Opportunity to Book a Talk on Mid Staffordshire Military Appeal Tribunal Records

Thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service has been able to open access to one of its hidden gems, the Mid Staffordshire Military Appeal Tribunal records.

The rare survival of these records, is a fortuitous one as it was ordered that all be destroyed after WW1, making the existence of this collection particularly significant. As we close in on the centenary since their creation their survival and the supporting archives offer a real opportunity to learn more about the war in Staffordshire, and its effect on communities at the time.

Since beginning back in October 2014, with the help of wonderfully enthusiastic volunteers across Staffordshire, the project will index over 20,000 individual entries and digitise some 5,000 records, all to be made freely available one.

Between February and June 2016, we will be conducting a series of talks and workshops to promote this work and create an opportunity for people to find out how the war affected their local community.

If you are a local history or community group, and feel that this is a subject your members would be interested to learn more about, including the Tribunals, personal testimonies, conscientious objectors, agriculture, industry and education in your area, please email Rachael Cooksey, Project Officer at Stafford Records Office ([email protected]) for more information. Each talk can be aimed towards local areas, making them particularly poignant for your individual communities.