This resource can be used to learn about the life of Walton Burrell as a significant figure in Suffolk history and in deaf history. It has been created particularly with primary school students in mind but could be adapted to be used with any age group. Walton Burrell was born in 1863. He was a photographer, world traveller, and deaf pioneer. About 3,000 of his photographs are today looked after by Suffolk Archives. They include pictures of daily life in the late 19th and early 20th century, his travels, and the effects of the First World War on Suffolk. Walton was one of the earliest members of the British Deaf and Dumb Association when it was founded in 1890 to advocate for improved rights for deaf people.

Between 1916 and 1918 about 1.3 million men were conscripted into the armed forces. This resource draws on extremely rare records to examine cases where men applied for exemption from conscription. What were their motivations, and how were decisions made about who should go to war and who should stay at home? The resource includes activities working with documents and guides students through analysing data in a spreadsheet. This resource can be used to learn about: How conscription during WWI affected people’s lives How and why men or their employers applied for exemption from military service, and the reasons they gave How the needs of the local economy were balanced with the need for men in the army How historians can analyse large quantities of data The resource is based on rare surviving records from the Bury St Edmunds Local Tribunal. You can find out more in our online display.