On Saturday, July 4th, 1925, in the presence of a large company of villagers and friends from neighbouring parishes, Hempstead’s new War Memorial, was unveiled by Lieut-General Sir Francis Lloyd, G.C.V.O., K.C.B., D.S.O., and dedicated on behalf of the parishioners by the Vicar, Rev. Thomas Conyers Barker. Here is a contemporary report.
The Memorial, executed by Messrs. Whitehead and Day, of Saffron Walden, is a very handsome Celtic Cross in Comish granite, and 10 ft. 6in. from its base, on ground raised slightly above the road. It sits in the centre of the village, with Turpin’s ring of pollarded elms (Tupp’n’s Ring) as a background, forming an elegant and imposing monument.
The shaft of the cross is inscribed “In Memory of the Men of Hempstead who fell in the Great War, 1914-1919′. Fourteen names are recorded, and on the base are the words “For Home and Freedom.” Speaking from a small dais, temporarily erected, General Lloyd addressed the assembly stirringly and vigorously.
A procession, headed by the Salvation Army Band, including the Saffron Walden and the Sampfords’ and Hempstead Troop of Boy Scouts, the ex-servicemen, and the school-children made its way from the School yard, singing the hymn “Rock of Ages.” General Lloyd inspected the ex-servicemen, wearing their War medals, and the Boy Scouts, and afterwards unveiled the memorial. Scout buglers blew the Last Post; whilst during the Hymn “Jesu, Lover of my soul,” wreaths and flowers were placed at the foot of the cross.
The Vicar then delivered his Dedicatory Address and dedicated the Memorial with prayer, using the following form: “To the glory of God, and in pious and loving memory of the brave men of Hempstead, who made the great sacrifice in the Great War in the cause of righteousness, secunty, and freedom, we, the parishioners of Hempstead, and friends assembled, hereby dedicate as a perpetual Memorial in the Name of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Almighty God preserve and bless this village and parish, and all the workers after righteousness, and promoters of peace and goodwill among men; bless us all in our homes, in our labours, and in our recreations; and preserve our land from war and pestilence, our Empire from discord and dissentions, and the nations of the world in mutual friendship, tranquility and peace. Amen.”
W. Foot Mitchell, Esq., Member of Parliament for the Division of Saffron Walden, attended and spoke, expressing the privilege which he felt in partaking of the happiness and sorrows of those whom he represented.
Patriotic Selections were rendered by the Salvation Army Band, and by the School Children, and after a Vote of Thanks to General Lloyd and Mr. Foot Mitchell had been proposed in very appropriate terms by Mr Sidney Turner, representing the Hempstead Chapel, and seconded by Lieutenant J. A Coxen, representing the Salvation Army, the proceedings terminated with the Reveille by the buglers, and the National Anthem.
The vicar’s address
“Sir Francis Lloyd, W. Foot Mitchell, Parishioners of Hempstead and Friends, we are assembled this afternoon for the purpose of Dedicating, as well as Unveiling this granite cross Memorial by way of tribute to the brave men of Hempstead (as you , Sir Francis have already explained) – heroes – who fell in the Great War, in defence of our Land, our Homes, and our highly valued Freedom.
“General Lloyd has spoken to us as a Soldier, and Citizen, and as a well-known representative of the County of Essex, and as such has kindly unveiled our Memorial, which (I am sure we will all agree) is a very handsome piece of masonry, reflecting great credit upon its designers, and upon Messrs. Whitehead and Day, of Saffron Walden, who have so satisfactorily carried out the work, and erected it on this spot, as well as a most fitting Monument to the Fallen, and adornment to the Village.
“Before the Memorial is handed over (as it were) to the custody of the Village, or the Parish Council as the custodians of public property and the common rights of the parish, a few words (I am sure) from a religious point of view, will not be inappropriate.
“The Cross stands for the Christian maxim ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man laid down his life for his friends.’ Every soldier who went out to the Great War went, as it were, with his life in his hands. And so he went prepared to drink the Lord’s cup, who laid down His life upon the Cross not for us only who believe in Him, but for those whose lives were taken, and who drank of His Sacrifice, for the preservation and safety of us who are alive here this day.
“Rightly we do honour them; and though their noble deeds, and service, in their country’s hour of need will ever live (as will the deeds of you ex-servicemen, who shared with them the brunt of battle and war), in this Memorial (in common with the War Memorials which already exist in other villages) we shall have a constant reminder to ourselves, and the children of generations to come, of the noblest and best of gifts (their life’s blood) which they gave for this Land, and this Nation, which we all LOVE.
“Memorial crosses are not of the present age only. In many of our villages, and in places upon the high road, and even on the moorlands and commons, in different parts of our country, ancient crosses, marking battle sites and cross roads. the halls of pilgrimages, or the guides of pilgrims, the emblems of rebgious conquests, can he seen, and the great events of history have been celebrated by other forms of memorial. So our thanksgiving at the close of the Great War was fittingly expressed; whilst our pride in our brave soldiers, and our honour to our brave dead, and the perpetuation of the Memory of their great sacrifice will be told forth to time immemorial by this emorial which has now been UNVEILED· This Cross tells of ‘loved ones’ who have ‘gone before’: It ells, too, of the ETERNAL DESTINY of us all. The eyes of many generations will look upon ii.
Wayfarers and Villagers may sit here, or stand here to think and rest, and watch the great sun o’erflood the west. They will come and go, and pass away, whilst this Hempstead Cross will see but a day; Yet when this shall rest in the mould’ring past, A Cross there is which for ever shall last.“
Order of service
