Wilfred Owen 100: Great Shropshire war poet remembered
Sunday 18 March will mark the famous Wilfred Owen’s 125th birthday. 4 November this year marks the centenary of the day that the Shropshire poet and soldier fell in battle at the tender age of 25, just seven days before the Armistice brought the conflict to an end.
The centenary is being marked in his home county of Shropshire by a series of events over the last 100 days from 4 August to 4 November.
With a focus on Shrewsbury and Oswestry, Shropshire’s Wilfred Owen 100 will remember him with poetry readings, music, talks, new installations, themed guided walks and much more.
Events will reflect on the emotion, exhibitions, installations and projects from the 2014 – 2018 commemorative period and celebrate one of Shropshire’s most renowned sons. A number of these events are being supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The project will also harness archives, artefacts and memories held out in the community by organisations and individuals, and secure their preservation and accessibility for the future. The ambitious aim of this partnership project is to involve every community in this large county and to reach audiences of all ages.
Wilfred Owen bust on display at Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery
A free programme of all the cultural arts activities and events across the county will be published in May 2018.
Lezley Picton, Shropshire Council Cabinet member for leisure and culture, said:
“Shropshire played a key role in the First World War effort, with support provided at home and the supply of brave soldiers to the frontline, such as the famous Wilfred Owen.
“With the anniversary of his untimely death, I am delighted that partners across the county are working together to ensure that Wilfred Owen and his works are celebrated and remembered through a series of interesting and exciting events, while also paying homage to our county’s significant contributions during the Great War.”
Who is Wilfred Owen?
Wilfred Owen was born in 1893 at Plas Wilmot near Oswestry and lived in Birkenhead and Shrewsbury, where his mother received news of his death as the bells were ringing out on Armistice Day. He served as a Lieutenant in the 2nd Manchester Regiment, winning the Military Cross for bravery in action. His poetry is now widely regarded as among the best to be inspired by the horrors of the Great War.
The life and contribution of Wilfred Owen, and all the other men and women of Shropshire who were swept up into the services during the conflict, will be a key element in the programme, but the wider social impact of the war on all the inhabitants of Shropshire will also be of great importance.
Shropshire in the First World War
In the First World War Shropshire played a key role as a location for large scale training and prisoner of war camps, as well as providing over 40 hospitals, often located in country houses like Stokesay Court. A large number of women volunteered to work in hospitals and also on the land, including those who were part of the Women’s Land Army.
Visit www.shropshireremembers.org.uk and www.shrewsburyheritage.co.uk for further details. #WO100
