Skegness Magazine

DEDICATED BY CANON MORRIS AND UNVEILED BY SCHOOL’S FIRST HEADMASTER AT IMPRESSIVE SERVICE
DIGNIFIED STONE PLAQUE DESIGNED BY ARCHITECT WHO WAS A FORMER PUPIL

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MANY students, past and present, and their friends, together with those who have a deep interest in the Skegness Grammar School, will remember for many a long day the impressive occasion that brought a large gathering to the School on Thursday.
It was the unveiling and dedicating of the War Memorial to those of the school who lost their lives in the late war. The dedication was pronounced by the Rev. Canon A. H. Morris. Rector of Skegness at the time when the present Grammar School was opened, and the unveiling ceremony was performed by Mr. K. G. Spendlove, M.A., the School’s first headmaster, who retired only a year ago.
Fittingly enough, the memorial, which takes the form of a stone plaque set in the main entrance hall of the school building, was designed by Mr. Frank Lee Evans, B. Arch., A.R.I.B.A., A.M.P.T.I., a former pupil of the school but unfortunately he could not be present owing to being detained in Liverpool through pressure of work.
DIGNIFIED BUT SIMPLE
The Memorial was executed by Messrs. Ranee and Kett Ltd., of Cambridge, and was actually erected in the school by Messrs. W. Greetham and Son Ltd., Mr. J. H. Fleming having been in charge of the operations.
It is of dignified but simple design, and a worthy memorial to those young Skegness folk who gave their lives in the war. Donations to the memorial were given by members of the School Association and by other old pupils, the present schoolchildren, the staff and parents and friends.

It bears the inscription: “We remember Norman Abbott, George Allenby, Samuel Alsop, Reginald Holmes, Harold Daniels, Ronald Deacon, Leslie Bembridge, John Gill, Roy Patrick, Ruth Severs, of this school, who gave their lives during the world war 1939-45.

“Nothing is here for tears; nothing to wail
Or knock the breast; no weakness, no contempt, Dispraise or blame; nothing but well and fair
And what may quiet us in a death so noble.”

Several of the relatives of the deceased had been able to attend. They included Mr. and Mrs. W. Holmes (Reginald Homes’ parents); Mr. A. Patrick (Roy Patrick’s father); Mr. J. E. Severs (Ruth Severs’ uncle); Mrs. Whiley and Mrs. Hodgson (Ruth Severs’ aunts). One recalls that Ruth’s parents were killed in the same air raid as that in which the
girl herself lost her life. And also present were Mrs. Rear, the mother of G. Allenby, and Miss D. Bembridge, sister of L. Bembridge.

POIGNANT PHRASES
The ceremony proceeded without any announcements and was most impressive, its poignant phrases showing that the school and friends bore well in mind the loss sustained.
First came the school hymn, “Jerusalem,” in Blake’s own words to the setting by C. H. H. Parry, following which the Rec- tor said the opening prayers.
The Rev. B. W. Tinkler followed with the special prayers, and Brian Dexter read the lesson commencing ” It was about the sixth hour,” and ending “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God and he shall be my Son.”
Came that old favourite ” O God our Help in Ages Past,” and Canon Morris and Mr. Spendlove moved to the entrance hall. When the echoes of the last verse had died away, Mr. Spendlove unveiled the memorial and read aloud the inscription.
Canon Morris then dedicated the memorial saying, ” In loving memory of those former members of this school, who, upholding its honour and in devotion to their King and Country, gave their lives, we bless and dedicate this memorial in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.”
” May all who see it, and the names inscribed thereon, ever remember the great sacrifices made for us, and be inspired by their example. Here too may we dedicate ourselves to strive for the better world for which they died…”

The school choir next contributed an anthem, to a setting of Ralph Vaughan Williams of words adapted from John Mil- ton, “Nothing is here for tears,” the first verse being a slightly shortened version of the inscription on the monument.
SORROW AND PRIDE
Returning to the platform, Mr. Spendlove (pictured left) addressed those assembled in the following words: “And so we commemorate those who gave their young lives during the desperate years of war. To those bereft, this service of dedication must stir feelings of bitter sorrow and intense pride. It is said that time will heal, but to parents, children’s graves are always green.
” Only true sympathy can help, and through this service, the school, past and present, to fathers and mothers, wives, sisters, brothers, offers its deepest sympathy again. All of those who belong the Grammar School Association have added a duty well clone, to their sorrow, and it is only fitting that an old boy, Frank Evans, should have designed the memorial.
” The natural and artistic ability he developed while at this school, could not have been applied in a better way. So to-day the memorial becomes part of the school they loved, and we who are left must grow old with the years facing failure, heartache and blame, while they stand on the heath, with the wind in their hair, young and beautiful, always the same.”
A LASTING PEACE
“These things shall be, a loftier race,” noble hymn by John Addington Symonds, was then sung to the tune of the ” Old Hundreth,” andthe closing prayers were said by the Rector.
Pamela Hall, after the silent prayers, said ” With malice towards none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right; as God gives us to see the right; let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”
Canon Morris gave the blessing and with the singing of the first verse of the ” National Anthem ” there ended a Skegness occasion that will linger long in memory.

Source: Skegness Standard 20th September 1950

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