Conversations and Memories - New Sculptures installed at Crich Tramway Village
Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th April saw the launch of five new contemporary sculptures at Crich Tramway Village by Musson+Retallick.
‘Conversations and Memories’ is a permanent installation and a legacy to the tramway men, women and their families whose lives were lost or changed by the Great War. The sculptures, created from tramway track, can be found in the Woodland Walk, between the outdoor play area and the Wakebridge tram stop.
Artistic duo Musson+Retallick were winners in the 2017 International Civic Trust Awards for their Somme Memorial Artwork in Barnsley.
Tramways throughout the UK lost many men to the war effort. The tramway industry was also host to significant social change. Female tram workers became very visible in positions of authority, yet it was a decade before emancipation. Recruitment trams were the scene for life-changing moments. Injured men returning from war often could not physically access trams. The National Tramway Museum’s Nationally Designated collections include a range of fascinating material relevant to the period, including oral history recordings, rolls of honour, employee records, wage books and photographs.
Laura Smith, Fundraising Co-ordinator at Crich Tramway Village said: “The sculptures represent the heart-breaking and evocative stories of real individuals, such as Lilian, a Conductress on the Burton & Ashby Tramway who died doing her job, and Ernest, who was born in Crich, became a driver with Leeds City Tramway and survived the front line to return to a career on the tramways.”
Musson+Retallick have used the Museum archives and community engagement to inspire the final artwork, which consists of groups of abstract figures, standing in different locations around Crich Tramway Village. Each group of figures represents a different story relating to material in the collection.
The artists have developed designs through a series of creative workshops with visitors, local schools, community groups, and museum volunteers.
Jan Barratt, Learning & Participation Manager at Crich Tramway Village said: “The sculptures have stimulated a wide variety of emotional responses from our visitors, volunteers and staff; the stories that have inspired them even more so. The First World War changed lives for ever and Conversations and Memories honours the tramway men, women and children affected by it”.
‘Conversations and Memories’ has been made possible by National Lottery players through the Heritage Lottery Fund’s First World War then and now programme, Arts Council England, Derbyshire Freemasons through Foundation Derbyshire and Derbyshire County Council’s Community Leadership Scheme. Museum Development East Midlands’ Working with Artists programme has supported the Museum in the development of the project and the selection of Artists.
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