Thomas Merry and his wife Elizabeth lived at Blakesley Hall from 1901 to 1932. Their three children, Tom, Frank and May, all played a part in the struggle of the First World War. Tom was an officer in the Army Service Corps based at Rouen working in logistics, Frank fought at Passchendaele with the Artists Rifles (and was wounded in the very action John Nash depicts in his famous painting ‘Over the Top’) and May enrolled in the Voluntary Aid Detachment, working in a number of military hospitals, caring for the wounded from the front. Through photographs, medals and letters from the family’s archive, visitors to Blakesley Hall can discover the true effect of this conflict on one family.

The exhibition includes a short film, along with an interactive trench and uniforms/costumes for our younger visitors.

Entrance is included in the ticket price to the Hall.

The exhibition has been supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.