Findmypast and Imperial War Museums’ groundbreaking Lives of the First World War project enters its final year
- Annual subscriptions will no longer be available from 30th March 2018
- Findmypast and IWM call on members of the public to preserve as many stories as possible before submissions cease on 18th March 2019
Findmypast and Imperial War Museums today announced their groundbreaking collaboration, Lives of the First World War, will cease taking submissions on 18th March 2019. From this date onwards, IWM will act as the custodian of the millions of contributions made by members of the public, creating a permanent digital memorial that will always remain free to access.
Annual subscriptions will no longer be available from 30th March 2018 and all automatic renewals will be cancelled. Monthly subscriptions can still be purchased until 1st March 2019.
Lives of the First World War was launched in 2014 as the IWM’s flagship digital centenary project. Since then it has captured the stories of more than 7.6 million men and women from across Britain and the Commonwealth who contributed their ‘toil and sacrifice’ during the First World War.
Charlotte Czyzyk, Public Engagement and Project Manager for Lives of the First World War, said: From factory workers and members of the armed forces, to medics and conscientious objectors, Lives of the First World War has curated over 2.2 million biographical details, anecdotes and images thanks to the contributions of more than 130,000 dedicated members. These rich, personal life stories will be preserved by IWMs for future generations, serving as a powerful and permanent record of the ‘lost generation’.
As the project enters its final year, Findmypast and IWM are calling on members of the public to help them preserve as many stories as possible. By joining Lives of the First World War and uploading scans of photos, letters and diaries, by researching a name on a local war memorial, or by sharing anecdotes passed down through the generations, family historians will contribute to a permanent digital memorial that will help shape our understanding of this important period of world history, both now and in the future.
With thanks to Findmypast