This exhibition brings new light to one of the most poignant symbols of loss from the First World War: the memorial plaque, often known as the 'Death Penny'. Awarded to the families of service members who died during the conflict, each bronze plaque carries the name of an individual who never returned home. Though cast by the thousands, every plaque represents a singular life, a family changed forever, and a story that continues to echo across generations.
This exhibition presents a curated selection of memorial plaques alongside portraits, letters and biographical narratives of the individuals they commemorate. through these pairings, visitors are invited to move beyond the austere bronze disc and encounter the humanity behind it - the young men and women who lived, dreamed, struggled and were mourned.
Complimenting the physical display, there will be an online exhibition to expand access to these histories, offering high-resolution images, recorded family testimonies, and interactive digital documents. Together, the in-person and virtual components create a space where memory is both intimate and collectively shared. Engraved in Absence invites audiences to reflect not only on the cost of war, but also on the power of remembrance - how we choose to honour the lost, and how their stories continue to shape our present.
Entry to the exhibition is free. Donations to the museum welcomed.
Also check out other Exhibitions in Hartlepool.
