Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Church Memorial on eBay


Jim Strawbridge

Recommended Posts

No connection to me but there is a church memorial currently on ebay. I have looked up some of the names but have yet to home in on a community. The names are Archibald Adamson, Tom Bradley, Gordon Lee, Alexander Machray, John L. Malpass, John A. Matkin, Hugh C. Melville, Fergus F. Munro, Robert Payne, Neil Stanners and Neil J. Stewart. I would just like to see it go to a safe and appreciative home.  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/134127939109?hash=item1f3aa5ee25:g:G50AAOSw1v1ijK~N

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello,

Neil Stanners [born in Bo'ness] seems to have enlisted in Derby [according to SDGW], as did John Matkin, a Derby native.  Fergus F. Munro is on the 1911 Census aged 13, also in Derby.

I assume that there is a [former] church in Derby missing its memorial.

Best wishes

Rockford

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Indeed Derby appears to be a connection between some of the names. Other names are difficult to pin down to a location as lODGW doesn’t list a location and as they’re remembered on Memorials to the Missing the CWGC doesn’t record any next of kin detail. One wonders if this memorial may be from a church close to a hospital where these men had spent time convalescing prior to being sent back to the front and ultimately their deaths.

The same seller also has this memorial plaque up for sale... here

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, JWK said:

If it is indeed Derby, maybe the follwing may be of interest (or maybe it's a completely different Archibald Adamson):

Died 1917, lived 60 Statham Street, Derby

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5bb5ee4d7eb88c3aee025bba/t/5bc8522e4785d35d99aca0ec/1539854897251/Adamson%2C+Archie.pdf

Yes, it appears to be the same man.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, JWK said:

If it is indeed Derby, maybe the follwing may be of interest (or maybe it's a completely different Archibald Adamson):

Died 1917, lived 60 Statham Street, Derby

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5bb5ee4d7eb88c3aee025bba/t/5bc8522e4785d35d99aca0ec/1539854897251/Adamson%2C+Archie.pdf

Hello

It has to be the same Archie Adamson - 60 Statham Street is literally around the corner from 122 Kedleston Street where Fergus Fullerton Munro was living aged 13 in 1911 [and the address given for him when probate was granted].  A bit further away [but still in Derby], there is a John Louis Malpass at 23 Cromwell Street.

Haven't looked at the others yet.  Can't find the names popping up on the British Newspaper Archive in reports of various memorials being unveiled.

Best wishes

R

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's a Robert Payne with parents living in Howe Street, Derby (about 500 mtrs to the south of Statham Street), but he's Australian Infantry?

robertpayne.jpg.aa905a0e8a9fa90dda7aa48c585d395e.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, DavidOwen said:

Second Lieutenant J L Malpass is on Derbyshire County Council Matlock memorial

https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/name/294058

However Fergus Fullarton Munro is remembered at Drumnadrochit https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/name/1307034 so no help there!

FFM's parents were both Scottish, and his father John was born at Urquhart, so that fits.  Agree it's not much help for the others though!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Still looking at this!

Hugh C. Melville was a 2Lt in the Sherwood Foresters:

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/906594/hugh-colquhoun-melville/

and is also listed on the Trinity College, Cambridge Memorial:

https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/name/536698

The Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal of Friday 17th November 1916 printed a legal notice that anyone having claims against the estate of Hugh Colquhoun Melville late of 47 Hartington Street, Derby, Second Lieutenant, Sherwood Foresters.... should contact a solicitor in London.

I suspect another Scottish lineage but, of course, Derby has always had a Scottish connection ;)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi all, I believe this memorial is from the old Presbyterian church that used to be in Green Lane, Derby (hence the number of surnames of Scottish origin on it). It was until recently at the United Central Reformed Church in Victoria Street, Derby, and we photographed it in situ some time before the pandemic. The URC was demolished very recently and we were under the impression that the memorials from it had been relocated to another Non-conformist church in Derby, so it's quite surprising to see this one appearing for auction!

Best wishes

Richard

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

just for interest, both Hugh Colquhoun Melville and Fergus Fullerton Munro were old boys of Derby School, and both appear on the school war memorial....

Hope that's of interest!

Best wishes

Richard

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Richard,

That's the type of local knowledge needed to narrow it right down to a church.

It's sad that it hasn't been retained locally by either a church or a museum.  I always feel that such things should be preserved for the community if at all possible, rather being than sold off and the local link broken.

Best wishes

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's very sad. We're going to arrange a visit to the church that was supposed to have taken custody of these memorials sometime soon to see what they actually have retained. I remember there were a lot of plaques in the URC church before it was demolished, I'll post some pics shortly of what was there...

Best wishes

Richard

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So as promised here are some photos at the URC Church that we took back in November 2017.

This is the Derby Congregational Church memorial

 

War Memorials EJ 007.JPG

A close up of the names on the First World War plaque

 

War Memorials EJ 013.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's what is thought to be the Green Lane Presbyterian Church war memorial which Jim Strawbridge kindly brought to our attention in the very first post

 

War Memorials EJ 042.JPG

And here is the Britannia Street Mission plaque which was also once located there...

 

War Memorials EJ 035.JPG

And finally this one is thought to be the Brookside Independent Chapel

 

War Memorials EJ 048.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Here is a photo of Neil Stanners mentioned on the memorial. I'm one of the co-authors of the book "Without Fear - WW1 Stories of the Men on the Bo'ness War Memorial". Neil appears on page 282. He was with Royal Scots, 13th Battalion, service no: 40462 and coming under the orders of 15th (Scottish) Division, 45th Brigade. He was wounded at Passchendaele on 22nd August 1917 and died the same day. Neil Stanners is buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, at grave XVIII. B. 17A. He is also commemorated on the family headstone in Bo’ness Cemetery, alongside his brother Gilbert, who was killed in action in 1916, and his younger brother Thomas who was killed in 1918 near the end of the War.

All the best,

Alan Gow

image.jpeg.fe1d9ff874200d263add3ae72a9f6da2.jpeg

Edited by Gow67
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Alan,

I should have thought about your book, as I've looked at the copy held at the local history library in Linlithgow.

I was looking at the entry for Thomas S Kennedy, who popped up in my own research into the men of Blackburn and Seafield who died in WW1, as his mother resided in Blackburn for a time.

Thanks for sharing the photo of Neil.

Best wishes

Brian [a.k.a. Rockford]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Brian,

Might have seen you in the local history library pre-pandemic? I used it a lot.

Did you get everything you need on Thomas Kennedy? I can send you over everything we have on him?

Just let me know? Happy to help you with any other local men you may be researching.

All the best,

Alan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 07/06/2022 at 22:34, Gow67 said:

Hi Brian,

Might have seen you in the local history library pre-pandemic? I used it a lot.

Did you get everything you need on Thomas Kennedy? I can send you over everything we have on him?

Just let me know? Happy to help you with any other local men you may be researching.

All the best,

Alan

Hello Alan,

To avoid hjiacking this thread, I'll send you a PM.

Best wishes

Brian

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...