An Account Book

This article is written alongside an article by Bob Lloyd in the January 2010 issue of Purton Magazine (available online from 14 January 2010 at www.purtonmagazine.com) relating further developments in his researches into the men of Purton who served in the First World War and paid the ultimate sacrifice.  I also have in mind Holocaust Memorial Day which is on 27 January which remembers those mostly civilians who were exterminated in the second war.  The Great War, the “war to end all wars”, and the Second World War were separated by a mere 21 years – just enough time to prepare yet another generation for slaughter.

I’ve called this exhibit An Account Book, but it isn’t just any old account book. Cenotaphs, war memorials or “wayside crosses” to commemorate the fallen of the Great War didn’t just happen. They weren’t installed by the government but were paid for by local voluntary public subscription. This account book records how the Wayside Cross, now commonly referred to as the Cenotaph, in Purton was funded. By the way, the word cenotaph comes from two Greek words meaning empty (kenos) tomb (taphos).

If you are organising a fund, you need at least a Treasurer and the account book for the Purton War Memorial Fund clearly shows their names on the front cover. But it also shows that it was a book started for a different, though related, purpose as it starts off being called the Purton Prisoners Food Fund of which the first Treasurer was A. Durnsford (May to October 1915). The purpose of the charity was to send food parcels to Prisoners of War held by the enemy. In November 1916, the role was taken up by F.W. Drew who continued through to 1919, when on 1 January 1919 the charity was renamed the Purton War Memorial Fund. His handwriting carries on in the book until 17 April 1919 after which another hand writes entries up to March 1920. All these entries are in fountain pen and there is still a sheet of pink blotting paper folded inside the book.

The names recorded inside are those you would expect – all the typical names of Purton people that have survived across the years: landowners, tradesmen, workmen, they are all there. By the end of October 1918, £417 16s 4½d had been collected and used to pay for food parcels.

The hostilities of the Great War ended on 11 November 1918 and by January 1919 thoughts were on the consequences. The book carries over towards the Purton War Memorial Fund and hands a balance of £20 across to the new fund. By March 1920, £235 10s 0d had been collected and that is presumably what the Cenotaph cost to order and erect.

Also in the Museum’s collection is a copy of the Order of Service for the “Unveiling and Dedication of Wayside Cross, Erected in Memory of the Men of this Parish who in the Great War gave their lives for us. Sunday 26th December 1920”. The service shown in Bob Lloyd’s first photograph started with the hymn “O Valiant Hearts” followed by prayers. The Chairman of the Parish Council, J. Haskins, Esq., then called upon Colonel Canning C.M.G., to unveil the Cross after which the hymn “For all the Saints” was sung.

The cross was then dedicated and the roll of the names inscribed upon the cross were read by the Chairman of the Parish Council and an address was delivered by the Revd. R. Cowie, C.F. The hymn “Son of God” was followed by more prayers, the blessing and The Last Post. Wreaths were then laid by representatives of the Service Men, the Parish Council, the Mothers of Purton and the School Children after which The Reveille was sounded. After a short silence, everyone cried “God Save the King”.

I’m also adding a third exhibit to remind us what it was all about. In the collection we have hundreds of photos of soldiers, sailors and airmen from Purton who served in the conflict, all taken in studio settings before they set off for war. Most of those that we look after have a name attached but there are many that are just labelled “a soldier”, “a sailor” or “an airman”. This is just one of those unknown Purton warriors. If you recognise the face from your family album, do please let me know.