Cumbria's Museum of Military Life

23/06/2026

👩🏼‍🔧 When the First World War ended, so did many women’s engineering jobs.

During WWI, many women stepped into technical and engineering roles across factories, transport, and mechanical work - keeping essential systems running while men were on the front line.

But when the war ended, many of these women were pushed out of their roles to make space for returning servicemen.

In response, the Women’s Engineering Society was founded in 1919 to support women working in engineering and to protect the skills and experience they had gained during the war.

✨ International Women in Engineering Day (today!) ✨ reminds us that women have long been part of technical and industrial history - even when they were later written out of it.

Their work didn’t disappear when the war ended. It just became less visible.

22/06/2026

🇬🇧 It’s Armed Forces Week 🇬🇧

We’re marking a national week of recognition for the Armed Forces - past and present.

We’ll be sharing a little more from Carlisle city centre on Armed Forces Day itself (Saturday 27th June), but for now it’s a simple shoutout to service, stories, and the people behind the uniform 🙌🏻

21/06/2026

Some stories are passed down, not written down…

This ✨ Father’s Day ✨, we’re thinking about the objects and memories that connect generations - medals kept in drawers, photographs in albums, and personal items that carry family stories long after they were first used.

Many of the objects in our collection were once part of someone’s family life. They were kept, cared for, and eventually donated so those memories could be shared and preserved through our work - many of these are now being unearthed from the museum archives as part of our Down to Brass Tacks project.

These items help us carry family stories forward, turning personal history into shared heritage.

If you’re visiting or following us today, take a moment to think about the objects in your own family that tell a story.

20/06/2026

🏷️ Running a big collections project like Down to Brass Tacks isn’t always about exciting discoveries and hidden treasures…🏷️

Sometimes it’s just a case of carefully tying labels, checking records, and making sure every object is properly documented. It might not be glamorous, but it’s essential work - and we’re fortunate to have some of the best volunteers in Cumbria helping us to do it!

19/06/2026

Private William Quinn, 1st Border Regiment from Whitehaven, Cumberland, who was born in 1882.

The son of John and Bessie Quinn of Whitehaven (originally Ireland), William had enlisted into the Border Regiment at Brackenber Moor near Appleby before the war.

He joined the 3rd Special Reserve Battalion of the Regiment, this Battalion was part time with a permanent staff based at the Regimental Depot at Carlisle Castle.

The Special Reserve formed in 1908 and was similar to the Territorials. After basic training, there was as requirement to attend trainings and an annual camp and it also meant a commitment to serve overseas in time of War. Brackenber Camp near Appleby was a regular location for the units annual training camp.

The 32 year old was called up at the beginning of the war. He performed active service in France and was invalided home with frostbite.

He was in hospital in Newcastle for about three weeks and then came home to Whitehaven, where he remained for three weeks prior to going to hospital at Carlisle.

He was then despatched to Shoeburyness and from there went with the first draft to the Dardanelles in May 1915.

William died of Wounds on 29 June 1915. It is likely that he suffered his fatal wounds during the Battle of Gully Ravine on 28 June.

His name is on Special Memorial 191, Pink Farm Cemetery and he is commemorated on the memorial in St Beghs Church in Whitehaven, Cumbria.

[Source: Thanks to Lynne Fowler for the information]

19/06/2026

☀️🌧️ It’s hard to keep up with Carlisle’s weather at the moment! ☀️🌧️

Whether you’re looking to cool down with a cold drink or warm up with a hot one, we’ve got you covered in our café!

🍰 Alongside a range of hot and cold drinks, you’ll also find sandwiches, cakes, and other tasty treats waiting for you 🥪

So whatever the weather decides to do next, why not pop in and make yourself comfortable?

John Watt & Son

18/06/2026

Looking forward to this 🙌🏻

Set your reminders for 6pm on the 1st of July!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1E3e9SiX5h/?mibextid=wwXIfr

20 years of The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment.

We are marking the anniversary of our Regiment with the release of our new video, Kingsmen.

We're excited to show you what we've been working on over the last 12 months, at 6pm on 1st July.

Set your reminder for the YouTube Premiere and be there when it goes live.

Set Reminder: https://vist.ly/57ihn

17/06/2026

😬 Surprises Round Every Corner!

You never know what you’ll discover during a visit to the museum…

Our interactive displays are designed to bring history to life, and some of them can be a little unexpected 👀

17/06/2026

⚽ It’s England’s first World Cup game today…

Do we have a direct connection to the tournament? Not exactly.
Do we have a football in the museum? Absolutely!

So here it is. Wishing England the best of luck in their opening match 🙌🏻

Will football be coming home this year?

(📸 Leather football used in the 1935 Durand Cup Final, on display in the Museum)

16/06/2026

💙 It’s Men’s Health Week (June 15-21) 💙

Looking after your health isn’t just about staying physically fit - it’s also about looking after your mental wellbeing.

This week is a reminder to take a moment for yourself, check in with friends and family, and make your health a priority.

Because looking after yourself is always worth it.