BGU Collaborate on Original Play and Exhibition to Mark the 2018 Armistice

The play, ‘The World at Her Feet’, will be presented by the Lincoln Mystery Plays at the Drill Hall from 11-17 November and tells the story of a munitionette football team in Lincoln following their fortunes during and after the war.

BGU, in partnership with Lincoln Central Library, has also created an exhibition for the period up to and through the staging of the play. The exhibition traces the history of the women’s game from early reports in the late 1880s, through its rise to fame during the First World War years, and up to its falling away after a ban by the Football Association in 1921.

The exhibition and rehearsals for the play were the subject of a feature produced and presented by Nicola Gilroy for BBC Look North on 25 October.

Dr Andrew Jackson, Historian and Head of Research at BGU, emphasised the significance of what has been developed by the Lincoln Mystery Plays, BGU and Lincoln Central Library:

“The play and exhibition make a very distinctive and original contribution to how organisations and communities are marking the final centenary year of the First World War, locally and nationally'.

"Both productions recognise the particular contribution of women to the war effort, set against the wider strides being taken to try to advance the position of women in work, politics and society in Britain the years up to, during and following the conflict.”

The history of women’s football one hundred years ago is an inspiring one in the present. The exhibition also tells the story of the remarkable run of success for the Lincoln Ladies football team between 1995 and 2013, and celebrates the importance of the game for local families and communities today.

The exhibition contains images and contemporary reports that have been lent generously by Lincoln Central Library, Lincoln City FC, the National Football Museum, the Lincolnshire Echo and a number of private individuals.

Tickets for ‘The World at Her Feet’ are available to book directly from the Drill Hall, Freeschool Lane, Lincoln.

BGU will also be holding a special symposium in honour of the Armistice centenary on Wednesday 21 November. The symposium is free and open to the public and will showcase the original research being conducted at BGU on the human experience of war, exploring the role and impact of war on combatants and civilians, alongside how it was shared and imagined. Topics such as soldier sanitation and wellbeing will be presented on, alongside soldier suicide, flight experience at Cranwell, conscientious objection, and Lincolnshire home front poetry.

The Research Team at BGU are dedicated to preserving and championing the history of Lincolnshire and its residents. You can keep up to date with all their activities via our website or, if you would like to get involved yourself, you can contact our Enquiries Team to find out how to start your new adventure.