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Ruyton
XI Towns PEACE
CELEBRATIONS & DEDICATION
OF
THE
WAR MEMORIAL.
Following
the public meeting on 26th June 1919, a
committee was formed in
order to raise funds and to organize events to mark the Peace.
The
arrangements were made to have a procession starting at the School and
passing
the Cross, on which was to be sited the
War Shrine, previously situated on the wall of the School. It
was decided
that it should be passed in silence, as a tribute to the memory of
Ruyton men
who have fallen in the War. The procession then would carry on up
Church Street
and onwards to Brownhill and the site of the War Memorial
for its dedication.
Mr. Francis James Cocks, the village
photographer of Riversdale, Church Street, was asked to take
photographs of the
procession as he saw fit.
The
order of March was that the School
Children should lead, followed by demobilized men, then the Friendly
Societies
and then members of the general public While the march was taking place
the
Church Bells would be ring from 11.45 to 12.45 (at a cost of £2.02.00).
Once
at the War Memorial it was unveiled and dedicated by
Major Gen Edward Ranulph Kenyon of Pradoe. After
which the assembled gathering disbursed. After
the end of the dedication service,
people made their way home and then at 3p.m. assembled at Ruyton Park,
home of
Captain Hunt, who had offered it as a venue for the celebration of the
Peace.
The
catering Committee had organized funding for the food and drink. This
consisted
of a knife and fork tea for all adults, including soldiers, and
including those
children residing at Platt Bridge and their parents, Ruyton Soldiers
now
married and living outside the Parish and Mr. Birch of Grimpo and Mr
Williams
of Post House. Friends and visitors could attend at a cost of 1/6d per
head
with children charged at 9d. Children
were to have meat sandwiches and cake and bread and butter. Men were
allowed
one pint of beer or one bottle of mineral water, ladies allowed one
bottle of
mineral water. The beer allowance was also available to the band.
Residents
were all issued with a ticket which allowed them to participate and, an
additional, a ticket was issued for the beer, which was only for those
aged 16
and over. In
addition to the
refreshments on offer there were also sports with prizes. For the female side there
were races, needle
threading, blindfold sewing and the long jump.
Male participants enjoyed the obstacle races, sack race.
high jump and
tug of war, plus raffles. Captain
Hunt
booked 20 members of the Band of the K.S.L.I at a cost of £18.18.00
plus
expenses.
At
ten in the evening dancing would start and it was suggested that Ned
Lloyd
should fire the guns in the Park, later in the evening. Two constables
were
hired at a cost of 7/6d each, to ensure that order was kept during the
festivities.
Fund
raising was by means of a series of collectors in each of the
townships, if
there was a shortfall it was to be covered by other means such as the
sale of
mugs or War bonds. In
addition to the
cost of the celebrations themselves they also provided mugs for the
children
which were given out by the School and for each man that had returned
there was
a choice of a gift, being a card holder a wallet a tie pin or a tobacco
pouch
or cigarette case in either leather or metal.
These
gifts were to be collected
by the men on the day at a smoking contest to be held 11th
November1920, Armistice Day, or by their representative If they were
still in
the forces, then the selected gift was sent on to them.
The
other major item of expenditure was the Scroll of Honour which was to
show the
names of all those who had served.
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| The village cross used as a temporary war memorial |
