A morning at the archives

Today I had a useful but somewhat depressing morning at the Staffordshire Archives, researching the nine WW1 Commonwealth War Graves Commission graves at Burntwood Asylum. This has brought me a step closer to creating articles and videos on each of their tragic stories.

I am so engrossed in this field of research that I am now considering doing a PhD, which would focus on the histories of the diverse range of servicemen whose psychological condition led to admission to the asylum, and ultimately to their deaths. These untold stories are by no means restricted to shell shock or PTSD, although this was doubtless the root cause of several of the deaths. I would research each of the histories in a family, local, and national context, and discuss how this led to either 'Remembrance' or 'Forgettance' in the commemorative landscape.

If you are interested in the work I am doing, you might like play a part in uncovering these hidden histories by joining my Supporters Club. Your contributions help to fund the following expenses:

• Photo licences for publication of archive photos
• Camera licenses for studying archive documents at home
• Birth, marriage, and death certificates
• WW1 Burntwood Asylum research
• Materials for cleaning older graves which are no longer cared for by family.

Thank you very much for your kind support!