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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Bravest Little Street in England


Guest mattheadford

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Guest mattheadford

Good day all

I've been lurking for some time on this excellent forum and finally decided to take the plunge and post. Thought some might be interested in this story reported in the Sunday Telegraph today

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics...d-honoured.html

Chapel Street in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, saw 161 men from 60 homes go to the First World War, with 29 killed in action.

King George called it "the bravest little street in England" after he sent a telegram in 1919 to the residents of the cul-de-sac following a visit to Manchester.

When war was declared in August 1914, there was a considerable rush to sign up, with a private's pay 1s 3d a week. Within 11 days the first volunteer from Chapel Street, Joseph Hollingsworth, died.

Families of those who fought have been campaigning for years to get the street recognised for its efforts. On Sunday they were finally rewarded with an English heritage plaque which read: "In memory of the 161 men who volunteered and fought in the Great War 1914-18 and the 29 who gave their lives. We will remember them."

Peter Hennerley, 73, who helped lead the campaign to get the street recognised and whose grandfather Hugh was one of the volunteers who survived, said: "The plaque honours not only the sacrifices and bravery of the men who fought in the war – but also those women and children they left behind.

"These men were the first off to the King's call and some women were left behind without husbands and sons trying to raise kids on their own. The plaque commemorates the hardship for them too.

"Unfortunately there isn't a blue plaque big enough to do Chapel Street justice but it's a start. While at the same time we are remembering these heroes we are not forgetting our present brave and courageous soldiers."

Chapel Street used to be a row of terraces where labourers and builders lived until it was pulled down in 1939. It is now a paved street with a restaurant on one side and a public lavatory on the other leading to a car park.

Graham Brady, Tory MP for Altrincham said: "I am delighted that Chapel Street is now marked by a blue plaque. The courage, sacrifice and patriotism of those who lived there should never be forgotten."

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Good day all

I've been lurking for some time on this excellent forum and finally decided to take the plunge and post. Thought some might be interested in this story reported in the Sunday Telegraph today

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics...d-honoured.html

As far as I can remember it was still standing in the 60s and was pulled down in about 1969 not 39

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I'e been lurking for some time on this excellent forum and finally decided to take the plunge and post. Thought some might be interested in this story reported in the Sunday Telegraph today

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics...d-honoured.html

Welcome to the forum Matt

Nice Story :)

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Centurion's approximate dating is correct. It was demolished in the early 1960s, in the days when Altrincham retained some of its character. The chapel after which it was named, and on the walls of which the memorial was fixed, has also gone. It was one of the oldest (if not the oldest) chapels in Altrincham. Regent Road used to be called Chapel Walk.

See some archive images on Trafford Lifetimes. Search within Altrincham.

Good news about the blue plaque.

For information about the history of the local drill halls which would have been known to the former Volunteers and the Territorials, please see our website: Altrincham on drillhalls.org and Hale.

Edited by Dragon
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Daily Express too, glad to see the recognition.

Cheers Roger.

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Good news that the news papers are covering this sort of thing.

One thing that had me puzzled though - in the Express, it stated that the first casualty of those who volunteered from Chapel Street in WW1 was killed only 11 days after war was declared.

I looked him up on CWGC and he was killed in India on 14/8/14.

Not detracting from the service and sacrifice but is this journalistic licence?

Surely he was already in the Army when war was declared against Germany?

Or could you expect to trained and sent nearly half was around the world in 11 days?

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Good news that the news papers are covering this sort of thing.

One thing that had me puzzled though - in the Express, it stated that the first casualty of those who volunteered from Chapel Street in WW1 was killed only 11 days after war was declared.

I looked him up on CWGC and he was killed in India on 14/8/14.

Not detracting from the service and sacrifice but is this journalistic licence?

Surely he was already in the Army when war was declared against Germany?

Or could you expect to trained and sent nearly half was around the world in 11 days?

If the dates are corect he must have enlisted before the outbreak of war as it would have taken more than 11 days just to get to India, let alone have any training or travel to where he died from the port of arrival.

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