Wateringbury Old Boys Society A.G.M. (1919)

Post date: Jan 10, 2014 8:7:18 PM

The following is  a transcription of a printed leaflet held in the K.A.S. library in Maidstone Museum. The School's final Roll Of Honour after corrections and the addition of the handwritten names plus Tom Smith can be seen in the vestry of the church. Wateringbury People and Places Volume Two (page 80 onwards) has further information on many of the individuals listed and Dail Whiting's November 2013 publication St John the Baptist, Wateringbury War Memorial 1914-1918 is the most detailed and authoritative study of the village's  World War 1 dead.

REPORT

OF

Wateringbury Old Boys Society for 1918

School Motto:-“BE THOROUGH”

16th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

This was held at the Schools on Wednesday, February 12th, 1919. There was a fairly good attendance, over which Mr. E.A.C. Smith presided. The balance sheet showed a much smaller balance in hand than usual , owing to a rather large number of 1918 subscriptions not having yet been paid owing to various circumstances. The Hon. Sec. was able to report a steady increase of membership. The total at present being just over 100. The Officers and Committee were re-elected, with the exception of Lt. F. M. Bishop, who has resigned his position on the School Staff. Later on in the meeting Mr. A.B. Baker proposed and Mr. H. Pickett seconded a resolution that Rule 5 be altered to read “the committee consisting of nine instead of six.” This was agreed to unanimously. The Officers and Committee as finally elected therefore stand as follows:-President and Hon Sec., Mr. Edgar A.C. Smith; Vice President, Mr. H. Pickett; Hon Treasurer, Mr. A. E. Relf; Committee, Messrs J. Cronk, J. Smith, A. B. Baker, G. Hodges, G. Rogers, F. Cronk, J. Neame, G. Underhill, H. Levett, with the names of two former members of Committee now on military service retained for the present, namely Messrs.T. Smith and D. Hook.

Other things discussed were the question of Prizes, the War Memorial and the Annual Dinner. It was decided to give School Prizes at Easter; in addition several members offered Special Prizes to be competed for. It was also decided to leave the question of finishing the War Memorial and the date of the Annual Dinner in abeyance until Peace is actually signed, when another General Meeting will be called.

A vote of thanks to the President closed the meeting.

BALANCE SHEET

NOTES BY THE PRESIDENT

On behalf of the W.O.B.S. I appeal to all “Old Boys” of Wateringbury School to join our Society. It will only cost you 1s. per year, and although you may not get anything very material back for your shilling you will be helping to carry out the three objects of the Society, which you will find in  the shortened set of rules at the end of this Report. A complete copy of Rules, and any further information about the W.O.B.S., can be obtained on application to the Hon. Secretary.

The Junior Branch is to be continued, although we have few members compared to the many boys who leave the school. The subscription is 6d. per annum, and the age 14 to 17 years.

The School War Memorial will be completed as soon as possible after Peace is signed. Any contributions for this purpose may be sent to the Hon. Secretary of the W.O.B.S.

In connection with this Memorial the members of the W.O.B.S. can assist very much by sending in any additional names or any alterations to those already on the Record as published last year. A copy of this Record may be seen outside the Boys’ school.

We are not printing the whole list of “old boys“ who are serving, or who have served in H.M. Forces, in the present Report, but we include the list of those on our Roll of Honour. [250 written in hand].

ROLL OF HONOUR

“ Whatever Peace may bring us, it can never replace the ones War has taken. But they have left behind them their example, and the memory of the clean young manhood that England gave without stint, to fight for the right. With that memory enshrined in the hearts of those they have lefty behind. Victory lies not with the grave, for such lives are Deathless. “

The following have given their lives for King and Country:-

        L Cpl. Fred Adams, R.W. Kent

        Thomas Bowles, H.M.S. Lion

        Pte. George Burrluck, R.W. Kent

        Pte. William Butchers 2, Border Regt.

        Pte. Robert Buss, R.W. Kent

        Pte. Fred Costin, R. Fusiliers

        Pte. John Dumbrell, R.W. Kent

        Alfred Gunner, H.M.S Natal

L-Cpl. Robert Head, 6th Dragoon Guards

Cpl. William Charles Head, City of London Rifles

L- Cpl. Richard Heath, R.M.L.I.

Pte. Arthur Jukes, Coldstream Guards

Rifleman Arthur Jessup, Rifle Brigade

Pte. William Larkin, Sussex Regiment

Pte Fred Latter, R.W. Kent

Pte Jack Ladams, R.W. Kent

Pte Charles Large, R.W. Kent

Pte Bert Main, Leicester Regiment

Pte Charles Martin, Coldstream Guards

Sergt. Lewis Newman, R.W. Kent

Rifleman Fred Relf, Rifle Brigade

Pte Robert Ralph, King’s Own Yorkshire L.I.

Pte Ernest Sales, Worcestershire Reg

Pte Lewis J. Smith, Northumberland Fusiliers

Cpl. Thomas Weller, Grenadier Guards

Pte James Edward Wells, R.W Kent

Gunner Percy Adams, R.G.A.

Pte Frank Cruttenden, South Wales Borders

Gnr Fred Gurr, R.F.A.

Pte Fred Woolley, R.A.M.C.

Pte Harry Wallond, R.W. Kent1

Pte Percy Fuller

Walter Neeves, R.N.A.S .

[ 35  together with Fred Martin and Walter Maytum written in hand].

May we ask friends or relatives of the above to let the Hon Sec. of W.O.B.S. know as soon as possible whether the above names, rank, regiment etc. are correct. If any alteration is wished for we should like to know before the names are permanently done on the School War Memorial. 

MEMBERSHIP

This list again contains the names of a few members who have not paid their subscriptions for 1918 owing to their absence from home on military service and other good reasons. There may be possibly a few names of intending members omitted owing to similar causes. The Hon. Sec. will always be pleased to be notified of any such mistakes.

We have to record with deep regret the loss of no less than three of our honorary members, Mr Amos Baker, who had been a member since the foundation of the Society, Mr. Bertram Leney, who took the place of Mr. A. Leney when he died, and lastly Mr. T. Brocklebank who died just as we were preparing this report for the press. We also have to announce the death of one member on active service, Mr. Walter Neeves, who died on his way home.

We hope we shall obtain some new Honorary Members this year to fill the vacancies. We have pleasure in noting that three members this year have become life members, Lt. H. Prall Pierce, Lt. J. Horscroft and Mr. W.H. Dann.

HONORARY MEMBERS-Col C. E. Warde, Gen. Sir G. B. Wolseley K.C.B., Capt J. Wills, Messrs. W. W. Blest, A. Lambert and J. Neame.

LIFE MEMBERS-Messrs. F. Cronk, W. H. Dann, G. Gurr, Lt. H. Prall Pierce, Lt. J. Horscroft, L. Palmer, A. Pickett and Edgar A. C. Smith.

MEMBERS-Messrs. Wm. Andrews, A. Acott, J. Bowles, Chas Butcher, Tom Barnden, A. L. Brooks, A. B. Baker, Joseph Brooker, A. Bell, Wm. Curd, H. Crockford, Earle Curd, George Custin, Walter Curd, A. E. Curd, Wm. Coomber, B. Driver, G.Fisher, G. Fillery, H. Gregory, Victor Goodwin, T. Gibbs, Thos. Hodges, George Hodges, H.L. Hodges, David Hook, Wm. Hook, Robt. Hook, Hy. Hook, A. Hollands, Ernest Heath, Wm. Heath, Harold Heath, H. Humphrey, George Head, Reg. King, Herbert King,Frank King, E.C. Latter, Norman Latter, H. Levett, F. Merrall, H. Martin, George Mace, P.P. Page, H. Pickett (snr.), H. Pickett (jnr.), J. Pierce, C. Pierce, Bert Pickett, A. E. Relf, M. Relf, Arthur Relf, Tom Ralph, R. Rogers, Arthur Shrimpton, Frank Smith, Horace Smith, Nevill Smith, Richard Smith, A.R. Smith, Tom Smith, E. Shrimpton, Leonard Smith, G. Underhill, Horace Wells, Howard Wells, G. Wells, Thos. Wells, Wm. Weller, L. Whibley, H. Whiffen, Charles Horscroft, George Fullagar.

ASSOCIATES- Messrs J. Cronk, H.F. Green, G. Rogers, J. Stow, A. Smith, J. Smith and G.Wells (snr.).

JUNIORS- L. Curd, Ern. Curd, A. Jukes, Albert Spittles, G. Shepherd, Edward Bell, Cecil Curd.

RULES

I-            The name of the Society shall be “The Wateringbury Old Boys’ Society.”

II-         The objects of the society shall be:-

(a)        To form a bond of union among Old Boys.

(b)        To maintain the connection between the past and present.

(c)         To promote, in every way, the interests of the school.

III - All Old Boys (17 years and over) and past and present masters are eligible for membership, Fathers of past and present scholars may join as Associates. Other persons wishing to be associated with and to assist the Society may do so by becoming  Honorary Members. The subscription to be as follows:-

Members and Associates -1s. per annum

Life Membership –10s.(for members only).

Honorary Membership –5s. (or more) per annum.

All subscriptions to be due on 1st January each year .

EDGAR A. SMITH

President and Hon. Sec.

 Notes

1. Harry had emigrated to Canada in 1905 and served in ther 47th/153rd Bn Canadian Infantry (Western Ontario Regiment).

2. Had joined up at Maidstone in May 1915 into RWK. Parish mag of Aug 1916 : Willie Butcher, like Adams, grew up among us—a fine young fellow, of whom the last seen was when, acting as a messenger, he stopped on his way through the trenches to bind up the wounds of a comrade.