin drum used by  Professor Stafford who taught Punch and Judy in the 1950s

Roman 'Christmas' event at Castleford Museum

 A special event  at Castleford Forum Museum this Saturday - Saturnalia.

Saturnalia is the best-known Roman festival which ran from  17th to 23rd December.
It was a time of gift-giving, feasting, and time to  decorate the house with greenery - sound familiar?

Come to Castleford Museum between 10 and 3pm this Saturday to find out how the Romans celebrated!  Meet a Roman soldier, hear some Roman stories and make yourself a Roman mosaic coaster to take home - the perfect last-minute Christmas gift!

A Vintage Christmas!

Need some inspiration for a Christmas party?   Tired using the same old decorations?   Just got too much time on your hands?

Have a look at this 1950s publication from our collection, and party with style!

Who  doesn't have room in their heart for a Jolly Snowman?

I'm sure you've all got time to sew together pieces of red crepe paper to make a Father Christmas hat!

Head on a plate, anyone?

Much-loved painting of Pontefract Castle to be seen in a different light!

One of Pontefract Museum’s most well-loved paintings is to undergo vital restoration work ahead of a new Civil War exhibition.

The painting of Pontefract Castle by Alexander Keirincx, which has been part of Wakefield Council’s art collections for 50 years, was taken off display today to undergo specialist conservation treatment and be glazed to protect it for the future.

The Keirincx comes off display

Packed by a specialist art and museum transport service -  the painting leaves for conservation

Following conservation work, the Keirincx painting will be on display at The Hepworth Wakefield before its appearance in a new Civil War exhibition at Pontefract Museum in Spring 2015.

Cllr Les Shaw, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism, said: “This is one of the most popular and well-loved paintings in the Museum and the restoration work will ensure it can be enjoyed by people now and by future generations.”

While at The Hepworth Wakefield, the painting will be part of a display celebrating the unique heritage of Wakefield and the wider region.

The newly refreshed painting will be display at The Hepworth Wakefield from Saturday 24^th January 2015.

Then it will return to Pontefract Museum as the star attraction for the Civil Wars in Yorkshire exhibition from mid-April 2015.

The new exhibition is funded by the Arts Council England, and will explore the Civil Wars in Yorkshire. With unique civil war objects from the museum’s collections this will be a fitting display for the return of the Keirincx  which will take pride of place.

Keirincx’s painting of Pontefract Castle gives a rare and priceless insight into the past before the Castle was demolished by order of Parliament in 1649. This once grand castle was nicknamed the ‘key to the North’ and according to the National Gallery, the painting is the best example of a painting of a British castle in existence.

George Kellett's World War One Diary: November 1918

Throughout 2014 have been tweeting entries from a World War 1 soldier’s 1918 diary. You can follow George Kellett’s diary entries on Twitter @WW1_Diary.

We will also post the full month’s diary entries on this blog.

For George Kellett's October diary entries please see our previous blog: October 1918


3 November 1918
On roads 11:20 to 4:30pm were shelled badly in sunken(?) road. Heavy rain until dinnertime

4 November 1918
Moved to Villers Poll Through Escarmain and Capelle

5 November 1918
Our Dear Ada Died at 12-10am.

9 November 1918
Our Dear Ada Burried at Sandal church at 2pm

11 November 1918
Moved to Bermeries We heard that an armistice had been signed but we keep hearing explosions and cannot tell whether it is gun fire or not.

16 November 1918
Warned for guard at 4pm this afternoon

17 November 1918
On guard today

18 November 1918
Moved at 9am for Maubeuge passing through Bavay, ???  and La Longueville billeted in barracks in the fort.

19 November 1918
Fire picquet and transport fatigue

20 November 1918
Moved to Peissant through  [??] and Binche[?]

22 November 1918
Left Peissant at 8am arrived at Anderlues About 3pm

23 November 1918
Received parcel from home with this book enclosed.  Working on the roads today about six kilos from our billets.  Wrote to Harry and father.

24 November 1918
Out on the roads again today from 8am to 1:30pm. Parade at 5:30pm. Had ??

25 November 1918
Left Anderlues At 9:45am for Charleroi. Arrived about 3pm.  Billeted in private houses.  Had a good feed of chips for supper slept in a good bed between clean white sheets.

26 November 1918
Parade at 9am.  Went to school at 10am.  Went into town after dinner and to the cinema after tea.  Had a bath at one of the collieries  It is a fine town is Charleroi

27 November 1918
Parade at 9am till 12noon

28 November 1918
Left Charleroi at 8am for Fosse

29 November 1918
Left Fosse at 9am for Malonne near Namur
Formed up on the Square at 2:30 to hear the Burgomaster read out a message of welcome

30 November 1918
Reported sick had excused duty laid in bed all day.

Get out of the house and do something creative!

A post from Louise, our Crafty Crocs leader:

As a toddler and young child of the late 1970s and early 1980s I remember there being much more hands-on activities and play then there seems to be today.

Louise -  a *few* years ago...

 

There are still many playgroups in church halls and community venues today but how many people think of taking their youngsters to the museum for a couple of hours?

Now, as back then, many parents and grandparents are looking for fun activities for their children to participate in at a minimal cost.  Something they can not provide at home. TV has programmes for children all hours of the day, channels for different ages and whilst I am guilty myself of cracking on with the housework and telling the kids “put the tv on whilst I get this done” I can not recall my own parents telling me to do this. In fact quite the opposite – Why don’t you get the pencils out and draw? Go in the garden and make the most of the weather.  Lets make a picnic and have it indoors (it was raining outside!)

Louise - showing her artistic ability at a young age

Here at Wakefield Museum we deliver a session of messy crafts, Crafty Crocs, which meet on the first Tuesday of every month.  The aim of this free session is for children and their grown-ups to come and be creative away from home (and the tv). Using the Learning Zone we set up different activities each month so that children can explore the museum collections and develop skills such as sensory enquiry and even just mastering the art of using scissors!

Crafty Crocs sessions are developed with ideas from the museum display as inspiration. For example the Waterton displays in the museum provide links to animals and nature, we draw animals using our hands and feet.  The museum Front Room enables us to look at activities related to home life in the past – we used plastic cutlery to paint.

  

So why not come and join us at our next Crafty Crocs?

Sessions run at 10 - 11am and 1:15 – 2:15pm on the first Tuesday of the month during term time.

Our next sessions are  on Tuesday 2^nd December. 

To book your place call 01924 302700 or e-mail 

Remember to wear messy clothes and feel free to bring your child a drink and small snack - in case they need more energy!