Ideas for a War Memorial

Linslade War Memorial, c.1920 [Z1306/74/2/3]

Sunday 15th December 1918: Now that the War has come to an end, consideration is being given to appropriate ways to commemorate both those who lost their lives in the conflict, and those who served in the Armed Forces. The Vicar of Linslade has been thinking over this matter, and has written the following piece for this month’s parish magazine:

“When we have got over the next excitement of the Election we must try to settle down again, and prepare a welcome for our returning soldiers and sailors. We shall also have to think about plans for a suitable memorial to those who have given up their lives for us. Before this appears in print I shall have consulted the Church Council on the subject. I suppose that whatever general memorial is set up we shall think it right to have one also in the Parish Church, which is the only large public building in the place, and I think there ought also to be a permanent Roll of Honour, with the names of all those from the parish who have served in the Army, Navy, or Air Force. What forms these memorials shall take must be carefully considered, and I shall be glad to receive suggestions to submit to the Church Council.”

Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer 17th December 1918

Vicar of Linslade to Take Up Munitions Work

Saint Barnabas Church, Linslade [Z1432/1]

Sunday 7th January 1917: The Vicar of Linslade, Reverend W. S. Mahony, has published the following message in this month’s parish magazine:

“For a long time I have been wondering (like a great many other people) how I could do a bit more to help to win the war. The work in this parish is peculiar: while on Sundays there is more than enough work for two priests, on week-days we have a certain amount of leisure, though not nearly as much as a great many people imagine. With the consent of the Bishop of Buckingham, and with the agreement of the Churchwardens and certain others whom I have consulted, I have resolved to try to work a few days weekly at munitions, commencing on January 8th. Mr. Liddiard has most readily undertaken the extra work which will devolve on him, and I hope that the working of the parish will not suffer, although for part of every week I shall not be able to go about among you. The demand for labour seems so great that there seems little danger of my ‘doing anybody out of a job,’ while any wages I may be able to earn I propose to send to the Red Cross Society, whose receipts I hope to fix in the Church porch as a guarantee.”

Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer, 9th  January 1917

Farewell from the Rector of Gravenhurst

Collisson family outside Gravenhurst Rectory, c.1904 [Z465/10]

Wednesday 21st June 1916: Following the death of his son Lieutenant Evelyn Collisson on 23rd February the Rector of Gravenhurst, Revd. Thomas Collisson, is leaving for a new living at Swyre in Dorset. In a letter of farewell to his parishioners he tells them: “After having lived amongst you for 19½ years it is a great wrench parting, but it must be after our very heavy bereavement. I give you our address in the hope that now and again I shall hear from you, and know how Gravenhurst Parish progresses spiritually and in worldly matters.” The Rector and his family are expected to leave Gravenhurst around the 19th July. He has been offered the living of Swyre by His Grace the Duke of Bedford, who owns much of the property there and ensures that the people are well cared for and housed at a cheap rental. It is to hoped that life in this “pretty little village” with its population of about 156 and a charming, stone Rectory, will help the Rector and his family to recover from their terrible loss.

Source: Barton Parish Magazine, June 1916 [P298/30/18]

No Strikes in France

St. John's Street, Biggleswade with church on left, c.1905 [Z1306/16/17/2]

Sunday 5th September 1915: The Reverend Edmund Gatty, a former curate at St. John’s Church, Biggleswade[1], has been out in France for three months driving his car for the Red Cross. He has described the work he has been doing and given some of his impressions of the country to the Bedfordshire Express:

“The mothers and wives and daughters with amazing ability, have assumed full charge of the men’s work in the background. You see them everywhere – working the farms and the factories, doing heavy manual labour, most of them stricken with grief and anxiety, sparing nothing, shirking nothing, to keep things goings. It is their pride to be able to send their men-folk money at the front, and gifts, for there is only nominal pay – for the men in the trenches a halfpenny a day and a totally inadequate separation allowance. There are no strikes in France, and no desire to strike. I never felt so ashamed as when Frenchmen asked me how they were possible in England. All are trying as hard as they can to do their very best possible for their beloved country.”

“Of our own work, 30 cars and 55 men carried 18,000 wounded and sick in three months. The highest number in twenty-four hours was 1,001. We carried them direct from the field ambulance stations, which are about half a mile behind the trenches, to the distributing stations about eight miles back, and thence to different hospitals. One lived in an uproar of traffic and guns, which practically never ceased, but one became entirely accustomed to it, as one did to ghastly sights and risks of infection from nearly every known disease. We were incorporated for the time in the French Army, drawing their rations and pay, and under their discipline.”

Source: Biggleswade Chronicle, 10 September 1915

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[1] The Reverend Percival Edmund Gatty (1866-1937) was the vicar of Offley (Herts) from 1900-1925. He was also known as Edmund Percival.

A Fight to the Finish

Sharnbrook Vicarage - this thatched building was pulled down in the year this card was postmarked, 1910 [Z1306/100/19/1]

Friday 2nd October 1914: The vicar of Sharnbrook, Mr Chetwode Ram, has written about the war in the parish newsletter this week, warning that the war may be a long one and will be a “fight to the finish”.

 “We must remember that when we pray for our sailors and soldiers we do not only pray that they may be protected from the special perils of war (wounds and sickness). They are be-set by other dangers besides these, and therefore we pray for those who are on service at home as well as at the front. We pray especially for young recruits, that God may guard them in the hour of trial and temptation, and keep them from all things hurtful to either soul or body. We shall pray especially for those patriotic young men who have left their homes and their work in Sharnbrook to serve their King and country. All honour to them. It seems as if this war will be a long one. Not until we have accomplished that for which we have taken up arms can we even wish it to come to an end. In the words of our King, “This is a fight to the finish.” So far we have done well. Our men have shown themselves to be heroes indeed. We trust in God and in them for the future..” 

There is also talk about the possibility of Sharnbrook getting a public water supply. The water is very hard and while those living in the old part of the village have plenty of water some of the newer houses do not have good enough wells and often suffer from lack of water.

Source: Sharnbrook Parish Record Book [P112/28/6]