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Pudsey Parish Church If the Cenotaph is Pudsey’s public face of remembrance, then Pudsey Parish Church, St Lawrence and St Paul , is one of its most personal. Inside the church is a striking marble First World War memorial with 54 names dedicated to the churchmen of this parish who gave their lives in the Great War, 1914–1918 . It is a beautiful and serious piece, framed by coloured marble columns and carved detail, with the names of the dead set either side of a central inscription. But that is only part of the story.   Nearby are individual memorials to men including Captain James Eric Appleyard, 2nd Lt Major Booth, 2nd Lt George Latimer Robbins, Sergeant Joseph Birks Mann, Corporal Frederick William Jones , and even the altar rail itself became an act of remembrance . That is what makes this place special. It is not just one memorial, but a cluster of them – public remembrance, private grief and family love all gathered in one church. The church carries the day-to-day respons...

Part 4 – The Missing Names: Putting the Record Straight This research and the creation of the Missing Names Memorial at Pudsey Cenotaph were supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, whose funding helped make the project possible. When Pudsey Cenotaph was unveiled in September 1922, it commemorated 333 local men who had lost their lives in the Great War. But it wasn't a complete record of the town's losses. And before anyone blames those who compiled the original list, consider what they were dealing with. Hundreds of casualties, grieving families, changing addresses, incomplete military records and a mountain of information gathered through correspondence, newspapers and handwritten index cards. The original archivists did a remarkable job with the resources available to them. But keeping those records accurate and up to date was virtually impossible, particularly when so many people had died in such a short period. Finding the Missing Names When I began researching the identi...

Pudsey Cenotaph and its surprising secrets Pudsey Cenotaph. Every November we gather at our stunning central memorial to remember those who gave their lives in service . Service during the early 1980's from an original slide photo by Tom Harrison But this familiar landmark has a fascinating history, including an ancient chapel , a mysterious coffin and a bronze statue with a twin . The Memorial Standing at the junction of Chapeltown and Carlisle Road, Pudsey Cenotaph was paid for by public subscription and unveiled on 10th September 1922. Costing £5,000 and standing 35 feet tall , the Portland stone monument was designed by Brierley & Rutherford of York. Its magnificent bronze soldier , representing the West Yorkshire Regiment, was created by Henry Poole of London. It's believed that this is a self portrait of Henry himself, who had worked in the Government's camouflage design studio during the Great War.  And here's something you might not know – our soldier h...

Part 2 – The Pudsey Book of Remembrance & The Roll of Honour Whilst the names of Pudsey's First and Second World War casualties are recorded on the Cenotaph, there is another remarkable document that tells a much bigger story The Pudsey Book of Remembrance This beautiful, hand-bound manuscript contains the names of the town's men who served during the First World War. Each name is carefully inscribed in pen and ink, with stunningly precise calligraphy. It isn't simply a list – it's a work of craftsmanship and civic pride. It is also the source document for the 341 First World War names recorded on Pudsey Cenotaph. The book was illuminated and written by Daisy Grace Sharpe of Plum Paddock, Hever, Kent, in 1926. There are many more names here than on the Cenotaph. The memorial records those who lost their lives, while the Book of Remembrance recognises those who served, including the many who returned home. However as we found out 100 years later, it is by no means co...

Pudsey Remembers: Lost & Found War Memorials - Special Pudsey has its Cenotaph. Farsley has its own War Memorials including one from the Boer War. Bramley eventually built theirs for the Great War Centenary of 2014. So why didn't Stanningley, with so many men who served and died in the First World War, receive a public memorial of its own? 1908 OS Map Courtesy of Alan Godfrey Maps The answer lies in a mixture of complicated local boundaries, civic debate and a very different idea of how the fallen should be remembered. A Borough Divided The old Stanningley Ward occupied an awkward position, with its wider community divided between Pudsey, Farsley and Bramley. This made civic planning and decisions about public commemoration particularly complicated. In 1911, Stanningley Ward had a recorded population of 3,058 , making it the most populous of Pudsey Borough Council's six wards. Even during the First World War, discussions were taking place about how communities should perman...