COVENTRY’s historic Weaver’s House will hold a special memorial event for families to come together and remember their loved ones lost during World War One.
The event – designed to mark the 100th anniversary since Armistice – will take place on Saturday (November 3) in the medieval cottages and gardens in Spon End.
It is called ‘Families of War’ and invites visitors to create a memory board – intended to share stories of family members lost at war.
It encourages participants to bring photographs and include their relatives’ personal stories and experiences.
Historical talks will be offered throughout the day and World War One artefacts will be on display.
The cottages will be adorned with woven poppies created by resident craft group Weavers’ Workshop.
A Weaver’s House spokesperson said: “At the time of the First World War, the house was home to the O’Neil family.
“Three of the young men that lived there joined the Army and were posted to France in World War One. Only one of them returned.”
One of The Weaver’s House volunteers, Clare Chamberlain, is a descendant of the O’ Neils and she will be doing a special family history talk at 11am and 12
noon.
Organisers say they expect members and former members of the Armed Forces to be in attendance.
The Weaver’s House has also been awarded two ‘There But Not There’ silhouettes – designed to represent the two former inhabitants who went to war but did not return.
The Armistice charity project aims to create an outlined figure for every name on local war memorials around the country; and position them in a place of worship, school, or workplace where a fallen member of the Armed Forces’ absence was keenly felt.
Tickets for the talk are free but must be booked online in advance due to the restricted size of the house.
The event will run from 10.30am until 1.30pm. Admission is free and light refreshments will be available.
The Weaver’s House at 121, Upper Spon Street, CV1 3BQ, can easily be reached on foot from the city centre.
More details are available at theweavershouse.org/families-of-war-a-special-open-day-for-remembering
