An occasional series featuring material from the exhibition In Flanders Fields which runs till the end of November at Central Ref
Like all good ideas, David Harrop’s exhibition is a simple one which is to remember those from the Great War.
And it is quite unique in that everything in the ten display cabinets comes from his collection and much of it relates to men, women and children from Greater Manchester.
The original idea was to create a chronological display, but the very nature of the material and the sheer size of what his collection led him to create themed cases.
Some are dedicated to an individual like George Davison, others, to events like the shelling of Scarborough by the German Navy.
And while there is a core theme, each cabinet includes a wealth of memorabilia, like the crested porcelain china, each of which has a patriotic connection or the picture postcards from the battle fronts.
For the first of this series David has nominated the cabinet dedicated to “Travis Taylor of Oldham and Sub Lieutenant Hanway Cooper who was lost along with all hands on H M S Monmouth”.
On display in the cabinet is a short biography of Travis Taylor who was with the Royal Field Artillery along with his medals. He died aged 22 on May 27, 1918.
Four years earlier the mother of Sub Lieutenant Hanway Cooper compiled a Remembrance book which is on show along his dress sword.
And the juxtaposition of personalized items sitting beside more general material from the period works well.
I doubt that the two bits of wartime crested china were actually held by Mr Travis but he would have ones like these and that adds to the scope of the exhibition.
In Flanders Fields will run till the end of November.
Location; Central Ref
Pictures; from the collection of David Harrop
And it is quite unique in that everything in the ten display cabinets comes from his collection and much of it relates to men, women and children from Greater Manchester.
The original idea was to create a chronological display, but the very nature of the material and the sheer size of what his collection led him to create themed cases.
Some are dedicated to an individual like George Davison, others, to events like the shelling of Scarborough by the German Navy.
And while there is a core theme, each cabinet includes a wealth of memorabilia, like the crested porcelain china, each of which has a patriotic connection or the picture postcards from the battle fronts.
For the first of this series David has nominated the cabinet dedicated to “Travis Taylor of Oldham and Sub Lieutenant Hanway Cooper who was lost along with all hands on H M S Monmouth”.
Four years earlier the mother of Sub Lieutenant Hanway Cooper compiled a Remembrance book which is on show along his dress sword.
And the juxtaposition of personalized items sitting beside more general material from the period works well.
I doubt that the two bits of wartime crested china were actually held by Mr Travis but he would have ones like these and that adds to the scope of the exhibition.
In Flanders Fields will run till the end of November.
Pictures; from the collection of David Harrop
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