A rare handwritten ledger containing the names of hundreds of North East men who volunteered for the First World War has been returned to the region.
The century-old register lists about 900 volunteers who signed up to serve in the Great War over just four days in December 1915. Most were workers from Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company in Jarrow, which had recently been devastated by a German Zeppelin raid, killing 17 workers and injuring 72.
Following its discovery at a car boot sale, the ledger was put up for sale at auction, where it was bought by the Durham Light Infantry (DLI) Friends. The Friends then presented it to The Story, Durham County Council’s culture and heritage venue, which is the permanent home of the DLI Collection and Archive.
For Sid Patterson, the DLI Friends trustee who attended the auction, the ledger is especially poignant.
He said: “I grew up in the Salt Meadows estate in Gateshead, which is where many of these men were from; some even lived on my street.
“It was a very close-knit community when I lived there, and the fact so many men enlisted following the attack on Palmers – despite shipyard workers being a reserved occupation – shows it was then too.
“Reading their names and knowing so many didn’t make it home, is very moving.
“As a group, we felt the ledger should be in County Durham because it’s a local artefact. At The Story, the public will be able to see it and learn from it, rather than it being hidden away in a private collection.”
The volunteers named within the ledger signed up under the Derby Scheme, the final national recruitment campaign before conscription was introduced in 1916. Written across 23 double pages are the men’s names, ages, heights, chest measurements and distinguishing marks.
Cllr Andrew Harrison, Durham County Council’s Armed Forces Champion, said: “Ledgers such as these are incredibly rare and certainly don’t come up for sale very often. That’s why we are so grateful to the DLI Friends for bringing it back to the North East as a valuable addition to the DLI Collection and Archive.
“What I find particularly striking about the ledger is the fact that the hundreds of men listed within its pages signed up over four days, in just one small area. It really brings home the scale of the conflict, the sacrifices made by those who served and the impact it must have had on their communities.
“By placing the ledger in The Story’s care, the Friends have ensured it will be preserved and accessible for people to view for generations to come.”
Appointments can be made to view the ledger in The Story’s collection room. To book, visit www.thestorydurham.org/access-our-collections.
Alongside the DLI Collection and Archive, The Story contains four other historic collections, including six miles of archives covering 900 years of history. It is also the home of the County Registration Service, a permanent exhibition about the history of County Durham and its people, a search and discover research space, and a café.
The Story is open every day and entry is free. To find out more, visit www.thestorydurham.org
Registered as a charity in 1976, the DLI Friends was set up to buy regimental relics and research material for the DLI Collection, helping to ensure these items remain in County Durham. Its members also deliver talks and workshops in schools and help people with historical research, including a drop-in session at The Story between 10am and 2pm on the last Thursday of the month.
For more information, visit www.dlifriends.com.
