Extracts from Parish Council Minutes
Transcribed by Mike Weiner
30 June 1919
Offer
by the War Office of a German Field Gun and Carriage
A Parish Meeting was held in the School Room on Tuesday evening, June 10th 1919 to consider the offer by the War Office of a German Field Gun and Carriage, as a trophy of War. This Parish having sent more men to the War than any other of its size in Great Britain. Mr N Rosevere took the chair on the proposition of Mr EG Cocks, Chairman of the Parish Council and seconded by Mr Beaumont. There was a good attendance and after considerable discussion on various proposals it was decided to accept the Gun and also the kind gift of a site by Mrs Chapman on the allotment known as High Park or Toll Bar, and also to place the War Memorial by its side.
A vote of thanks was given to Mrs Chapman for her gift and also to the Chairman.
7 July 1919
Parish
Council Meeting
By an agreement, the War Memorial Committee met the Council at 8 o'clock when the Rev D Cooke presided. After outlining the position of the Committee, owing to the change effected by the recent Parish Meeting, the Chairman suggested that as the greater part of the money had been collected by himself for the Memorial Cross, that the care of it should be in the hands of the officers of the Church, that is the Churchwardens, the Vicar and Schoolmasters, jointly with the Parish Council. This was proposed by Mr AJ Robins and seconded by Mr Atkin and carried unanimously. The Chairman moved a vote of thanks to Mr Holland for the interest taken in connection with the Memorial and labour bestowed. This was seconded by Mr Beaumont and carried heartily. A vote of thanks was proposed by the Clerk to the Parish Council to the Rev D Cooke for all the interest and labour taken and the success attending it in both the Gun and the Cross.
With regard to future proceedings, the Chairman stated that he had been trying to hasten the District Council, in respect to the site kindly given by Mrs Chapman,which he hoped the Council would take on energetically.
31 July 1919
Parish
Council Meeting
A letter was also read by the Clerk, received from the Ministry of Health, sanctioning any reasonable expenditure by the Council in connection with the erection in the Parish of a German Field Gun and Carriage
13 March 1922
Annual
Parish Meeting
A question was asked respecting the War Memorial whether it was in the hands of the Church representatives or the Parish Council. The Clerk thereupon turned up a minute made on the subject in July 1919 in which the Parish Council agreed that the Rector and the Schoolmaster should cooperate with the Council on all matters relating to the War Memorial and added that only money collected for this object was used in the upkeep.
19 April 1940
Public
Meeting
The meeting was called to discuss the removal of the German Gun situated at the War Memorial. Owing to the small number of Parishioners being present it was proposed to call another meeting at a later date when it was hoped a larger number would be present.
18 June 1940
Public
Meeting
The meeting was held to discuss the removal of the German gun. Proposed by General Headlam, seconded by Mr Browse, that the Gun, the railings around same and the gate should go to help the Country's War aims. Voting was 10 for and 1 against.
27 May 1946
Parish
Council Meeting
Regarding a War Memorial for the fallen in the last War, the Chairman suggested the Council should defer making any decision.
7 December 1946
Parish
Council Meeting
The Council decided to call a Public meeting to discuss the proposed War Memorial. The Welcome Home Committee had asked permission to put a Portland slab with the names of the fallen in the Last War on it.
29 November 1946
Public
Meeting
The following resolution was passed.
A suitable Memorial in the form of a Tablet with the names of the fallen in the Last War, engraved on it, should be placed in the Church, subject to the approval of the Church Council.
Also, a Memorial should be placed in front of the existing Memorial consisting of Portland stone with the names of the fallen engraved on it. Mr Bailey stated, on behalf of the Welcome Home Committee, that they would be pleased to help in any way they could with any expense incurred.