Selsey 57 Exhibition -Chichester Post-Friday 19 October 2018

AN EXHIBITION was held over the weekend in the Selsey Pavilion to remember the 57 men on Selsey’s War Memorial, who fell in the First World War and also those men who fought and returned. The project, Selsey 57, is an intergenerational and collaborative project, led by Arts Dream Selsey, which promotes a range of artistic activities. The men on Selsey’s War Memorial came from all walks of life, from agricultural labourers to ‘gentlemen’, and their ages spanned nearly three decades from 16 to 44. As Selsey was primarily a fishing village, a significant number of men enlisted with the naval services and 11 of the men on the memorial died at sea in vessels ranging from yachts to battleships. The Selsey 57 project also remembers those who returned. The men coming back to Selsey had their lives changed by their wartime experiences and a large number of them coped with mental and physical scars for the rest of their lives. Many would have seen friends killed and some endured appalling conditions in the trenches. Others were invalided out before the end of the war and at least one man was a prisoner of war. Several men were mentioned in despatches or awarded medals for particular acts of bravery. Arts Dream Selsey was founded in October 2012, as a voluntary arts organisation. It has been instrumental in running arts workshops, taster days, performance events and forums over the last year and has made huge strides in supporting the Selsey community. Chris Butler, director at Arts Dream, said: “People attended the exhibition from London, Southampton, Windsor, Portsmouth, Worthing and, of course, Selsey”. During the two days, more than 300 people visited, and examples of comments included: “Absolutely stunning research by the lead research Marilyn Smith. It all must be made into a book”. “Excellent exhibition. Extremely interesting. Thanks to the organisers and Arts Dream for uncovering such amazing memories”. Special thanks must go to Selsey Town Council and Ferry Farm Community Fund for the Selsey 57.