WHERE IS VIGNACOURT?
Vignacourt is a commune in the Somme department of Picardie
in northern France, the town is situated 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Amiens, on the D12 and D49 junction.
AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?
For Allied servicemen and women during World War One, Vignacourt was a place of stability, where they could
rest, enjoy some recreation, undergo training, or receive much needed dental or medical attention. It was never captured and so avoided the fate of other Somme villages whose citizens suffered great hardship. Numerous nearby villagers were evacuated and
their homes and livelihoods obliterated by relentless bombardments as the combatants were locked in desperate struggles.
While Vignacourt no doubt watched anxiously, even fearfully whilst the Western front line moved further westward costly
inch by inch, sections passing from the hands of the foe into the possession of the allies, or the reverse
Of significance to the historical and cultural heritage of Vignacourt citizens and to the rest of the world, is one unassuming residence in Rue d' Amor. It was the home of Louis and Antoinette Thuiller. Safeguarded in their attic was a collection of nearly 4,000 glassplate negatives and their signature photographic backdrop. These survived not one world war but two, as well as the vagaries of family fortunes and the effects of seasonal extremes of temperature.
Involved in re-enactment scenes for the Seven Network “The Lost Diggers” documentary by the “Sunday Night” program, Valerie Vasseur (Director), Lucile Werkin (Project Coordinator) and the teens of the Centre Animation Jeunesse (Youth Activities Centre) became passionately involved in the Thuillier photographic collection and the story behind its discovery. Valerie and Lucile
saw the exciting possibilities for creating an ongoing “living history” project drawing on their skills and their wide circle of multimedia contacts to engage the teens in creative projects to honour the Thuilliers and the Australian Diggers whose images were frozen in time. They renamed their youth centre (which also served as the community headquarters for all the local associations) the Maison
des Australiens (House of Australiens) and formed a non-profit Maison des Australiens Association (House of Australians Association). On ANZAC Day in 2012 the building was renamed and was formally opened under that name along with the launch of a
collection of Thuillier images displayed with bilingual interpretive text. In 2013 they inaugurated a weeklong series of commemorative events culminating in an ANZAC Day march to the local military cemetery (The Vignacourt British Cemetery maintained by The Commonwealth War Graves Commission.) ANZAC week is dedicated to the Franco-Australian commitment to ANZAC commemoration and features ongoing projects focussed on the portraits of soldiers and civilians in the Thuillier collection.
Since the first ANZAC day in 2012 the youth have been committed to making ANZAC commemorations a permanent event in Vignacourt. They have also taken on the responsibility of conducting visitors of all ages on guided tours of the House of Australians and its exhibition of Thuillier photographs, not only during ANZAC week but also at other times of the year by appointment.
The Thuillier farm, owned by the municipality of Vignacourt since November 2012, holds an open day, and visitors, both French and Australians, are invited to come and have their photographs taken in the farmyard.For many it will be a re-enactment of their
ancestor’s portrait sitting. Various accessories are used resembling those period props used by the Thuilliers when staging their photography. The star feature is always the signature Thuillier canvas backdrop (reproduced at the same time the plates were acquired by Mr Kerry Stokes).
The Vignacourt Council will over the coming years develop the Maison Thuillier into a local museum to permanently house their Thuillier photographic collection and artefacts.
Courtesy Alison McCallum Mason des Australiens ( Australia)
Vignacourt is a commune in the Somme department of Picardie
in northern France, the town is situated 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Amiens, on the D12 and D49 junction.
AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?
For Allied servicemen and women during World War One, Vignacourt was a place of stability, where they could
rest, enjoy some recreation, undergo training, or receive much needed dental or medical attention. It was never captured and so avoided the fate of other Somme villages whose citizens suffered great hardship. Numerous nearby villagers were evacuated and
their homes and livelihoods obliterated by relentless bombardments as the combatants were locked in desperate struggles.
While Vignacourt no doubt watched anxiously, even fearfully whilst the Western front line moved further westward costly
inch by inch, sections passing from the hands of the foe into the possession of the allies, or the reverse
Of significance to the historical and cultural heritage of Vignacourt citizens and to the rest of the world, is one unassuming residence in Rue d' Amor. It was the home of Louis and Antoinette Thuiller. Safeguarded in their attic was a collection of nearly 4,000 glassplate negatives and their signature photographic backdrop. These survived not one world war but two, as well as the vagaries of family fortunes and the effects of seasonal extremes of temperature.
Involved in re-enactment scenes for the Seven Network “The Lost Diggers” documentary by the “Sunday Night” program, Valerie Vasseur (Director), Lucile Werkin (Project Coordinator) and the teens of the Centre Animation Jeunesse (Youth Activities Centre) became passionately involved in the Thuillier photographic collection and the story behind its discovery. Valerie and Lucile
saw the exciting possibilities for creating an ongoing “living history” project drawing on their skills and their wide circle of multimedia contacts to engage the teens in creative projects to honour the Thuilliers and the Australian Diggers whose images were frozen in time. They renamed their youth centre (which also served as the community headquarters for all the local associations) the Maison
des Australiens (House of Australiens) and formed a non-profit Maison des Australiens Association (House of Australians Association). On ANZAC Day in 2012 the building was renamed and was formally opened under that name along with the launch of a
collection of Thuillier images displayed with bilingual interpretive text. In 2013 they inaugurated a weeklong series of commemorative events culminating in an ANZAC Day march to the local military cemetery (The Vignacourt British Cemetery maintained by The Commonwealth War Graves Commission.) ANZAC week is dedicated to the Franco-Australian commitment to ANZAC commemoration and features ongoing projects focussed on the portraits of soldiers and civilians in the Thuillier collection.
Since the first ANZAC day in 2012 the youth have been committed to making ANZAC commemorations a permanent event in Vignacourt. They have also taken on the responsibility of conducting visitors of all ages on guided tours of the House of Australians and its exhibition of Thuillier photographs, not only during ANZAC week but also at other times of the year by appointment.
The Thuillier farm, owned by the municipality of Vignacourt since November 2012, holds an open day, and visitors, both French and Australians, are invited to come and have their photographs taken in the farmyard.For many it will be a re-enactment of their
ancestor’s portrait sitting. Various accessories are used resembling those period props used by the Thuilliers when staging their photography. The star feature is always the signature Thuillier canvas backdrop (reproduced at the same time the plates were acquired by Mr Kerry Stokes).
The Vignacourt Council will over the coming years develop the Maison Thuillier into a local museum to permanently house their Thuillier photographic collection and artefacts.
Courtesy Alison McCallum Mason des Australiens ( Australia)
