THE First World War and the Suffragette movement are among the aspects of Malvern's history newly chronicled at the town's museum, which has just opened its doors for the year.

While the museum, set in the historic Abbey Archway, was shut for the winter, volunteers were hard at work creating new displays for the 2015 season.

Among the aspects of history highlighted is the suffragette movement, which celebrates its 150th anniversary this year.

Malvern produced one of its more militant members, Elsie Howey, who would be convicted six times and force fed during some of her prison sentences. She features prominently in the Victorian Room.

The museum is also looking back 100 years to 1915, the second year of World War One, which saw the arrival in Malvern of 3,000 new recruits from the Warwickshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire regiments. They encamped above and below the railway line on what is now Peachfield Common. Camp life, training, digging trenches, entertainment and a visit by Lloyd George the munitions minister, are all recorded in the exhibition.

The museum has also published its second commemorative booklet on the Great War, Malvern in the Great War 1915.

Drawn from the Malvern Gazette, the booklet describes how air raid precautions had become necessary as a result of the Zeppelin attacks over Great Yarmouth, yet the town was still enjoying family entertainments such as the large circuses that came to town.

It als features tales of courage and sacrifice by the young men of Malvern fighting overseas in Gallipoli, France and Belgium, as told through letters home. It is available at the museum at £4.50.

Other new displays include ones on the donkeys that took visitors up the Malvern Hills, friendly societies such as the Royal Order of Ancient Buffaloes, the Independent Order of Oddfellows and the Freemasons, the development of the Priory Gatehouse and the work of artist Dame Laura Knight .

Malvern Museum is open every day from 10.30am to 4.30pm. A small admission fee is in place, but children are admitted free at weekends.