Archive for the ‘Events’ Category
Posted: May 19, 2011 at 1:55 pm by admin
On Saturday 2 July, don’t miss the massive, astounding Giraffes as they march through the Royal Arsenal. This is a free outdoor event celebrating the completion of the Woolwich Squares, the finale of this year’s Greenwich+Docklands International Festival brings Compagnie Off, one of the world’s leading street theatre companies to Woolwich with their magical outdoor spectacle ‘Giraffes’.
Featuring a herd of life-sized, animated crimson giraffes, a team of zoo keepers, a ringmaster and an opera diva, the production will move through Woolwich’s magnificent new squares in a procession accompanied by dazzling special effects and music, bringing this year’s Festival to a stunning climax.
Time: Around 9.30 pm in The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich
Posted: May 19, 2011 at 12:43 pm by admin
May
What: School Holiday Activities
Where: Firepower, The Royal Artillery Museum
When: Tuesday 31 May – Friday 3 June
Time: 10.30 am – 5.00 pm
June
What: Model Railway Show
Where: Firepower, The Royal Artillery Museum
When: Saturday 4 – Sunday 5 June
Time: Saturday 10.30 am – 5.00 pm
Sunday 10.30 am – 4.00 pm
What: Gunners Today new permanent exhibition opens (Phase 1)
Where: Firepower, The Royal Artillery Museum, Woolwich
When: From Thursday 16 June
Time: 10.30 am – 5.00 pm
What: 10th Anniversary Family Fun Day
Where: Firepower, The Royal Artillery Museum
When: Saturday 18 June
Time: 10.30 am – 5.00 pm
What: Firepower Quiz Night
Where: Museum Café, The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich
When: Thursday 23 June
Time: 7.30 pm
July
What: Les Giraffes - part of the Greenwich & Docklands International Festival
Where: By Firepower, The Royal Artillery Museum in the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich
When: Saturday 2 July
Time: 9.30 pm
Posted: April 14, 2011 at 11:32 am by admin
A major new permanent exhibition focusing on the recent deployments of the Royal Artillery will be opened by Firepower, The Royal Artillery Museum in mid June.
The exhibition, entitled Gunners Today, will be opened in three phases and the first will focus on the experiences of the men and women who served with the Royal Regiment of Artillery in Iraq from 2003 and in Afghanistan from 2001 to the present day. It will tell their stories using objects from medals to artillery pieces and most importantly, the words of the Gunners themselves. It will look at how they felt before going to war and the effect it had on them as well as their experiences in combat.
The personal equipment carried and worn by Gunners through the deployments will be examined and presented in a way that gives the ‘hardware’ on display within the Museum a human perspective. The personal experiences of Gunners in these challenging deployments will be presented in parallel with a commentary about the artillery technology the Gunners used in action and an overview of the strategy of the campaigns, how they were fought and how the Gunners trained for the deployments in very different terrains.
Fundraising is currently underway to complete the other two phases of the exhibition, which will tell the Gunner’s experiences during campaigns in Northern Ireland and the Falklands through to the first Gulf War and Kosovo and Bosnia.
To book tickets, call 0208 312 7134 or click here to book online.
Posted: April 14, 2011 at 11:10 am by admin
April
What: School Holiday Activities
Where: Firepower, The Royal Artillery Museum
When: Now until Thursday 21 April
Time: 10.30 am – 5.00 pm
What: Firepower Quiz Night
Where: Museum Café, The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich
When: Thursday 21 April
Time: 7.30 pm
May
What: Firepower Quiz Night
Where: Museum Café, The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich
When: Thursday 19 May
Time: 7.30 pm
June
What: Model Railway Show
Where: Firepower, The Royal Artillery Museum
When: Saturday 4 – Sunday 5 June
Time: Saturday 10.30 am – 5.00 pm
Sunday 10.30 am – 4.00 pm
What: Gunners Today new permanent exhibition opens (Phase 1)
Where: Firepower, The Royal Artillery Museum
When: From Thursday 16 June
Time: 10.30 am – 5.00 pm
What: 10th Anniversary Family Fun Day
Where: Firepower, The Royal Artillery Museum
When: Saturday 18 June
Time: 10.30 am – 5.00 pm
Posted: February 15, 2011 at 11:36 pm by admin
Review: A great time had by all this February Half Term at Firepower!
Huge fun was had by all this February Half Term at Firepower and it’s educational too. Seen above is the Bungee Run, very popular with out ‘little soldiers’ during the school holidays.
Kids could enter the Camo Zone and experience the Firing Range or you they could have a real bang as they could actually fire a big, loud Second World War 25 pounder gun!
Our younger visitors got their real marching orders and experienced real military drills, where they warmed up, took part in relay races, did star jumps and press ups – real Army drill scaled down so it’s fun for the whole family.
And if they wanted to spend some time using their brain instead, they could take part in Hunt The Soldier. Firepower’s very own game of intrigue which had them following the clues to the hidden pictures of soldiers in and amongst the exhibits and displays around the Museum.
They could also find out more about the experiences of children during the Second World War in our craft sessions by recreating the gas mask that would have been worn when the sirens sounded is a fun and interesting way to learn about the things children experienced on a day to day basis during the war.
Other activities included uniform dress up, which is a fun and creative way to see the equipment of both current and past serving soldiers and to actually see what a Bergen and Mark 6 helmet really feels and looks like.
There were equipment handling sessions where visitors could have a peek into the world of soldiers ration packs, see how soldiers fend for themselves whilst on exercise and operational tours.
Firepower offers great half term and school holiday activities, so don’t miss the next opportunity to bring the kids for a great day out.
Easter Break - Monday 11 – Thursday 21 April 2011
May Half Term - Tuesday 31 May – Friday 3 June 2011
Summer Holidays - Monday 27 July – Friday 29 August 2011
Posted: November 16, 2010 at 7:24 pm by admin
Royal Artillery Band Jazz Night at Firepower, The Royal Artillery Museum in the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich. Friday 19 Nov 2010 Evening – 7pm
Hear an evening of jazz with the Royal Artillery Band Quintet, part of the world-famous Royal Artillery Band, steeped in almost two hundred and fifty years of history. From 7pm you can dine from the Museum Bistro’s extensive menu while you enjoy an evening of fabulous music. Tickets are £15 each to include two 45 minute sets of jazz and a two course meal (buffet style – eat as much as you like. Drinks service will be available at the tables. Limited availability so booking is essential. To book call 0208 312 7123 or e-mail cafe@firepower.org.uk.
Posted: October 15, 2010 at 3:37 pm by admin
For the nine days from Saturday 23 to Sunday 31 October, the Museum will be staging a range of events and activities linked to those in October throughout history. No two days will be the same and on each day you can find out what was happening on that day in history.
Saturday 23 – Sunday 24 October – Living history
Britons in the Spanish Civil War
La Columna is a UK based re-enactment group commemorating and celebrating the international volunteers who went to fight alongside the Spanish people in their defence against Fascism during the Spanish Civil War.
Dressed as members of the British Battalion of the International Brigade (IB) and British Aid for Spain campaigners, La Columna’s re-enactors will talk to visitors and give presentations on British volunteers and their experiences during the Spanish Civil War. The team will also show both the clothing and equipment used by the British Battalion of the International Brigade. The re-enactors, ‘living’ in October 1938, will be talking about the pivotal Battle of Ebro in 1938, the principal battle of the Spanish Civil War.
- Meet Firepower’s own Gun crew and learn about the life of a wartime Royal Artillery Gunner
- Film show about the Battle of the Somme that raged through October 1916
- Meet Second World War Home Front characters
- Firepower’s own radio station GB2RA will be broadcasting round the world using vintage radio equipment and you can join in!
- Family history experts
- Talks on the Royal Arsenal and its history
Come in your own period costume (Allied only please) and get a free gift (Weekends Only).
FREE ADMISSION FOR RESIDENTS OF THE LONDON BOROUGH OF GREENWICH FOR THESE TWO DAYS (WEEKENDS ONLY).
The Museum Café (fully licensed, 3 course menu) will remain open until 10 pm.
Monday 25 to Friday 29 October
Firepower School Holiday Activities
Don’t let the kids get bored over the school holidays! There’s loads of things to do at Firepower over these five days. We’re offering great family friendly activities including:
- Military style drills with soldiers
- Free short fun tours of exhibits
- Making a gas mask
- Fire a real wartime 25 pounder gun!
- Dressing up in uniform
- Hunt the Horrible trails
- Wartime storytelling
- Bungee run – can you do it?
- Tank command
- Firing range!
- Firepower’s radio station talking to people around the world and you can have a go!
Please note that small charges do apply for some of the activities.
Saturday 30 – Sunday 31 October
Royal Arsenal Heritage Quarter Community History Days
- Free admission for residents of London Borough of Greenwich
- Experience two full days of heritage activity in and around Firepower and the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich
- See the Firepower Living History Team
- Family history experts
- Talks on the Royal Arsenal
- Film shows of old Woolwich
- Wargamers in action re-fighting famous battles from October’s history.
- Meet soldiers from the Napoleonic War, English Civil War and First World War.
- Firepower’s own radio station GB2RA will be broadcasting round the world using vintage radio equipment and you can join in!
PLUS
Tours & Ghost Walks
Saturday 30th October – Guided tour of the historic Royal Arsenal
Sunday 31st – GHOST tours (£4 adults, £2 children or meal deal for £15) of the Museum and Royal Arsenal (to book call 020 8855 7755)
Come in your own period costume (Allied only please) and get a free gift (Weekends Only).
FREE ADMISSION FOR RESIDENTS OF THE LONDON BOROUGH OF GREENWICH FOR THESE TWO DAYS (WEEKENDS ONLY).
The Museum Café (fully licensed, 3 course menu) will remain open until 10pm.
Posted: October 15, 2010 at 3:11 pm by admin
Old Royal Military academy in 18th century
Behind the scenes of Bright Star - filmed in the Academy Building in May 2008
The weekend of 18-19 September gave visitors to Firepower a chance to have a rare FREE glimpse inside the Royal Arsenal’s historic Old Royal Military Academy where history was taught and made. This Grade II* listed building (1716-20) is attributed to Nicholas Hawksmoor and was commissioned by the Board of Ordnance. It was the birthplace of the Royal Artillery and one of first military academies of Europe. The British army officer training system is world-famous. Now based at Sandhurst, for its first 84 years the Royal Military Academy (RMA) was based in Hawksmoor’s building in the Royal Arsenal. The Academy took in the first cadets in 1721 then in 1741 the Academy was put on a firmer basis with a Royal Warrant and in 1746 was granted a Royal Charter by King George II. In 1805, the cadets were first moved into a converted workshop, and the RMA Woolwich became known to generations of officers as “The Shop”, giving the English language the expression “talking shop”. The traditions begun and standards set in the Old Royal Military Academy in Woolwich in the 18th Century are carried through to today as the core values of military education and standards in Britain and in many other countries.
As a period gem the building is in demand for location work and has been used in films such as Bright Star. Most of the time however the building is used for corporate and private hire and is used for meetings and exhibitions – it is also licensed for marriage so is a popular one-stop wedding venue where couples can get married and have their reception in the same historic location.
Firepower normally hosts two Open House Weekends per year. Sign up to the newsletter on our homepage to keep up-to-date with 2011 events.
Posted: October 15, 2010 at 2:53 pm by admin
It was the 70th Anniversary of the Blitz this past September and all across London, air raid sirens could be heard marking this momentous days. At Firepower, crowds gathered along with staff, volunteers and re-enactors to commemorate the brave who died during this pivotal battle of the Second World War but also to honour the civilians who perished as well. The first raid on what came to be called “Black Saturday” targeted The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, then a major munitions manufacturing complex. On the afternoon of 7 September, the Royal Artillery Museum held a two minutes silence at 4.43pm, the moment the Air Raid Sirens sounded. A wartime 25 pounder artillery piece was fired to mark the event and an air raid siren was then sounded.
The event was attended by a crowd of visitors, guests, serving and retired Royal Artillery Gunners and included a talk on the Blitz by one of the Museum’s team dressed as a wartime air raid warden.
Deputy Mayor of Greenwich, staff and volunteers honour the occassion
Crowds gather in the Royal Arsenal to commemorate the anniversary
Steve Hookins, Collections Assistant, dressed as a ARP Warden circa 1940 with the 25 pounder artillery gun fired on the day.
Posted: September 6, 2010 at 6:51 pm by admin
Elephant and Castle Tube Station during The Blitz
Did you know?
FOOD RATIONING
Weekly allowances per person in Britain during wartime rationing in 1943 were:
- 3 pints of milk
- 3 1/4Ib – 1Ib meat
- 1 egg (or 1 packet of dried eggs every 2 months)
- 3-4 oz cheese
- 4 oz bacon and ham
- 2 oz tea
- 8 oz sugar
- 2 oz butter
- 2 oz cooking fat
CLOTHES RATIONING
In addition to strict rationing of food, clothes were also rationed and controlled by the issue of clothing coupons. From 1st June 1941, every individual was allocated a maximum of just 66 clothing coupons per year which equated to just one complete outfit every twelve months.
- Woman’s nightdress = 6 coupons.
- Mans overcoat = 16 coupons
- Dress = 11 coupons
- Underpants = 4 coupons
- Handkerchief = ½ coupon
- Pyjamas = 8 coupons
In 1942, a utility scheme was introduced to limit the amounts of material used in the making of clothes, for example:
A men’s suit would have:
- 3 pockets maximum
- No turn ups
- 3 buttons maximum
Ladies clothing could not have:
- elastic waistbands or elaborate belts
- shoes with a maximum heel height of just 2 inches/ 5cm.
Want to learn more about rationing and life in Britain during wartime, visit Firepower on Saturday 11 September for Home Front Heroes Day
