Delve back 100 years to war time

Visitors to Mexborough Library can now pick up the Mexborough First World War Walking Trail - a two-and-a-half mile walk, which tells the story of how the war impacted on the town.

The trail, which has been produced by the Mexborough and District Heritage Society - in conjunction with Doncaster 1914-18 and the Dearne Valley Landscape Partnership - is now available in paper form, and also via the Doncaster 1914-18 project app.

Bill Lawrence of the Mexborough and District Heritage Society, which developed the trail, said: “By walking in the footsteps of those who went off to fight 100 years ago, or stayed to work in local industries in Mexborough, we begin to understand the great impact war had on changing lives, which was felt long after the war ended.

“The trail not only identifies people, but also places, which played a role in the total war effort.”

Visitors to the library can also now purchase on CD, copies of of Wyn’s Military Index to the Mexborough and Swinton Times 1914-1919 - a resource for family and local history researchers which lists all mentions of military personnel in the newspaper during the First World War. By using the index, Dearne Valley residents will be able to trace their First World War ancestors, or find information on key individuals from the area during the war years.

This new resource accompanies an index to Doncaster’s First World War newspapers, both of which were compiled over ten years by dedicated Doncaster local studies library volunteer Wyn Bulmer.