WWII Memorial – St Margaret’s. Stanford Rivers

Minutes of the P.C.C.¹ Meeting held on Tuesday 31st May 1949 at 8pm at Bridge Farm, Stanford Rivers

Present all members of the Council except Sir Drummond Smith who had written apologising for his absence.

War Memorial

The Rector explained that the reason that the mecting had been convened was because of the War Memorial. The church had been packed to capacity for the Service of Unveiling and Dedication. It had been a beautiful service which for him had been spoiled by the receipt by him on the following morning of an unpleasant letter from a former member of the congregation who after drawing attention to errors in spelling criticised the memorial as being not worthy of those who gave their lives. She had hoped for a stained glass window.

Mr Millbank in reply defended the action by the Council and said that their decision to erect a plaque was correct and that they had done their best in the circumstances and with the money available.

Mr Pearl who had been Treasurer of the Fund supported him. He traced the history of the Fund mentioning the meetings held after the War by the Welcome Home Fund Committee, correspondence that had taken place with the Secretary, Essex County Council and with the Charity Commissioners who had finally given their approval to the money in hand being used for the erection of a plaque.

The Rector said that the mistakes in lettering were of course to be regretted. Consideration was also to be given to the inclusion of 3 further names Aylmer. Bird and Phillibrown. Aylmer should be included if he was killed in 1945 and, if his parents approved of the inclusion and Bird and Phillibrown if their parents similarly approved. Messrs Woodrow. Hinman, Gladwell, Pearl, Millbank & Kerr undertook to make exhaustive enquiries concerning the possibility of further names

The Council agreed unanimously that the corrections and additions should be put in hand as soon as possible and charged to Church Expenses. The Standing Committee were given power to proceed.

Private William Attridge - a WWII Memorial, St Margaret's, Stanford Rivers

"A Meeting of the Parochial Church Council Meeting was held on 22"4 November 1965 at The Rectory

... The Rector's Report ...

3 The Rector continued his report stating that the War Graves Commission had increased the payment they made for the one grave for which they are responsible from 5/-[25p.] to 12/- [60p.] p.a."

The grave, the subject of the item, is the grave of Private William Attridge. He was the only soldier among the 20 men from the parish of Stanford Rivers who died in WWI in being buried in England, in St Margaret's.¹

Does any reader know when such payments for the upkeep of these local graves ceased?