Good King Wenceslas looked out… Written by Pam Preedy. “Good King Wenceslas looked out” starts the traditional Christmas carol which tells the story of Saint Wenceslaus 1, the Duke of Bohemia (907-953). The Holy Emperor Otto (962-973) posthumously conferred on him the royal title, King. Later a preacher from the 12th century wrote that Wenceslaus “rose from his noble bed with bare feet and only one chamberlain (and) went around to God’s churches giving generously to widows, orphans, those in prison and afflicted by every difficulty, so much so that…
Tag: beckenham
Sergeant Thomas Beattie
Thomas Beattie Sergeant Thomas Beattie served with the RAF voluntary reserve as an observer during world War 2. He was killed on the 10th December 1942 and is buried at Beckenham crematorium and cemetery. Source:CWGC entryService Number: 1386746 Photo credit:Taken by Simone Harris, March 2023
Molly Sherwell
Molly Sherwell Private Molly Sherwell served with the Auxiliary Territorial Service during World War II. She died on the 28th June 1944 and is buried at Beckenham Crematorium and Cemetery in Southeast London. If you have any details that we can add about this soldier, then please get in touch. Source: Bromley & District Times, 3rd June 1921 (page 9) CMGC entry – Service Number: W/99812 Photo credit: Simone Harris, 17th March 2023
G.H. Obee
G. H. Obee Private G.H. Obee served with the 4th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders during World War 1. He died on the 11th May 1917 and is commemorated in Beckenham Crematorium. His name also appears on the Memorial to the boys of Beckenham County School. If you have any details that we can add about this soldier, then please get in touch. Source: Bromley & District Times, 3rd June 1921 (page 9) CMGC entry – Service Number 201721 Photo credit: Simone Harris, 9th August 2014
B.G. Clarke
B.G. Clarke Gunner Benjamin George Clarke served with the Royal Artillery in the 36 Searchlight Regiment during World War II. He was the son of Benjamin John and Kate Elizabeth Clarke of Beckenham and married to Amy Ann Clarke. He died on the 30th June 1916, aged 35 years. Special thanks to our Facebook community for helping to source extra information about this solider. Source:CWGC entry Photo credit: Simone Harris, 9th August 2014
Francis Perl Mears
Francis Perl Mears Captain Francis Perl Mears served with the Royal Army Service Coprs during World War 1 in France and Salonica. He was the son of T. Lambert Mears, M.A., LL.D., (Barrister at Law), and Alice Catherine Mears (nee Peel), and husband of the late Mabel Fitz Roy Mears, (nee Ellis). He died on the 22nd February 1919, aged 42 years. He is commemorated at Beckenham Cemetery. Source: CWGC entry Photo credit: Simone Harris, 9th August 2014
Frederick Charles Salmon
Frederick Charles Salmon Second Lieutenant Frederick Charles Salmon was the son of George and Annie Martha Salmon, of 38 Sainsbury Road, Upper Norwood (London). He served with the 97th Squadron of the Royal Air Force during World War 1. Sadly he was killed in an aeroplane accident at Ford on the 1st May 1915, aged 22 years old. He is buried in Beckenham Crematorium and Cemetery. If you know any more details about this soldier, then please get in touch as we would love to add more details to his…
Beckenham’s Own War Ship
Make this Beckenham’s Own Destroyer Sikh’s Glorious Record Beckenham’s Warship Week starts on Saturday February 21st [1942]. This aim is to raise £350,000 in gifts and savings, by hitting this target Beckenham will raise the money to adopt a Tribal Class Destroyer, and will be permitted to adopt H.M.S. Sikh. Other towns of like size have shown that the money can be raised. It is up to every man, woman and child in Beckenham to make this week of February 21028 a resounding success, the symbol of which will be…
Further Education Courses during 1942
The country may have been at war, but that didn’t stop Kent Education Committee from running Further Education courses in 1942. This advert appeared in the Bromley & District Times in January 1942 advertising to the districts of Bromley, Beckenham and Penge. The courses and classes they ran comprised of Building, Engineering and Commercial subjects in preparation for National Certificates Courses for Air Training Corps, for both Bromley (no. 228) and Beckenham (no. 386) Recreative Classes in Physical Training and Dancing, Music and drama etc. Art and Craft Classes Source:…
Gunner Sydney Bax: Wedding
A member of an old Bromley family was married at St John’s, Eden Park, on Saturday, when the bridegroom was Mr Sidney Bax (now Gunner, R.A.), eldest son of Mr and Mrs S. Bax, of The Cottage, 11 Upper Park Road, Bromley, and the bride , Miss Gwendoline Prior, second eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs W. Prior, of 338 Upper Elmers End Road, Beckenham. The Rev. W. J. Berry, M.A., officiated, and appropriate music was played before and after the ceremony, the hymn, “O Perfect Love,” being sung during…