New exhibition Duty Done Again at Sewerby Hall and Gardens looks at wartime Bridlington

A new exhibition Duty Done Again opens at Sewerby Hall and Gardens on Wednesday September 2 , markingy 75 years to the day since the official end to all hostilities in Europe and Japan.
New exhibition looks at wartime BridlingtonNew exhibition looks at wartime Bridlington
New exhibition looks at wartime Bridlington

The exhibition will look at the impact of the Second World War on Bridlington, set against the context of the national picture in the years since the end of the conflict. It shows how Bridlington people managed the changes to their lives and lifestyles after the war.

It explains how Bridlington was impacted by the war, from the very many troops billeted there, to the key role of Bridlington Corporation both during and after the war. In fact, the Corporation had bought Sewerby Hall and Gardens from owner Yarburgh Lloyd Greame in 1934 for £45,000.

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Visitors will learn how the Corporation took over the Spa and other venues, and also dealt with slum clearance and dreadful overcrowding in the town.

Sewerby Hall itself was commandeered by the military in 1940, with troops billeted there, and eventually became a convalescent hospital for the RAF.

The exhibition shows the bombing raids on Bridlington in 1940/41 and the damage caused, and also looks at how life improved gradually after the end of the war, with the introduction of the Welfare State, and the increase in holidaymakers and tourists, including those visiting Sewerby Hall and Gardens.

Curator Janice Smith said: “The story of Bridlington both during and immediately after the Second World War is a fascinating one, and especially pertinent as we celebrate 75 years since the end of hostilities.”

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The exhibition will be in the house and will run until November 8. The house will be open daily until November 1 and then the weekend of November 7 and 8.

Full details of admission prices, facilities available, including the Clock Tower Café takeaway service, the zoo, and the gardens, are available at www.sewerbyhall.co.ukVisitors are encouraged to book online in advance, and all visitors to the house itself will have to wear face coverings.