A Brief History of Waltham

Cenotaph

We are fortunate to have had sight of the original minute book, starting in June 1919 when discussion started about having a war memorial in Waltham.

A committee of 14 people was formed with the first item asking for suggestions as to what form the memorial should take. Ideas ranged from a mounted gun on a large stone base to a stone memorial with a cross and inscriptions. If we look at the cenotaph today we can see that the latter suggestion was adopted.

The next entries show that the location was then considered, with the corner of Brigsley Road and Cheapside decided upon. Some people believe that the cenotaph was moved after it was built to accommodate the road, but it was actually the road that was rerouted around the memorial!

Next in the minute book was how to raise the money for the project. Letters to ‘gentlemen of the village’ were sent out and 6 collecting books issued so ‘that the village might be canvassed house to house’. A meeting for the villagers was called in September 1919 for fund raising to be discussed.

There is then a gap in the minute book of about a year, when it is assumed the memorial was being built.

A year later the minutes show that discussion turned to the inscription and that it should honour the men who ‘died and to the self-sacrificing efforts of those who fought in the Great War’.

The date the memorial was to be unveiled was to be November 11th 1920, with the Rev Horn to lead a service ‘assisted by ministers of other denominations’. Ex-service men from Waltham were to be invited to the ceremony, with the minutes showing that G Heneage was to be invited to unveil the memorial. Lt Col Wilson and Major Torr are named as possible substitutes. It’s also noted that the local police superintendent was to be asked to provide ‘a constable to regulate traffic’, which is not dissimilar to each Remembrance Service held nearly 100 years later.

At a meeting in November 1921 the minute book shows the deeds and all associated books were to be handed over to Waltham Parish Council. The memorial committee was then disbanded, with the final page showing the balance sheet. The total expenditure being £358.7.9

To bring us up to date, each year the Parish Council organise a service to be held on Remembrance Sunday, with the assistance of The Royal British Legion and the local churches.

A parade takes place starting at the British Legion on Barnoldby Road, to the Cenotaph where the first service is held. The parade then goes to All Saints’ Church for a second service, and afterwards returns to the British Legion.

This is a well-attended village event, which as the records testifies started nearly 100 years ago.