During our research for “A Wall Unto Us”, our Raunds Roll of Honour of the 2 World Wars, we became aware of several other similar projects either completed or underway in the county. Here, as an ongoing notice-board, we bring you our view on the status of each one:
BOZEAT - the parish council published their account of the town's Great War and its casualties in a book entitled "For Crown and Country", on Saturday, 23 January 2010. It is not known if copies are still available.
BURTON LATIMER - in 2007 the Burton Latimer Heritage Society released a DVD called "A Sense of Place", supported, like our own project, by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Telling the story of the town and its people, it includes a section on their war memorial. The DVD is definitely still available from local libraries and may still be also on sale in the town.
COURTEENHALL - staunch WW1 researcher Gordon Hall (see Wollaston below) has also investigated the names on this village war memorial although we are not aware of where his results are lodged.
DESBOROUGH - we had heard of a project to research 'Ar Tarn's World War 1 story, the group published a book on their findings "Desborough in the Great War" in 2011 - copies are available at various retail outlets in the town.
EARLS BARTON - the local History Society are currently researching the village's war casualties and we look forward to seeing their results in due course.
ECTON - research on the village's WW1 victims is underway and plans are in hand for both a book and website to commemorate these brave men.
FINEDON – at last the fruits of nearly 10 years research by Peter Inns came to fruition with the launch on Saturday, 12 February 2011 of his book "Those that didn't - Finedon, 1914-1919 & 1939-1945"; and at a sale price of just £8, an excellent addition to the ever-growing library of East Northants War Memorial books.
GEDDINGTON - in 1989, M L Hopkins published "Geddington - A Village at War". This diary format account of the village's Great War period is well worth seeking out, you'll be a "little cross" if you don't!. Kettering Library have several copies available for loan.
HARLESTONE - a book commemorating the village's Great War was published in November 2012, hopefully copies are still available locally.
HARPOLE - in 2003 a group in the village published "We Will Remember Them" - the Harpole Memorial Book, telling the stories of the settlement's war dead and more. Copies may still be available but failing that, the Northamptonshire Record Office has a reference copy in the reading room.
HIGHAM FERRERS – our nearby pals, the Higham Ferrers World War One History Group, at last completed their magnum opus on the Great War casualties from the town and “Higham Boys at War, 1914 to 1918” is now on sale. Please email hfwwohg@googlemail.com or phone 07920-500229 to find out how to obtain your copy.
IRTHLINGBOROUGH – the local history society are currently engaged in researching their town’s war dead and have held several public events showing off their progress. Hopefully a book will also emerge from their efforts.
KETTERING - 'Tis rumoured that a brave gentleman has long been engaged on researching the stories of the 600 or 700 names on the town War Memorial and is now looking for a means to have his labours published - we wish him well (and any assistance we can offer should he care to contact us!).
MEARS ASHBY - yet another subject of Gordon Hall's attentions (see Wollaston below), but like that of Courteenhall, we do not know the location of the results.
RAUNDS – nothing more need be said about this wonderful project as you’re already on our website!
ROADE – our friends Linda Groom and Gordon Hall (see Wollaston below) completed in 2008 their research into the names on the village’s war memorial and we believe that the results were presented in book form to the parish council on behalf of the villagers.
ROTHWELL – recent years have seen a group in the home of the historic “Rowell Fair” researching their war dead. We await eagerly the publishing of their findings.
RUSHDEN – the Rushden & District History Society have an excellent website covering not only the two World Wars but also many other fascinating aspects of our big brother down the road. We heartily recommend a visit to www.rushdenheritage.co.uk and feel sure you won’t be disappointed.
STANWICK – as a project for the Millennium, the late Fred Page researched the men from both world wars named on the village war memorial and produced a very limited edition (just 2 copies) book. One was retained by Fred and the other, specially bound, was presented to the parish council. After Fred’s death in 2006 we were approached by his widow, Val, and asked to transcribe the essential parts of this valuable work on to a website dedicated to his memory. So now, on www.stanwickwarmemorial.co.uk you can all share the fruits of his labours.
THRAPSTON – The research into the town’s war dead that Eric and the team from the town’s history society have been involved in during the last few years is now complete. "In the Springtime of their Lives" - The Thrapston Roll of Honour, 1914-2007 is now available at "Forget Me Not", in Thrapston High Street.
WEEDON - another exciting on-going project is underway to record the lives of the village's war heroes, as soon as we hear more we'll post it here.
WOLLASTON – in 2004, a small group, led by Linda Groom and Gordon Hall, published an excellent book detailing the men from the village who died in the two world wars. It was this book that greatly inspired us to embark on our Raunds project. We believe that copies are still obtainable by contacting Gordon on 01933-664695.
WOOTTON & HARDINGSTONE – two of our colleagues from the Northamptonshire Branch of the Western Front Society, and their friends began researching the names on the war memorials of these twin villages just outside of Northampton some time ago – but we've not heard of their progress.
If anyone knows of any other county projects we've missed, please contact Steve.
