In the Workhouse, Christmas Day by George R. Sims ( 1847 – 1922 ) It is Christmas Day in the workhouse,And the cold, bare walls are brightWith garlands of green and holly,Ad the place is a pleasant sight; For with clean-washed hands and faces,In a long and hungry lineThe paupers sit at the table,For this is the hour they dine. And the guardians and their ladies,Although the wind is east,Have come in their furs and wrappers,To watch their charges feast; To smile and be condescending,Put pudding on pauper plates.To be…
Year: 2022
Christmas in the Workhouse
Christmas in the Workhouse Written by Pam Preedy. ‘Please Sir, I want some more.’ Who amongst us doesn’t recognise these words when Oliver Twist, an orphan, drew the short straw to ask for more food? Although this story by Charles Dickens was not set at Christmas, it illustrates one of the horrors of the workhouse – hunger. Poverty had always been a problem. It was generally believed that poverty was the fault of the poor because they were lazy and feckless. With the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII,…
Leading-Stoker Charles William Venters
Leading-Stoker Charles WIlliam Venters Lost at Sea Charles William Venters was the son of William G.T. and Rose Venters of Wharton Road, Bromley (Kent). Charles attended Wharton Road Council School and later joined up to the Royal Navy where he served for 7 years, for most part onboard HMS Queen Mary. HMS Queen Mary was the last battlecruiser built by the Royal Navy before the First World War. Completed in 1913, she participated in the Battle of Heligoland Bight as part of the Grand Fleet in 1914. A battle also served by Leading Stoker Venters. On…
Sergeant C. Allington
Sergeant C. Allington Sergeant C. Allington, of North Road, Bromley (Kent), joined Regular Army in 1914 and went out with the first contingent of the Bromley Volunteers at the time of the South African War in 2nd Volunteer Battalion of Royal West Kent Regiment. He had previously served first with Royal West Kent Regiment, then with the Army Service Corps in France (attached to the Royal Engineers), and had previously been with the Suffolk Regiment in India. He died on 23rd July, 1920 after a long illness caused by being…
The “Spanish” Flu Pandemic of 1918-1920
The “Spanish” Flu Pandemic of 1918-1920 Written by Pam Preedy. Towards the end of January in 1918, Dr. Loring Miner who lived in Haskell County, Kansas was called to see a patient with body aches, fever, a headache, and a dry cough. It was clearly influenza, but the symptoms were more severe than typical flu symptoms, and as the days went on more people became ill, with disproportionately large numbers of young, strong adults dying. Then it spread to a military training camp, Camp Funston in Kansas, on March 4,…
Leading-stoker Ernest Bourne
Leading-Stoker Ernest Bourne Ernest Bourne of Canon Road, Bromley (Kent) spent 8 and a half years with navy on HMS Hecla, and a further 2 years on foreign service including China & Japan. On leaving the service he became a fireman of the London Fire Brigade Bourne served at Cannon Street, Sydenham & Clapham, before moving to Poplar workhouse where he worked for about 3 years before being called up for World War 1. During WW1 he served with the Royal Naval Reserve onboard HMS Aboukir. Sadly Bourne did not…
Horses in the First World War
Horses in the First World War Written by Pam Preedy. We sometimes forget that horses were essential to the Army during World War One. Much attention has been focused on the dreadful conditions and sufferings of the men in the trenches, yet the suffering was shared by the horses as seen in the book, play and film War Horse by Michael Morpurgo. All the armies used horses and mules. At the outbreak of war, there were 25,000 horses at the disposal of the British Army. Under the Horse Mobilisation Scheme of…
Captain Gilbert W Murlis Green
Captain Gilbert Ware Murlis Green Highly decorated Officer Captain Gilbert W. Murlis Green was the son of Mr & Mrs J. W. Murlis Green, born in London on the 24th January 1895. His family were from Beckenham. Gilbert joined the army in 1914 and transferred to the Royal Flying Corps the following year. He was a Royal Air Force career officer credited with eight aerial victories and was highly decorated for this. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and Serbian Order of Karageorge for duties effectively accomplished and for…
William Bernard Bingham
William Bernard Bingham Killed whilst on service William Bernard Bingham was born at West Stoke and was the son of John and Alice Bingham. William was married to Charlotte Jean Bingham, of 2, St. Mary’s Cottage, Hayes, Kent, and was formerly chauffeur to Lady Laidlow of Warren House, Hayes for 8 years, before enlisting as a 2nd-class Air Mechanic with the Royal Air Corps., in April 1916. Sadly he was killed in an accident while serving. On the 5th July 1916, William was working on a stationary Mechanical Transport when…
Second-Lieu F. G. W. Marchant
Second Lieutenant Francis George Wake Merchant Killed in Action Second Lieutenant Francis George Wake Marchant served with the 3rd Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps and was the only son of Frank and Torfrida Marchant, of Woodside, Keston (Hayes), Kent. Born in London on the 4th March 1897, he was educated at Ludgrove and Eton. Having proceeded to Sandhurst in May, 1915, Francis obtained a commission in the Royal West Kent Regiment on 19th October, 1915 and immediately volunteered for the Royal Flying Corps. After 5 months training went overseas…