Peace Celebrations 1919
PEACE CELEBRATIONS 1919 AND WAR MEMORIAL HISTORY
April 15th 1919
A Parish Meeting be held to consider the question of a War Memorial. (It states this this was to be held on May 8th at 7.30 but there are no Minutes for this date. These Minutes would be in a separate book which not able to locate at present, February 2012.)
20th May 1919
The Clerk was instructed to call a Special Meeting in the event of any communication being received concerning Peace Celebrations.
July 4th 1919
A Special Meeting of the Council was held to consider the Celebration of Peace. A circular letter from the Local Government Board was read in reference to the Peace Celebration. The cost of Celebrating Peace be a charge on the rates. The celebrations take the form of a Tea etc. for the children. Welcome Home and Tea for the Demobilised Soldiers and sailors. Doles to the old Poor and Widows.
Providing a Band and obtaining a suitable field be left to the Clerk.
Committees were then formed:
The Full Council to be the committee for list of recipients of doles.
A sub-committee not exceeding 5 for Children's and Soldiers entertainments
Sub-committees to meet on the following Tuesday and report back to the Council.
July 28th 1919
The Clerk reported that the Peace Celebrations were held on July 19th 1919.
The Sileby Brass band was in attendance. The Celebrations commencing at 1 o'clock on the Cross Green. At 2 o'clock the School Children and those that had left school since the Armistice assembled at the new Schoolroom and headed by the band paraded to the meadow in the grounds of Rothley Grange kindly lent by Lieut. Col. Robinson.
Sports etc. for the children were held during the afternoon and at 4 o'clock upwards of 300 children were entertained to a substantial tea in the Schoolroom. Also at the same time the Discharged and Demobilised Sailors and Soldiers also those home on leave or staying in the village were entertained to a meat tea in the Village Hall.
A few words of Welcome Home were spoken by Mr Harry Hames and Mr P. S. Clay. After the tea Lieut. Col. Robinson responded for all the ranks thanking those that had assisted in carrying out the arrangements.
About 5 o'clock the children's sports were resumed also the sports for the adults and Soldiers and Sailors the prizes being given away by Mrs Robinson.
During the day the following were given a donation of Five Shillings each:
(List not done)
Sweets were given to the children having been sent to the committee as were cigarettes and Tea given to the Soldiers and sailors. These gifts were given by local people.
288 Bronze Peace Medals were provided for the Children and owing to the rain the display of Fireworks was held over 'til Monday July 21st when they were let off on Cross Green.
The total cost was £86.14s 4d.
The following statement of expenses was laid before the council:
Fireworks 3.13.6
Medals 6.12.0
Printing 3.3.6d
Band 12.0.0
Donation to old people etc. £14.10.0
Sports Prizes 3.6.10
" " 1.17.4
" " 2.19.5
Beef 4.6.0
Ham 9.9.7
Sugar and Margarine (from Cattells) 0.14.0
Tea, Sugar (from Goodalls) 3.9.11
Grocery, Bread etc (from Co-op Society) 16.13.11
Bread, cakes, buns (from Bursnalls) 3.12.6
Tomatoes 1.6.0
Attendance (Godwin and Stevens) 17s0d
Milk 7s0d
Postage 8s9d
TOTAL £89.7s3d
Less sold £2.12.11
FINAL COST £86.14s4d
The Clerk be instructed to thank those who sent presents of sweets, cigarettes, tea Butter Milk and for providing Band Stand.
Mr Haynes moved, Mr Ross seconded a General Precept be drawn and issued on the Overseers for the sum of Seventy Five Pounds being a rate of three half pence in the Pound to meet the cost of Peace Celebrations to be paid on or before August 1st 1919.
A Vote of Thanks was accorded to the Clerk, recorded in the Minutes, in recognition of his services as Hon. Secretary to the Peace Celebrations Committee.
December 9th 1919
The question of a Welcome Home to the men who have been demobilised since the Peace Celebration. After discussion it was estimated that about £15 would be required to provide a suitable welcome. The Chairman guaranteed to collect or provide the amount.
June 15th 1920
Mr Hames on behalf of the Rothley War Memorial Committee offered to the Parish Council two closes of Land and handed to the Clerk
November 16th 1920
The centre tree on Cross Green be removed to make room for the War Memorial. The Copper Beech Tree at the Cemetery and two trees offered to the council be planted on the Wellsic Bank. They be protected by 3 guards moved from existing trees on the Cross Green and that H. Mee do the work with assistance of unemployed labour.
18th January 1921
Mr Whitwell moved, Mr Boyce seconded that the design and inscription for Granite Headstone as submitted by Messrs' M E T Blythe be approved. (This item does not specifically relate to the War memorial but sounds like it refers to the granite obelisk)
Last Updated Tue, 26 Jan, 2016.