Peace Celebrations

[Boreenatra]

Here's a peace poster for Hornchurch. What did your town or village do, especially on Sat August 9th 1919? Regards Steve.

[Steven Broomfield]

Don't know what was done on 9th August, but my village - West End, near Southampton - had fun with the War Memorial. The Parish Council set up a sub-committee (like you do), which reported back several alternatives. All of these cost money, so discussion took place about who should pay: as no-one could agree, the sub-committee threw their toys out of the pram and decided the best bet was to sulk heavily and do nothing.

As a result, the village was likely to have no memorial, so a local business man, Colonel Perkins, owner of the Southern Daily Echo, stepped in. His three sons had all sruvived the war (one with a DSO in the Hampshires), so he paid for a memorial.

The result is a very nice granite cross in the village (next to the local burial ground); plus stained glass in St James' Church, and a full service roll in the Parsh Centre.

I suppose West End wasn't the only community to have a massive sulk about what sort of memorial to erect.

By the way, they did have a big dinner (and entertainment) in the Parish hall on 11th November 1919.

[Boreenatra]

Steve, we just had a party! From some of the reports at the time, a great time was had by all The carnival had floats from Roneo war works, a giant shoe crammed with kids ( the old woman who lived in a shoe) and " well to the fore were a weird procession of kilted soldiers with painted faces labelled The Jazz Pipers From Jerusalem, and behind a waggon bearing a tableaux entitled The Last Cartridge depicting a soldier firing his last shot. Also a display of the British Empire by the Hornchurch Girls Club"

Among the individual prizes for fancy dress were Miss. P. Manly dressed as an allotment ( the mental picture I have is amazing), and Mrs Harding who came as Billiards. As people left the Dinner the men were given packets of tobacco and the women given packets of tea. Judging by the Fancy dress maybe it should have been the other way round!! We certainly know how to party in Hornchurch.!!!

Been watching W.I v Pakistan. rather be playing one of those two. Regards Steve.