LARK HILL PLACE 1918

As you may know Lark Hill Place which opened in March 1957 is a lovingly restored recreation of a long-gone Salfordian, Victorian Street complete with period shops and houses and has been a huge favourite with children's and adults alike for many years, I can even recall going on school trips when I was a mere nipper, and enjoying every minute and which helped instill a love of Salford and its history in me.

The purpose of this exhibition aims to show how life might have changed in Salford in the last year of the Great War and what has happened to the homes and businesses in Lark Hill Place since 1914.

Clutching our complimentary glasses of prosecco we entered into the magical world of Lark Hill Place, I still get a thrill walking down the time tunnel into the street after all these years and this was to be no different.

Ambient background noises such as the bells of Trinity Church ringing out, the knocker uppers pole rattling on the windows, the sound of sewing machines, clogs on cobbles and street noises fill the air, loving curated by Professor Stephen Davismoon, Head of Performing Arts at Edge Hill University University.

There are artefacts brought out of storage from the museum's vast collection dotted around the houses and shops, lovingly reproduced wartime posters based on original adverts in the windows, even a mock newspaper, The Lark Hill Gazette with topical Salford news items which really add to the period feel.

Soon I was peering into the shop and house windows eager to spot more items relating to the Great War, I was delighted to see a poster in Mrs Thomlinson's grocer stating, "The potato grower is in the front line of the submarine, buy your gardening supplies here", a nod to the submarine threat which was intent on starving Britain into submission and also urging the people to grow their own food.

One house I found to be particularly poignant was the 'William and Mary' house, which was shown to be a house in mourning, complete with a black wreath pinned on the front door, and heavy black drape curtains were drawn to the outside world, however if you look through you can see a letter and a will on the table, no doubt an indication that a loved one wasn't coming back from the war, very sad.

It's not all darkness and gloom, the Blue Lion Tavern has books and games for troops on leave to enjoy and no doubt to avoid drunkenness ! the alcohol content was lowered in the Great W and new draconian opening times were introduced, also the drinking of non-alcoholic beverages was encouraged in pubs, hardly a roaring success I would have thought.

Did you know that cocaine and opium-based products were freely available to buy over chemist's counters until May 1916, if you didn't pop into this exhibition and find out the reason why it was stopped?

The haberdashery shop has warm woollen clothing on sale, including balaclavas, scarfs, socks to be sent to your loved one in the trenches, knitting was actively encouraged for womenfolk, however, the only colour to be used was khaki if it was being sent abroad.

Look in the old cottage and you will see on the table a brass Princess Mary  Gift Fund Box, which was given to each soldier serving in 1914 which contained chocolates and cigarettes, silk postcards sent from France are used as wall decorations, there is even a Suffragette sash draped over a chair.

Even the toyshop urges customers to purchase Lott's bricks a truly British brand and far superior to the German Anchor Block brand, whilst the books and games on sale all have a patriotic feel to them.

There is so much to see and learn at this fascinating exhibition which runs until February 2019 and I would urge anybody with a love of Salford and history, in general, to visit and please take your children, grandchildren with you, I can guarantee that they will be enthralled, failing that you can buy them some traditional boiled sweets from Mrs Tomlinson's sweet shop!

I will leave the last word with the Salford mayor, Peter Connor who was guest of honour last night who told me,

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"This is a fabulous exhibition and is the closest thing I can recall to my old area of Salford, Hanky Park. Salford people are the best in the world and we should never forget were we come from and be proud of our rich heritage and this exhibition really shows Salford people and Salford pride"