Olive's diary April 22nd 1918
After working I played songs for Cheshire and gave him some hints. Beautiful voice and pure vowel-sounds. Nurse Palmer sang, style and go but dreadful shrieks. She entreated me to give her lessons.
[Birmingham-born Howard Cheshire (pictured front) was a GPO Messenger Boy aged 14 in 1910 and enlisted in the Somerset Light Infantry in 1915. He married Kate Phillips in 1923 and they had two children.]
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Voices from 1918 has been developed by artists Sharon Hayden and Alastair Nisbet in partnership with Wimborne Community Theatre, Dorset History Centre and the Priest’s House Museum, Wimborne with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Thanks to all who have helped us with this project: Maria Gayton and staff at Dorset History Centre where we found Lady Mary Monkswell’s diaries; Joan Cocozza, ward of nursing auxiliary Olive Harcourt; Portland Museum where we found James Sansom’s diaries; the British Library and Wellcome Libraries; Priest’s House Museum in Wimborne and Gill Horitz from Wimborne Community Theatre.
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