How Many War Memorials?

 

     
Crucifix, London Road      Celtic Cross, churchyard          Unveiling the Memorial, 1920         Datchet War Memorial, the Green

 

Almost everyone in the village knows that the monument on the Green opposite the church is Datchet's War Memorial, but how many would be able to identify the other two memorials which also commemorate the First World War? The earliest was the crucifix in London Road, followed by the Celtic cross in the churchyard, and even after the memorial itself was built there was still the Roll of Honour in the church to be completed, bringing the total to four. A quick search via the internet located two other villages having two public memorials each, not counting the many memorials in private places such as schools. St Bees in Cumbria at first had a Celtic cross which was superseded by a sculpture of St George and the Dragon in a more central position. At Woodford in Northamptonshire there was initially a crucifix, to which so many people objected that funds were also raised for an obelisk (rather like Datchet's) to be placed on the village green.

It is not surprising that the same types of memorial appear in different places and that all three of Datchet's are paralleled in other villages, because as early as January 1916 the Civic Arts Association held a conference on how best to ensure that the dead were suitably remembered. Six months later the same association organised an Exhibition of Designs for War Memorials. Presumably crucifixes, Celtic crosses and obelisks were among the most popular of the designs suggested. But physical monuments such as these were not the only possibilities being discussed; in many places the funds raised were put to practical use in endowing hospitals, almshouses, sports grounds etc. In addition to a memorial of whatever sort, most places also recorded the names of the dead in a Roll of Honour, either on a board or, as at Datchet, written on parchment. Here the pages were bound into a book and kept in a glass case in the church, now placed near the choir stalls.

The urge of communities to memorialise this unprecedented loss of life can be followed as events unfolded at Datchet, reflecting what was happening across the country. The rest of this article consists of extracts (in italics) from what was written at the time.

 

The Armistice and Memorial Plans

1918 November, Parish Magazine

There was an air of intense expectancy until a phone message arrived to confirm the fact that the Armistice was signed and guaranteed official. The news spread swiftly on the arrival of a messenger from Windsor and flags and bunting were soon being put up while the church bells pealed. On Wednesday evening there was the largest congregation ever seen at the service in church. No doubt steps will soon be taken to have a permanent memorial to the fallen.

 

1918 Dec, Windsor & Eton Express

At a Parish Meeting the building of a village war memorial was considered; a special meeting of the parish is to be called

 

1919 Feb W&E Ex

Many suggestions of other sorts of memorial have been made, a Victory Hall, a recreation ground with a monument, endowed beds at the Edward VII Hospital, or a prominent clock. More suggestions included houses or flats for disabled servicemen or almshouses for old parishioners. A committee of the Parish Council is to consider the matter.

The committee included Sir Lionel Cust who designed the eventual memorial on the Green.

 

The First Memorial, London Road Crucifix

May 1919, Parish Magazine

The entrance to London Road has been lately adorned by the erection of a 'Calvary' through the generosity of Mrs and Miss Curling of Denholme. It serves a two-fold purpose, in reminding passers-by of the great sacrifice and of the sacrifice of so many of Datchet's sons in the Great War.

Denholme is one of the houses directly opposite Montagu House in Horton Road. Richard Curling served abroad but was not killed.

 

1919 May: W&E Ex

On Empire Day a large congregation, including many soldiers returned from the front, attended the Dedication of the Crucifix. The procession started from the church with George Hunt carrying the processional cross, followed by the choir, the Vicar and the Bishop of Buckinghamshire. In his address the Bishop said that the memorial was intended as a wayside shrine which would be a familiar sight to those who had served in France but was little known in England.

 

The inscriptions are:

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF THE GREAT WAR 1914-1919.  

I LOOK FOR THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD AND THE LIFE OF THE WORLD TO COME. AMEN 

 

The first anniversary of Armistice Day, 1919 November W&E Ex

Mr Kinross, chairman of the Parish Council, had put up notices asking for silence, and at 11 o'clock a maroon exploded from the fire station by George Cleversley announced the start of two minutes silence. A floral tribute was placed at the foot of the war shrine in London Road by the women of Datchet.

 

The Women's Memorial, the Celtic Cross in the Churchyard

May 1919 W&E Ex

An application has been made for the erection in the churchyard of Datchet a Celtic Cross in memory of those from the parish who have fallen in the war. It is to be made from grey Cornish granite and is to be nine feet high.

 

1920, June Parish Magazine

At last the Women's memorial is making some progress now that the faculty for its erection in the church yard has been obtained. Meanwhile some improvements have been made to its design.

 

The Obelisk War Memorial on the Green

1919 November Parish Council minutes

£600 has been raised for the War Memorial fund. A design was placed before the subscribers at a meeting held at the schools, to which only two disagreed. It is hoped to erect it in the spring.

 

It may be significant that only four of the memorial committee of fourteen had lost sons (six between them) and that they all represented wealthy and powerful local families: John Kinross, Henry Kelway-Bamber, Lady Marcia de Paravicini and Percy J de Paravicini.

 

1920 May 8th unveiling of cenotaph on the Green, W&E Ex (abbreviated)

The Marquis of Lincolnshire, Lord Lieutenant of Bucks, unveiled on Sunday afternoon on the village green at Datchet, the handsome obelisk which has been erected there by the inhabitants as a memorial to those men of the village who fell in the war. The memorial, which was designed by Mr Lionel Cust of Datchet House, has been raised by subscriptions from all classes of the inhabitants and cost a little over £600. Most of the residents of the village were assembled and the schoolchildren, with their headmaster Mr E.W.Page, were given a post of honour near the memorial. The members of Datchet Fire Brigade were present in full uniform and formed a ring around the memorial. The demobilized soldiers were drawn up in lines along the main path, and on the arrival of Lord Lincolnshire he inspected the men, shaking hands with every one and asking particulars as to his service. Mr John Kinross, in inviting the noble Marquis to unveil the monument, delivered an excellent speech. Lord Lincolnshire, having unveiled the Memorial (which was enveloped in the flag of England), said that he could not help thinking how right people in this great and historical country were in not following the advice of those who wanted to have one great memorial in one common centre in the county. How much better it was that loving hearts had decided to set up memorials in every township and village of England.

 

Afterwards, flowers were placed at the base of the Memorial by the villagers and the schoolchildren. The memorial was much admired.

 

The exceptional design of this monument is due to Lionel Cust's life in the arts, as Editor of the Burlington Magazine, Director of the National Portrait Gallery and Keeper of the King's Pictures. For an idea of what the £600 might have meant at the time, Old Manor House (Cleversley's house & workshop in the 1920 photo) was bought in 1896 for £700; inflation had probably not yet changed the value by much.

 

Roll of Honour in Church

1920, June, Parish magazine, from the Vicar:

There remains now the Roll of Honour, inscribed on parchment, to be placed on the Shrines in the Parish Church and All Souls. I am ascertaining the probable cost of these. We have all been unanimous in this part of our Memorial and I hope that some of those who did not care to subscribe to the others will help us with donations towards the cost of these.

 

All Souls was the cemetery chapel where C of E services were held as more convenient for people at Datchet Common than the parish church. Originally, there were fifty one names on the Memorial, but by the time the Roll was written the number had risen to fifty four. The Vicar's comments hint at divided opinions in the village, perhaps because money was being spent on the memorial rather than on a practical purpose.

 

And yet another one?

As if the village did not already have enough memorials, there are several postcard photographs in wide circulation and of various dates which show the 1897 Victoria Jubilee Cross (near the oak tree) and describe it as 'Datchet War Memorial'. It does, of course, look very much like the war memorials in many other towns and villages and was probably one of the designs being recommended in 1916.

 

Janet Kennish, 01273 204330 janet@datchet.com

Datchet Village Society, Helen Jenkins 01753 542957