jay dubaya Posted 10 October , 2008 Share Posted 10 October , 2008 I recently came across a reference to a local village here in Pembrokeshire that has no memorial because all those who left returned to their famlies after the war, any hep much appreciated, cheers, Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 10 October , 2008 Share Posted 10 October , 2008 Jon IIRC, there's a very comprehensive article by Tom Morgan on his Hellfire Corner site. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stanley_C_Jenkins Posted 10 October , 2008 Share Posted 10 October , 2008 Examples include Arkholme in Lancashire, Coln Rogers in Gloucestershire and Herodsfoot in Cornwall. There are thought to be about 40 thankful villages in England, but nobody appears to have listed the thankful villages in Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moston Posted 10 October , 2008 Share Posted 10 October , 2008 The concept of 'Thankful Villages' is totally new to me - something that is rarely discussed/mentioned. Thanks for extending my knowledge. Simon. Found this site: - http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/Engla...fulVillages.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 10 October , 2008 Share Posted 10 October , 2008 I didnt have time earlier to look up Tom's article. But here's the link now . Linky link J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baorbrat Posted 10 October , 2008 Share Posted 10 October , 2008 Examples include Arkholme in Lancashire, Coln Rogers in Gloucestershire and Herodsfoot in Cornwall. There are thought to be about 40 thankful villages in England, but nobody appears to have listed the thankful villages in Ireland, Scotland and Wales. As far as I am aware, there are no "Thankful" villages in Scotland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NigelS Posted 10 October , 2008 Share Posted 10 October , 2008 Details of three in Somerset given in a Daily Telegraph article here: http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...ankful+villages which says there are 42 such villages. NigelS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilEvans Posted 10 October , 2008 Share Posted 10 October , 2008 I'm amazed we have one in Shropshire. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clive_hughes Posted 10 October , 2008 Share Posted 10 October , 2008 Jon, do you mean Herbrandston near Milford Haven, Pembs.? There is a plaque in the parish church recording that all those from the village who served in BOTH World Wars returned. LST_164 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 10 October , 2008 Share Posted 10 October , 2008 Jon, do you mean Herbrandston near Milford Haven, Pembs.? There is a plaque in the parish church recording that all those from the village who served in BOTH World Wars returned. LST_164 I was very interested to hear about Herbrandston. I received an email about it the day before yesterday (and this post has reminded me to reply to it - thanks!) LST refers to a plaque in the church, and I have also heard of two windows in the church, given to commemorate the safe return of all those who went. I'd be very interested to hear more and to see exactly what the plaque says, and whether or not there's any written dedication in the windows. Does anyone have any further information? Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stanley_C_Jenkins Posted 10 October , 2008 Share Posted 10 October , 2008 As I understand it, the concept of the "Thankful Villages" was introduced by Arthur Mee (1875-1943), the editor of The Childrens Encyclopedia and The King's England. Although he was an enthusiastic supporter of the British Empire, Mr Mee was something of an English nationalist who showed little obvious interest in Ireland, Wales or Scotland, and I strongly suspect that his list of 41 "Thankful Villages" relates only to England. There must also be thankful villages elsewhere in the British Isles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay dubaya Posted 10 October , 2008 Author Share Posted 10 October , 2008 Thanks to all for your input, LST it certainly is Herbranston, I should have known you'd have some knowledge about this one. It was mentioned in one of Vernon Scotts books who sadly died earlier this year, I never did get to talk to him about the Armistice message that came through Haverfordwest post office on the night of the 10th and so I'm sure the story will become a local myth. Does the plaque actually contain the word 'returned'. I've got the AVL so I can check at least some of the names. Tom, I live only a couple of miles from Herbrandston and will be paying a visit there over the week-end. I'm more than happy to pass on any photos and details I can gather about the village which also hosts it's own Palmeston Folly in the form of Herbarandston Fort protecting the Milford Haven waterway. I'll also be looking at other villages in the locallity if LST wants to point me in the right direction. Has a list already been started? It stands to reason that there shoud be at least a couple of dozen Thankful Villages in Wales, likewise for Ireland and Scotland. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stanley_C_Jenkins Posted 10 October , 2008 Share Posted 10 October , 2008 I am fairly certain that I am correct in suggesting that Arthur Mee introduced the term "Thankful Villages", although he estimated that there were only 32 Thankful Villages, of which he could positively identify 24. In recent years, local historians such as Norman Thorpe and Tom Morgan have identified 41 parishes (not villages) throughout England and Wales from which all soldiers returned home safely from the Great War. To that extent there is a "definitive" list of parishes - bearing in mind that a parish may well contain several hamlets. It would appear that the list does not include Ireland or Scotland, which suggests that local historians, may well be able to contribute further information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clive_hughes Posted 10 October , 2008 Share Posted 10 October , 2008 Tom and Jon, afraid you've got me there - I lived in the village for a time, but can't remember the windows or the exact wording of the plaque. It was pretty brief and referred to both Wars. Jon will reveal all in due course! LST_164 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baorbrat Posted 10 October , 2008 Share Posted 10 October , 2008 Thanks to all for your input, It stands to reason that there shoud be at least a couple of dozen Thankful Villages in Wales, likewise for Ireland and Scotland. Jon Why does it stand to reason? It is a "Nonsense discription" - There are worse things than dying. - More than a few of the so called thankful Villiages did have people who "Died", they just didnt build a War Mremorial. - How do you define "From", Does it mean, born? lived? Enlisted? His great auntie lived there? That is not and never was a standard reason for a name to be on a memorial. or for a name to be left off -It is based on an individuals definition of Dying during the war. Who was the last person to die because of WW1, Do you know? because I would like to know. A Higher proportion of Scots served. I can show you war memorials in Scotland that no longer have a villiage. Are they the Grateful Dead? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 10 October , 2008 Share Posted 10 October , 2008 Tom, I live only a couple of miles from Herbrandston and will be paying a visit there over the week-end. I'm more than happy to pass on any photos and details I can gather about the village which also hosts it's own Palmeston Folly in the form of Herbarandston Fort protecting the Milford Haven waterway. I'll also be looking at other villages in the locallity if LST wants to point me in the right direction. Has a list already been started? It stands to reason that there shoud be at least a couple of dozen Thankful Villages in Wales, likewise for Ireland and Scotland. Jon Jon - if you do go there, I'd be interested to know what the plaque says, and what any inscription on the windows says, if you can get a look inside the church. Also be interested to know if there's any war memorial in the village. There isn't a list of potential Thankful Villages in Wales. There is an article which gives our conclusions so far with a list of villages (including two in Wales) and John Hartley kindly gave a link to it in post No. 5. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay dubaya Posted 10 October , 2008 Author Share Posted 10 October , 2008 Peter, I don't see it as a 'nonsense decription', how would you describe a village who's men and women went of to war and all returned. Of course there are worse things than dying, I'm sure there were many that did return and wished that they hadn't. I don't see the relevance of 'the last person to die because of WW1' and I have no idea who it would be. I think probably the most important criteria would be those who resided in the village prior to serving. As to the Grateful Dead...for what are they grateful... Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay dubaya Posted 10 October , 2008 Author Share Posted 10 October , 2008 Tom as far as I'm aware there is no memorial as such and until I started this thread I wasn't aware of the plaque in the church nor the windows. I've had a look at you site, can I assume that the persons returned were residents of the village and not born there or had other family members there. What would be the criteria for a village to be tagged in such a way as being a Thankful Village, Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 10 October , 2008 Share Posted 10 October , 2008 Jon, there are no set rules but we base our findings on the assumption that a Thankful Village is one which saw men leave their homes there to serve in the war, and saw them return to their homes there afterwards. So we place an emphasis on residence. But as we say in the article, our research isn't conclusive and we don't claim to be authoritative. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay dubaya Posted 10 October , 2008 Author Share Posted 10 October , 2008 Thanks Tom, just had a quick look on SDGW and found one that was born in the village but no residence given, CWGC give his parents living at St. Ishmael's which is a couple of miles away and listed in the AVL as a seperate parish. I wonder if LST knows of a memorial in St. Ishmael's, another one for the weekend I think Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanCurragh Posted 11 November , 2011 Share Posted 11 November , 2011 Article on the BBC website this morning - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15671943 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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