East Yorkshire Veteran Creates Annual Remembrance Museum at Home

For the past eight years, Chris Petherbridge, a veteran, has converted his residence into a small Remembrance museum each November. His exhibit showcases wartime memorabilia from conflicts covering over a century. Mr. Petherbridge, a 63-year-old resident of Keyingham in East Yorkshire, served in the army for 18 years. He has personally carved many of the wooden items featured, which contribute to the display’s unique character. He recounted that his efforts felt validated last year when a fellow veteran visited the exhibit and became emotional. “He made my year,” Mr. Petherbridge stated, adding, “It made it worth it just for that one man to stand there and let his feelings out.” The exhibit features wooden poppies positioned across the archway of his driveway and a hand-carved wooden rifle, which he considers his “main achievement.” Additionally, it includes a collection of memorabilia, such as letters and posters. He further commented, “All the kids in the village come and they really appreciate it and it gives me a chance to tell them all about it and pass it on.” He also noted, “We had the Cub Scouts and they actually loved it. It’s nice to see them enjoying it all and that’s what drives me on to do something different every year.” During his service in the armed forces, he was deployed to the Falklands, Cyprus, and Northern Ireland. All three of his children also served in the military. He explained, “Because I had friends that didn’t come home, I wanted to honour the other people in Afghanistan, Iraq and the First World War.” He concluded, “It’s nice just to get people to remember.” Mr. Petherbridge stated that, with assistance from his neighbours, the installation of the display takes approximately one week, and its removal requires three to four days. The public can typically view the exhibit until about a week following Armistice Day.