Bolton Grand Division of the Order of the Sons of Temperance

That is a very grand title for quite possibly one of the best looking Rolls of Honour.

It is currently on display in Bolton Town Hall. I was on the search for it. I enquired at Bolton Town Hall if I could see it. I was taken really seriously by the head of security and taken upstairs to where the Mayor has his parlour. In the corridor there are several plaques and displays. He even gave me a book about past mayors as well as a guided tour. It has been renovated by the War Memorials Trust to a very high standard. Here are the pictures.

The whole Roll of Honour

The very top of the Roll of Honour showing the fine details

The Left Hand Panel

The Centre - "Peace"

The Right Hand Panel

The very bottom showing the name Kelsall (W.A.) as the illuminator, BOLTON

 These are the inscriptions:

ROLL OF HONOUR

BOLTON GRAND DIVISION ORDER SONS OF TEMPERANCE

In Affectionate Remembrance of the Members of this District Branch who bravely made the SUPREME SACRIFICE in the GREAT WAR. 1914-1919. FOR RIGHT. FOR KING AND COUNTRY

 The left hand panel:

Not once or twice in our rough island story

PROGRESSION S.D.

Drr. Carlton Bailey.

Pte. Edward Barlow.

L/Cpl. Albert Barnes.

Pte. Arthur Calderbank.

Pte. Harry Cowburn.

Pte. Ernest Drabble.

Pte. James E Freeman.

Cpl. Charles H Hall.

Pte Samual Haynes.

Pte. Handel Holland.

Pte. Harry Jones.

Pte. Lee Kerfoot.
Pte. Richard Kitchen.
Pte. William Knowles.
Spr. Arthur Lindow.

A/Bomr Frank Winstanley.

FORWARD S.D.

Pte Harold Baguley.

Pte. William Jones.

PROHIBITION S.D.

Pte. Joseph w. Ainsworth.

Pte. James Fray.

Pte. William S. Fray.

A/Cpl. Sydney Hill.

Pte. Herbert Hird.

Pte, Joshua w. Isherwood

Pte. John Melia

Pte. John Orsbusson.

Pte Arthur Sagar.

Pte. Harold Smethurst.

Pte.Arthur Williams.

Pte. Robert Yates.

ROSE of FARNWORTH S.D.

Pte. George Ashurst.

Pte. Ernest Cook.

L/Cpl Alfred Crompton.

L/Cpl James S. Greenhalgh.

Gnr Adam Tonge.

Mun . Wkr. Ernest Wolfendale.

FLOWER OF LEIGH S.D.

Pte Harry Ball.

Pte Charles H Cryer.

l/Cpl William Higginson.

PERSEVERENCE S.D.

Pte William Darwen

Pte. George Parker
Pte. John Powell
Pte. Ernest Short

Gnr. Harold Warrington
Pte. Daniel Williams

LILY of HULTON & WSD

Pte Jesse Fletcher

Pte Arthur Hampson

Pte Wilfred Hardman.

Pte Alfred Harrold

Pte. Hedley Mortimer
Pte. Albert Mullineaux.

Gnr John Nicholson.

Pte James Partington.

Pte. John Redgrave

Rflmn. Beuno Whittle

PROSPERITY S.D.

L/Cpl. James Cooper

Flt. Cdt. Alfred Seddon.

Pte. Joshua H. Sharples.

The right hand panel:

"The path of duty is the way to glory" Tennyson

EXCELSIOR S.D.

L/Cpl. William H. Berry.

Pte. Frank Byrom.

Pte. Nathan Davies.

Pte. Herbert Dickinson.

Pte. James Edmonson.

Pte. John Ellis.

Pte. Samuel Ellis.

Bombr. Lewis Fernhead.

Pte. William Fell.

Pte. Joseph Fereday.

Pte. James H. Gerrard.

Rflmn. Amos Harrop.

Cpl. Fred Ivers.

Pte. Charles Owen.

Pte. Joseph Partington.

 Pte. Robert Prescott.

Pte. James Reynolds.
Pte. William Reynolds.
Sub. Lt. Fred Southern.
L/Cpl. Harry Southern
Pte. Mathew Stott.

Pte. William Stott.

Pte. Arnold Tyers.
Cpl. Albert Woodfine.

PRIDE of HINDLEY S.D.

Sgt. James Jones.

Gnr. Tom Rotheram.

WORK and WIN S.D.

A.Cpl. Lawrence Hilton.

Gnr. Joseph Wadsworth.

ONWARD S.D. 

Pte. Harold Beesley.

Pte. William Beesley.

Pte. John Connolly.

Bombr. Francis Hardman.

Pte. Herbert Isherwood.
Pte. George W.O. Lees.

A.Cpt. Alfred Parkinson.

RISING STAR S.D.

L/Cpl. James E. Cook.

L/Cpl. Daniel Parry.

Pte. Lawrence Smith.

ATHERTON'S HOPE S.D.

Pte. Fred Healey.

Pte. Samuel Jones.

Pte. William Kendrick.

Pte. Arthur Lewis.

Gnr. Richard Skitt.

Pte .James Wilson.

HOPE of ST JOHN S.D.

Pte. Oliver Berry.

Pte. Richard Harrison.

L/Cpl. William G. Howarth.

Pte. Richard Kendrick.

Pte. Frank Parden.

Pte. Arthur Ratcliffe.

BEACON LIGHTS S.D.

Pte. James Bradshaw.

Pte. Richard Bradshaw.

Pte. Fred Bramhall.

Gnr. Thomas McKie.

Pte. John T. Roberts.

Pte. Albert Slater.

The bottom of the scroll has the words.

 "THIS MEMORIAL is erected by the CADETS OF TEMPERANCE JUVENILE MEMBERS"

 "IN APPRECIATION of the SERVICES RENDERED services which protected their homes from INVASION BY A FOREIGN FOE"

A wonderfully illustrated piece of work. It seems that W. A. Kelsall produced quite a few of these paper and card rolls. He may well have been the framer too. This memorial appears to have been exceptionally well kept and cherished. Info suggests that it may have hung in a local Temperance office and them passed to the local museum on closure.

The reference to the UK War memorials site is here.

A magnificent piece of work!

Blackpool Town Hall Memorial

Blackpool is famous for having the tallest War Memorial in Britain. I hope I am not wrong. It however does not have the fallen/Roll of honour for the Boer War - that is in the Town Hall at Talbot Square.

I only took one picture of this memorial. I have taken pictures of some of the other information in there, but I am not happy with any of it! Quite dark and there is little space. However I am able to transcribe the names. It is difficult to distinguish C's and G's, even when I am fairly sure what the surnames "should" be - apologies; please let me know if you feel the forename initial may be wrong. This of course being a Roll of Honour does not necessarily mean that many did not return. There is a link here to the local barracks

South African War 1899 -1902

COUNTY BOROUGH OF BLACKPOOL

ROLL OF HONOUR

This Tablet is Erected to Commemorate the Patriotism of the Blackpool Men who at the call of Duty Nobly offered
their Services to their Sovereign and Country in the South African War 1899 - 1902

Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry Cavalry

23 COMPANY VIII. BATT IMPERIAL YEOMANRY

CORPORAL W. COULSTON
Killed in Action Faber's Spruit may 30th 1900

Trooper R.P. B. Carter
      "       A. Hilton
      "       J. M. Pilkington
      "       F. Whalley

RELIEVING DRAFT

Trooper H. Barnes
      "       J. C. Butler
      "       H. Calderbank
      "       J. Cooke
      "       W. Fisher
      "       W. F. Cormlie
      "       T. E. Lewthwaite
      "       A. McQuade
      "       R. Riddehough
      "       E. Round
      "       W. Talbot
      "       J. W. Tranter
      "       H. Wilson
      "       W. Woomach
      "       J. Yates

32ND BATT. IMPERIAL YEOMANRY

Trooper F. PARKINSON
      "       R. SMITH
      "       H. WEBB

5TH LANC.ROYAL GARRISON ARTILLERY(VOLUNTEERS)

COLT GUN SECTION XV. BATT. IMPERIAL YEOMANRY

CAPTAIN T. E. TOPPING D.S.O.
LIEUTENANT W. H. HUNT
---------

SERGEANT  J. T. BIBBY D.C.M.
CORPORAL  H.JONES
Trooper     G. CARLISLE
      "           C. W. GILDER
      "           W. PORTER

RELIEVING DRAFT

Trooper A. B. COOP
      "       J. W. GARNER
      "       B. HOPWOOD
      "       J. W. MOLYNEAUX
      "       R. SMITH

57TH COMPANY XV.BATT IMPERIAL YEOMANRY
QUARTER-MASTER SERGEANT A.MOORE
SERGEANT-FARRIER T.HAIGH

St. John Ambulance Brigade (Blackpool Division)

SERGEANT  T. DONNELLY
         "           C. S. ASHWORTH
         "           W. ASHWORTH
         "           W. BLUNDELL
         "           H. W.BUTCHER
         "           W. T. FISH
         "           C. H. FOX
         "           D. A. GREENWOOD
         "           H. M. HESKETH
         "           T. A. SANKEY
CORPORAL  R. C. FRANCE
        "              G. F. MEADON
PRIVATE  J. E. ALLEN
       "         C. W. BANCROFT
       "         E. G. BRADSHAW
       "         E. CARDWELL 
       "         W. CHAPMAN
       "         J. CROOK
       "         C. F. CROOKHALL
       "         E. FLEETWOOD
       "         T. GREGSON
       "         H. S. HALL
       "         C. P. HOFF
       "         J. JOLLY
       "         W. T. KIRKHAM
       "         J. NUTTER
       "         W. PATRICK
       "         F. ROBERTS
       "         J. T. B. SHEARD
       "         S. S. SMITH
       "         E. THOMAS
       "         J. C. TRESCOWTHICK
       "         C. TURNER

Blackpool Borough Police Force

P.C. 52 THOMAS FAZACKERLEY

St. John Ambulance Brigade, Leyland Division.

P.C. 38 WILFRED TAYLOR

St. John Ambulance Brigade Accrington Division



In a faint touch of irony Brigadier T. E. Topping, D.S.O., on Armistice Day, 11th November 1923. unveiled the Blackpool War Memorial by North Pier

Hampstead Norris or Norreys

This was almost a false trail. My wife's family history pointed once more towards this lovely small village close to Little Bedwyn and Great Bedwyn. It is situated in West Berkshire. There were Mills here as agricultural labourers, Pococks, Lovelocks. However I found none in the graveyard and none on the memorial. These are the other two churchyards I visited Little Bedwyn and Great Bedwyn.  Even my SatNav "lost" the road to Little Bedwyn.

From the South entrance

Looking towards the Alter

Closer still

The Tower

I had trouble managing the lighting. I knew this was interesting
There was no info beneath it and no one to ask! Sorry about the quality - an excuse to go back. This is quite large and can be seen in another of the pictures just to the left of the south door.

Plaster. A really elegant bas-relief of a knight with a lance.

I did photograph the inside of the church and and a couple of interesting objects there. The church can trace its roots back to Norman times. It certainly has that low squat appearance that these churches can have. There seems to be little information on the web at all. Quite odd really. It was really quiet in the church but I just felt the need to hurry.

My intention was to photograph the memorial and transcribe the names. There was a framed roll of honour oddly titled "European War, 1914 - 1918" The 8 has been changed. This is shown below:

20 Names in all- the same names as the stone memorial below.

The fallen from the Second World War are added below in the bottom panel.

The inscription and the names are recorded below:

THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE

+TO THE HONOUR OF ALMIGHTY GOD AND IN MEMORY OF 

MEN OF HAMPSTEAD NORRIS. WHOSE NAMES ARE RECORDED

HERE. THEY GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY IN THE

GREAT WAR. 1914  - 1919 PASSING FROM THE WARFARE OF 

THE WORLD INTO THE PEACE OF GOD.+

ALBERT ADAMS.      JOHN MORTON.

ALFRED ALLEN.      PERCY MORTON.

CHARLES ALLEN.      DENIS MAY.

ERNEST BARLOW.      THOMAS NEWTON. 

ARTHUR GILES.      PERCIVAL NYE.

GEORGE GREENOUGH.      CHARLES PIKE.

GEORGE HOLMES.      GEORGE STEVENS.

STEPHEN JEFFREY.      ERNEST WELCH.

GEORGE LAWRENCE.      ARTHUR WHEELER.

DANIEL LAWRENCE.      ERNEST WYLD.

ALSOTHE FOLLOWING WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES

IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR. 1939 - 1945

SAMUEL ARTHUR BARRETT.      LESLIE FRANCIS BLAKE.

ROBERT NORMAN MEDWAY.      ROBERT PHILIP NEATE.

EDWARD NEAL

CHARLES WILLIAM KITCHENER WHITE

This memorial is also recorded on the UK Inventory of War Memorials as

HAMPSTEAD NORREYS

UKNIWM Ref: 9075

Little Bedwyn

Entrance to church

Rear of church

On the hunt of my wife's ancestors or more precisely, her fathers ancestors. She always thought that he came from Sussex, but the reality is that the Mills family were Wiltshire born and bred for generations. I did not spot a grave in the church yard that had any link whatsoever with the family. But it is a beautiful church, quite dark inside. My flash had failed hence the shaky photographs. There is also a handstitched map of Little Bedwyn, destined to become a piece of local history. There was a notice on door that told us to leave the door open as swallows had nested in the entrance porch. A History of Little Bedwyn can be found here.

Millennium map inside the church

 Even though the picture is quite fuzzy, here is the information on the Roll of Honour.

To the Glory of God

AND IN FAITHFUL MEMORY

OF THE MENOF

LITTLE BEDWYN & CHISBURY

WHO FELL IN

THE GREAT WAR

1914-1918

___________

Brass Roll of Honour

HERBERT W. BARTHOLOMEW

R. MUNSTER VOLUNTEERS,1913

CHARLES F. FISHER

R. MUNSTER VOLUNTEERS, 1915

JESSE A. POWELL

R. MUNSTER VOLUNTEERS, 1915

CHARLES F.G. CHURCH

ROYAL FUSILERS 1916

EDWIN C. DREW

ROYAL BERKS REGT. 1917

CHARLES HARRIS

ROYAL BERKS REGT. 1917

FREDERICK NEW

SOMERSET LT. INFX. 1917

OLIVER H. MARTIN.

SOMERSET LT. INFX. 1917

________________

FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH

________________

THIS TABLET WAS ERECTED BY THE PARISHIONERS

There is a link to the memorial at Great Bedwyn here. A link to Hampstead Norris here also

Later on during a trawl of the internet I found this picture. I believe this was in the church - but I missed it!

Photographed in May 2004 by D & M Ball
The copywrite is theirs!

The interesting thing there is a Herbert Mills on this Roll of Honour. It ties this family to Little Bedwyn after all. The inscription is underneath.

YOUR PRAYERS ARE ASKED FOR THOSE WHO HAVE GONE TO SERVE OUR KING AND COUNTRY BY LAND AND SEA AND AIR

OUR ROLL OF HONOUR

BARRETT FREDERICK

BARTHOLOMEW ARTHUR  Prisoner of war

BARTHOLOMEW FREDERICK

BARTHOLOMEW HERBERT Died of Wounds

BOWSHER BENJAMIN

BROOKS EDWARD

BROOKS JOHN

BURDEN ALBERT JOHN

BUTCHER JAMES

CASWELL HARRY

CHURCH CHARLES Missing

COWARD WILLIAM ARTHUR

COX ELI Prisoner of War

COX RICHARD

CRIPPS CHARLES

DE CASTRO BERNARD

DREW EDWARD

FISHER CHARLES  Died of Wounds

FISHER WILLIAM

GINGER PERCY

GRANT ALFRED

GRANT GEORGE

GRANT JAMES  Missing

GRANT WILLIAM

HARRIS CALEB

HARRIS CHARLES

HUMPHRIES WILLIAM

HUNTLEY ERNEST

HUNTLEY JAMES

HUNTLEY STANLEY

JAMES ALBERT

JAMES GEORGE

JAMES HARRY

MAKEHAM LESLIE

MARTIN JAMES

MARTIN OLIVER

MILLS HERBERT

NEW FRED

POWELL JESSE  Died of Wounds

SARGENT HARRY

SHEPHERD CHARLES

SHEPHERD JOSEPH   Died of Wounds

WATERS HARRY

WOMERSLEY LAURENCE

Herbert Mills is emboldened.

The surnames are first. Those that did not survive are on the brass plate.