Re: The Hazlemere historical record Mr C.J. Andrew is right (Free Press, Oct. 24). It is difficult to paint a brief picture of the febrile, hopeful, tragic environment of post-armistice Hazlemere without some recourse to emotion to illuminate the accounts such as that of our venerable history buff David Gantzel.
At the memorial service (described as “of more than ordinary character”) held in the parish church on Sunday 6 April 1919, the vicar Rev C H Clissold could name only 32 “men and lads from the parish who had made the ultimate sacrifice” – and he felt this figure underestimated the total, which eventually rose to 40. So the naming of those from the parish who gave their lives would have been unavoidably emotive. And there probably were widows and mothers weeping as he remembered most names, but poignantly omitted others.
The public meeting at which Rev F F Field and Mrs Field pledged £500 “for a permanent Village Hall” took place on Monday 28 April 1919. It was reported that “there was a crowded attendance, a large number of the bereaved relatives being present”. They conceded that “the scheme for a memorial cross should come first”; the Parish Council still maintains that war memorial to this day.
The purchase of the Recreation ground was authorised by Chepping Wycombe parish council in June 1919 for a coincidental sum of £500, not to be confused with the Fields’ generous donation for the Village Hall. So the historical record is clear: plans were for a Village Hall in 1919 as part of the post war settlement for Hazlemere, to complement the war memorial and the purchase of the Rec. Hazlemere Parish Council and our predecessors have been supervising the latter now for almost 100 years. We are looking forward to taking Hazlemere Memorial Hall back under civic control in under one month’s time. – Brian Mapletoft, Chairman, Hazlemere Parish Council
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