A poignant object is featured in Beverley’s First World War exhibition, “Keeping the Home Fires Burning: how the First World War was felt in Beverley”, which is currently on display in one of the newly renovated exhibition rooms in the Beverley Guildhall.
Albert Rice, father of well-known local figure, Bill Rice, carried a pair of nail scissors, together with a pack of photographs, in his wallet while he was serving at the front.
In March 1918 he was shot, but the bullet was deflected by the pair of scissors striking his lung instead of his heart, thus saving his life.
The wallet and also the photographs, all bearing the bullet hole, are kept by Albert’s family and can be seen in the exhibition. There’s also a bundle of letters sent home by Albert when he was recuperating inside of a German POW hospital.
Albert Rice’s wallet has kindly been loaned to the museum by his family for the duration of the exhibition.
Gillian Rice, Albert’s granddaughter said: “Our family is very ordinary and Albert was just a private therefore we feel very lucky to have this unique connection with such an important part of history.”
Keeping the Home Fires Burning” will run until 28 November 2014.
The Guildhall is open from 10am to 4pm every Friday, and from 10am to 4pm on Wednesdays until the end of October. Admission is free.
