doogal Posted 4 January , 2005 Share Posted 4 January , 2005 Hi, I was walking through an old church yard, which is now the grounds for a Mission for the homeless in London, and spotted the old war memorial. Most of the names are worn off, and whilst not currently neglected, it had certainly seen better days. Would these names be remembered anywhere else, especially if the Church is now gone? Whilst not a researcher of war memorials/names on memorials, it nevertheless sparked an interest, as theses names are virtually gone. I presume that a Roll of Honour may have been kept somewhere? I'm not looking for a detailed answer, but seeing it did bring to mind the amount of Pals actively researching war memorials. How long can it take to trace the names? It isn't a big memorial, and didn't appear to have originally had a large list. Surely it is a never ending project once started??? regards doogal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Wills Posted 4 January , 2005 Share Posted 4 January , 2005 Do I sense a nascent project Doogal? The answer is 'How long is a piece of string? Information tumbles out on some men, whereas others seem to evade all attempts at investigation. What is certain is that you will learn much along the way, have a lot of fun, meet many people, and occasionally go home disappointed. It sounds as though this memorial needs a friend. Why not have a dabble, and prepare to get hooked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will O'Brien Posted 4 January , 2005 Share Posted 4 January , 2005 Doogal.............Can't really add much more to what Kate has said except to say that for me, this type of research is some of the most worthy & moving you can do...........there's no better feeling than to be able to add something.....anything to what many see as just a name..........As to length of time it will take, the piece of string can be as short or as long as you want...................I started with a local memorial about 6 or 7 years ago..................a dozen memorials & 1,000 casualties later I still return to that first one periodically to try to add a little more.................Beware it's an addiction Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Lewis Posted 4 January , 2005 Share Posted 4 January , 2005 Doogal It's exactly how I started, walking past a memorial in a park and thinking,who were these men? I'm now researching at least 25 memorials and have a website relating to them. The names are disappearing you might be the last hope for their rememberence, don't presume that there is a memorial roll. Go on have a go, but be warned it can be immensely frustrating,highly addictive but overall very rewarding. Regards Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen White Posted 4 January , 2005 Share Posted 4 January , 2005 I started researching my first memorial last summer,a small village memorial in a small village in Surrey (my wifes home village).After standing looking at it and then going into the church and reading the names on the wall and wondering...... !!. Bloody frustrating at times,but amazing what you can find out.Already found out via this forum that one of the names is spelt wrong.Now that i have the correct spelling,i have located (via the mother in law) a possible relative still in the village.That probably doesn't know that one of those names on that plaque is related to them,due to that mis spelling.To me anyway,that forgotten/lost man suddenly exists/existed again. My advice,GO FOR IT. Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 4 January , 2005 Share Posted 4 January , 2005 Surely it is a never ending project once started??? And totally addictive. It becomes like any drug. You say to yourself "I'll just research the village memorial". And you spend a good while doing that. Then you think "but what about the one a mile down the road the otherway". That's how I went from one memorial to four. Just over 200 names. And I was just about finished when I thought "what about the rest of the memorials in the town". So the list is now around 3000. Great fun though. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doogal Posted 5 January , 2005 Author Share Posted 5 January , 2005 Do I sense a nascent project Doogal? Hi, Thanks to everyone for the feedback and the encouragement. My initial posting was a kind of testing the water, and it could be a project in the making for me. Most of your thoughts regarding starting off reflect my own in this respect, and I will have another look to get a better idea of the state and extent of the memorial, and whatever I decide to do, I will at least get the readable names listed and noted somewhere, just in case. all the best, and thanks once more for the feedback regards doogal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frev Posted 6 January , 2005 Share Posted 6 January , 2005 Doogal, If you do decide to go ahead with this project (a highly commendable idea in my opinion), you might find that the names that appear to be worn off - are still actually there, engraved into the stone. That's providing that the memorial was made in a similar vein to most of ours in Australia - which involved the names being carved out of the stone & then painted. Often you can trace the letters with your finger - or cover them with a piece of paper. and lightly rub with a pencil. (even if the stone is also worn & pitted) You might also find if you can get your hands on copies of old local papers (perhaps on microfilm!? - from the library, local history group, etc) - that the unveiling of the memorial may have been reported - and the names listed. Your idea of transcribing the names that you can read (as soon as possible), is an extremely good idea - otherwise they too may be lost to future generations. I wish you very good hunting (if you go ahead) - and can assure you that you will not only be providing a great service to these soldiers memories, but you'll most likely get a great deal of enjoyment out it as well. Cheers, Frev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen White Posted 6 January , 2005 Share Posted 6 January , 2005 Your idea of transcribing the names that you can read (as soon as possible), is an extremely good idea - otherwise they too may be lost to future generations. Doogal If you do decide to go ahead this is indeed a good idea.However the faded names are just as important,they are more likely to be forgotten (as their names fade).Even if all you do is write their names down you have done a service,they will be remembered somewhere !!. Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larneman Posted 6 January , 2005 Share Posted 6 January , 2005 Hi Doogal, Even if you do not make an attempt to research the names, why not post them on the Forum and at least they will be remembered so long as this Forum lasts. Liam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doogal Posted 6 January , 2005 Author Share Posted 6 January , 2005 That's providing that the memorial was made in a similar vein to most of ours in Australia - which involved the names being carved out of the stone & then painted. Often you can trace the letters with your finger - or cover them with a piece of paper. and lightly rub with a pencil. (even if the stone is also worn & pitted) Unfortunately, the memorial names are made of individual metal letters attached to the memorial, many of which have fallen off over the years. However, the local studies library is one of the best there is, so the chances are that these names will have been kept somewhere. I'll post what names remain. regards doogal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pete Wood Posted 6 January , 2005 Share Posted 6 January , 2005 If it is the memorial that I am thinking it is, I am fairly sure there is an entry for it on the UK National Inventory of War Memorials http://collections.iwm.org.uk/server/show/nav.00g00c It might be worth giving them a call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doogal Posted 6 January , 2005 Author Share Posted 6 January , 2005 Hi Pete, Just got off the phone from IWM - no trace, so they're sending through a registration form so they can cross reference it. It is actually located in the gardens of The City of London Mission, which used to be St John's Horsleydown. The church was bombed in the Second World War. regards doogal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kath Posted 13 January , 2005 Share Posted 13 January , 2005 I have heard that looking at a weathered headstone through a tube reveals details. Have the Minutes for the Committee which organies the Memorial survived? Kath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doogal Posted 13 January , 2005 Author Share Posted 13 January , 2005 I have heard that looking at a weathered headstone through a tube reveals details. Hi Kath, I think I know what you mean... However, I couldn't help think that this is something Tom Sawyer might do at midnight to get rid of warts... I'm still awaiting the appropriate forms from the IWM, and hope to make an excursion to the memorial this weekend to get some names written down. regards doogal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doogal Posted 13 January , 2005 Author Share Posted 13 January , 2005 Have the Minutes for the Committee which organies the Memorial survived I've given this one a bit of thought, and if the diocese took held their paperwork, rather than directly in the church, there is a good chance of this. Anyhow, this merits further investigation thanks for this doogal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doogal Posted 15 January , 2005 Author Share Posted 15 January , 2005 Hi, Just been to St John’s Churchyard. The memorial itself is actually in very good condition and is well preserved. However, the memorial wall behind it is what is in a bit of a state. Of 105 possible names, the following are those still readable: H. Bristow R. Brooker S.Brown W.Burkmar A. Carter J. Davis (?) G.Dean J.Dinan J.Diran W.Hulcoo(d)(?) The following names are on the memorial, and are all readable, cleaned and at the moment in no danger of disappearing: W. Blake C. Cazalet W. Denny G. Hunt W. Morgan J. Northam W. Poole E. Saunders W. Stevens E. Sykes G. Shepherd H. Phillips A. Ford As the church is no longer there, the next stop is the diocesan office to see what records may remain and where they are. regards doogal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john w. Posted 16 January , 2005 Share Posted 16 January , 2005 Doogal Have checked on Soldiers Died in the Great War and put in Horsleydown/Bermondsey with the latter there are 1367 entries, I found a reference to W.Burkmar, and under Horsleydown there is Herbert Cobb of the Coldstream Guards KIA 14/9/14 on the Western Front... It begins... John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doogal Posted 23 February , 2005 Author Share Posted 23 February , 2005 Hi All, Got home tonight and a letter from The Diocese of Southwark was waiting for me. They have already nearly completed a project to identify,renovate the memorial and commemorate the men - quite successfully by the looks of it. They have sent me a full list of the soldiers, with a handfull they can't identify. I shall read their extensive letter and report back in more detail. Can't beat good news. regards doogal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Cooper Posted 24 February , 2005 Share Posted 24 February , 2005 Do I sense a nascent project Doogal? The answer is 'How long is a piece of string? Luckily, some pieces of string are shorter than others: FIRST WORLD WAR CASUALTIES COMMEMORATED AT 1 LOWER MARSH, WATERLOO, SE1 Of course, the project wasn't helped by the fact that the memorial was originally sited some miles away in Clerkenwell! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burlington Posted 24 February , 2005 Share Posted 24 February , 2005 Doogal have you checked here- http://www.roll-of-honour.com/ Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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