Communication in the War and Today

One of Staffordshire Library Services’ projects, as part of the National Digital War Memorial, was centred around the letters of Lois Turner, which are now in the Staffordshire Records Office.

The intergenerational project at Stone Library was facilitated by the New Vic Theatre, with Staffordshire Libraries, archives and Service personnel from M.O.D. Stafford. Students from Walton Priory Middle School, members of Stone WI and members of Stone Historical Society were able to consider Lois’ letters and what they tell us of ordinary life at the time, and explore how communication has changed over the last one hundred years.

Lois was an ordinary girl who lived in Northesk Street, Stone at the time with her parents and brother and corresponded with serving soldiers during the war. She received letters back from many young men serving in France, including her four brothers, telling her of their daily life on the Front. During the war millions of letters were written to soldiers on the front lines by people on the Home Front who saw it as their duty.