· A new permanent display at the museum now tells the story of women in the armed forces, from the Great War to more recent conflicts in Bosnia and Afghanistan
· Living historians Tastes Through Time will visit the museum with displays that provide insight into the lives of women on the home front and in auxiliary forces during the Second World War
· A talk from Blenheim Palace’s archivist, Antonia Keaney, will tell the stories of the Ladies of Blenheim – often over-looked in favour of the men – on Saturday 9 March 2024
· A talk from Richard Poad MBE, of the Air Transport Auxiliary Museum, will tell the stories of the inspiring women of the ATA on Sunday 10 March 2024
This year Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum, Woodstock, will be hosting a range of events to mark International Women’s Day 2024 and celebrate the often-overlooked stories of women in and out of the armed forces.
Following on from 2023’s temporary exhibition, Women & War, the museum now hosts a permanent display that offers visitors a look at the evolving roles of women in the armed forces. Beginning with the early days of the Women’s Land Army and their critical contribution on the Home Front, it moves on to cover the various Second World War services that enlisted thousands of women – such as the Wrens (WRNS – Women’s Royal Navy Service), WAAF (Women’s Auxiliary Air Forces), ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary) among others.
From 1949 all women serving in the British Army belonged to the WRAC (Women’s Royal Army Corps) until it was disbanded in 1992, and the full integration of women into the Army began. By 2016 women had access to 80% of the same roles as male soldiers, with all combat roles opened up to women in 2018. The new display provides stories and personal accounts from local women who served in a range of armed forces throughout this journey.
Around International Women’s Day itself (8 March 2024) the new display will be supported a range of celebratory events. On Saturday 9 March 2024, the museum will host living historians Tastes Through Time and a talk by Antonia Keaney, archivist at the nearby UNESCO World Heritage site, Blenheim Palace.
Tastes Through Time will be on hand from 11am to 4pm on Saturday 9 March to educate and entertain on the heroic women who played a crucial role during World War 2. Showcasing the diverse roles women undertook to support the war effort, their display aims to honour the extraordinary efforts of these inspiring women. Visitors will be able to immerse themselves in the stories of these fearless women through interactive displays, artefacts, and personal narratives from home front and to battle zones. True to its name, Tastes Through Time will also offer a taste of wartime recipes and rations. Sample some recipes of the time, that were prepared with limited supplies, highlighting the creativity and resilience of these women as they navigated through challenging times.
Blenheim Palace archivist Antonia Keaney’s talk, Lust & Laudanum: The Ladies of Blenheim will be held from 2pm on Saturday 9 March 2024, and aims to shed more light on the lives and loves of the ladies of the Marlborough family – usually overlooked in favour of the men. From Sarah Churchill, the indomitable First Duchess, and continuing through the centuries with the adventures of some of her successors, the talk will redress the balance as it looks at the achievements of these women and the thwarted talents and potential of overlooked members of the Marlboroughs.
The museum’s second talk celebrating International Women’s Day will be held the following day, Sunday 10 March 2024 from 3pm. Richard Poad MBE, from the ATA Museum in Maidenhead, will talk on The Women of the ATA. Initially women in the Air Transport Auxiliary were dismissed as not being up to a job as a pilot, flying unarmed, without radios and navigating by map reading. But they soon proved the critics wrong and achieved just as much as the men. Supported with a wealth of photographs and anecdotes from veterans Richard has met, his talk is sure to amaze and inspire.
Tickets for each talk are £10 and available at the museum and through their website. The price also includes admission to all the museum’s galleries (normally £6.50) and complementary tea and cake – an ideal weekend experience for visitors of all ages that want to celebrate both International Women’s Day and Mother’s Day this year.
