Coalville – War Memorial plaque to be replaced at Newbridge High School pavilion

Memorial Plaque to be Replaced

A memorial to staff and scholars from King Edward VII School who died in World War I will be recreated and displayed in its former glory.

In 1923, it was reported in the Times that a sports pavilion at the site of the grammar school would be dedicated to the men and boys who lost their lives in the Great War between 1914 and 1918. It was paid for by subscription of the old scholars of the school.

The pavilion still stands, but the stone that bore the names of the fallen has unfortunately disappeared.

Luckily, with the permission of Newbridge High School, where the pavilion now stands, the King Edward VII Reunion Committee have been given permission to replace the former plaque on the pavilion with a new one, that once again bears the name of the lost soldiers.

Elizabeth Riding, who is a member of the committee, said: ‘With the invaluable help of Mr Michael Kendrick the names and service details of all of the students have been traced, and although we have endeavoured to find family relatives so far we have had no success.

‘As old scholars we are proud to honour our fallen and the plaque will ensure that their memory will never be forgotten.’

Taken from the Coalville Times, November 2019 and sent in by A. Murby

 

 

The World War Two Memorial at County Hall

A bronze memorial plaque at County Hall commemorates 28 members of staff who died in action during World War Two.

The plaque formerly hung in The City Rooms ( also known formerly as the Assembly or County Rooms), located on Hotel Street in Leicester, but was relocated following refurbishment of the site. The plaque was rededicated during a special commemoration service which took place on 11th November 2013 and an exhibition which marks the event can be viewed here: County Hall WW2 Memorial Exhibition

 

 

Recreation of the Famous Fifty March 28th October 2018

The Hugglescote and Donington le Heath Heritage Society are working alongside their Parish Council to organise a recreation of the march of the Famous Fifty, which will take place on Sunday 28th October 2018, from 1pm.

The Famous Fifty were the first of the August 1914 volunteers from the Coalville area who joined up and went to France to fight on the Western Front. On October 30th 1914, they marched from St John the Baptist Church in  Hugglescote to the train station in Coalville, with thousands lining the streets to wave them off.

The Heritage Society still need a few more men to represent the 50 who marched- if you can help, or for further information about the event, please contact Llynda:  07841 480691 or email:  llynda@spiralprojects.co.uk

 

Not Forgotten- First World War Fallen Remembered in Four West Leicestershire Villages 2018

Not Forgotten- First World War Fallen Remembered in Four West Leicestershire Villages

This will be the title of a new non-profit publication by the Newbold Verdon, Desford and District History Groups due to be published on the 15th September 2018. The work focuses on the WWI fallen who are commemorated on the war memorials of Barlestone, Botcheston, Desford and Newbold Verdon and the group has printed a run of 150 wirebound copies, 96 pages in length, priced at £6.

For an advance order, please contact the group through colin@clester.plus.com

The group will also be present at the following events throughout the summer of 2018:

Desford Carnival, Sunday 10th June

Verdonbury Festival, Saturday 7th July

Barlestone Fun Day, Saturday 5th August

Botcheston Village Fun Day, Saturday 18th August

                                                             Desford Scarecrow Festival, Saturday 25th August

                                                             St Giles Church Festival, Barlestone, Saturday 8th September

We Will Remember Them: Raising Public Awareness of Commonwealth Troops in World War One- November 22nd 2017

On Wednesday 22nd November 2017  6:30pm- 8:30pm there is an event to be held at the Ogden Lewis Seminar Suite, Fielding Johnson Building, University of Leicester, LE1 7RH

Tickets can be obtained here:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/we-will-remember-them-leicester-tickets-39831951439

NOTTINGHAM BLACK ARCHIVES, PROFESSOR SHARON MONTEITH & RENAISSANCE ONE PRESENT

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM: Raising Public Awareness of Commonwealth Troops in World War One

2018 marks a century of WW1. Empire troops fought in the most infamous battles of the war, including Ypres and Passchendaele.

This archive exhibition and spoken word project commemorates the hidden histories of the commonwealth troops from Africa the Caribbean and South Asia. Between September to December it tours extensively to arts centres, libraries and community venues in Nottingham, Leicester, Derby and London.

Featuring original artwork from Barbara Walker and Keith Piper and contributions from Dr Irfan Malik, Panya Banjoko, Dr Corinne Fowler and a newly commissioned poem on WWI performed by Michael Brome.

Photograph of British West Indian Regiment in Egypt WWI courtesy the Imperial War Museum

Leicester City, County & Rutland At Risk War Memorials Project Open Day- 18th November 2017

Leicester City, County & Rutland At Risk War Memorials Project Open Day

Saturday 18th November 2017- the final scheduled Open Day of 2017 will be held between 11am and 4pm in the Chancel, to the rear of All Saints’ Church, Highcross Street Leicester LE1 7PH.

Information on the fascinating and vital rescue work of this organisation can be found on their website http://leicester-rutlandatriskwarmemorials.btck.co.uk/

Edwin Lutyens: Architecture of Remembrance talk- 30th November 2017

On Thursday 30th November there will be a talk on the work of Edwin Lutyens, given by Tim Skelton, author of ‘Lutyens and the Great War’. The talk is to be held at the Victoria Room, New Walk Museum, from 17:00-19:00 and tickets are free, but must be booked in advance:

Click here to book your place

 

 

City Series is a new public lecture series in Leicester that delivers free events relating to a wide range of urban topics, such as architecture, history and geography. This is a collaboration between Leicester City Council, De Montfort University, University of Leicester, and Loughborough University, with speakers from those institutions and from the wider community.

The latest talk will be delivered by Tim Skelton, author of ‘Lutyens and the Great War’. Tim has written on a wide range of subjects, including travel and history, but has researched the work of Lutyens extensively and is a member of the Lutyens Trust.

The work of the eminent architect Sir Edwin Lutyens is central to the way in which we now remember those who have given their lives in the service of their country. His Cenotaph forms the centrepiece of Remembrance Sunday and the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme at Thiepval is the largest British war memorial in the world.

Less well known is the work that he did for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in the design of cemeteries on the Western Front and the 50 memorials that he designed at home and abroad including Leicester, which was the largest of all. As well as inspiring architecture, the commissioning of the memorials tells interesting stories about British communities as they sought the best way to mark the loss that they had suffered.

This event has been part-funded by the ‘Story of Parks’ project. More details of the wider programme, which has been supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Leicester City Council, can be found here: http://www.storyofleicester.info/explore-leicester/story-of-parks/

Further details on forthcoming City Series events can be found on: https://leicesterurbanobservatory.wordpress.com/events/

 

 

 

 

“The Finest Ruin” by Ivo de Jager – 28th & 29th July 2016

Leicester City Council has specially commissioned a play called ‘The Finest Ruin’ (poster below).

The play centres on the development of the Arch of Remembrance – the Lutyens designed War Memorial in Victoria Park.

Scenes cut between Lutyens and the city’s mayor Sir Jonathan North and address the creation of the Arch and the gates which this project is restoring, along with a brief exploration into Lutyens’ own history, with another future story of two young students who happen to meet at the memorial and form a friendship. One student has migrated from New Delhi and finds comfort in the familiar looking war memorial (Links to how similar it looks to the India Gate).

Throughout the story, historical facts and memories of local people, about many of the city’s parks are woven in.

The Finest Ruin will be performed at the Y Theatre, 7 East St, Leicester at 7.30pm on Thursday 28 July, 2.30pm and 7.30pm on Friday 29 July.

Tickets are free to book, but donations are welcome after the play. They can be booked online at: http://www.leicesterymca.co.uk/y-theatre-whats-on-details.php?listing=1632 or by telephoning the Y Theatre on: 0116 255 7066

A Facebook event page provides more information: https://www.facebook.com/events/163857110693696/

On the project in general, you can visit: www.storyofleicester.info/parks

Jess Boydon
Project Officer (Parks Heritage), Story of Parks, Leicester City Council, 0116 4544935

The Finest Ruin

 

“Nobody Told Us” – Hinckley Casualties’ History Revealed in Online Exhibition

25 years of research by Gregory Drozdz on the First World War names on Hinckley War Memorial is now available on the Hinckley and District Museum website: hinckleydistrictmuseum.org.uk (click on “Nobody Told Us”).

Stories of particular interest may be the “murder” of Captain Charles Palmer, Togo Bolesworth – the best soldier in the Leicestershire Regiment, or Arthur Beadsworth and George Warren of Leicester Fosse and of course the photographs that accompany the biographies, where they have survived and are still reverently kept by the descendants.

This brand new resource will be important to local and family historians, and is not to be missed.

Hinckley War Memorial

Hallaton in the Great War ‘Tales of the Unexpected’ Exhibition – 30th April – 2nd October

Don’t miss the Great War exhibition at Hallaton Museum, at weekends and bank holidays between 30th April and 2nd October 2016. See the poster below for further details.

Hallaton 2016 Exhibition Poster