Bute Museum joins up with church to hold WW1 event

To commemorate the centenary of the end of World War One, Bute Museum teamed up with the United Church of Bute to put on an exhibition of artefacts, photographs and information about the island's war memorials.

Jean McMillan, Isabel Sharp and Anne Speirs from Bute Museum.

Against a magnificent backdrop of knitted poppies, many people spent hours at the church reading through Jean McMillan’s meticulous research, which gives a biography of every man commemorated on the memorials on the island.

Artefacts from the museum’s collection gave a personal connection through medals, belongings and postcards from the front.

For the duration of the exhibition, a digital loop showed photos and information about the 377 men from Bute, or with Bute connections, who died in WWI. This was created by community service librarian Eleanor Mackay.

The idea for staging the exhibition came from Bute Museum genealogist Isabel Sharp, who worked with archivist Jean McMillan, curator Anne Speirs and volunteers from the United Church of Bute to create this moving tribute to these brave men.

Jean’s extensive research is housed in the museum and can be consulted by appointment. The artefacts from the museum collection are now back on display at the tourist attraction on Stuart Street.