War memorial finally in church’s hands after debt paid off

The war memorial at Felmingham, which has only now just been paid off, was dedicated in 2018. Picture: Helene Smith (Image: Archant)

And now a year-long project for a memorial in the churchyard at Felmingham’s St Andrew’s Church has finally been completed, with the cost of £3,800 having been paid off.

Rev Keith Dally, rector of the United Benefice of Kings Beck, which includes Felmingham, said it meant the memorial was now in the full ownership of the church.

Rev Dally said: “There used to be a roll of honour board inside the church, but there wasn’t a memorial outside, which is a bit unusual, so we set about to do something about it.”

“Originally we asked local people to donate and did some fundraising events.

“The impetus was there to start with but it slowed down a bit, and we were left with a sum of £1,000 that still needed to be raised.”

The debt was still outstanding this year, until Rev Dally heard about financial support Suffolk-based developer Hopkins Homes had given to the creation of other war memorials.

Rev Dally said: “We approached them and they agreed to pay for it, for which we are very grateful.

“We now have a fitting memorial to honour those who sacrificed their lives for our country.”

The memorial - made of granite - was made by stonemason Nick Hindle, who is based in Wroxham but grew up in Hevingham, and church member Peter Brown, who carried out all the preparatory groundworks and landscaping, and the project was led by Felmingham Church Friends Group.

The object pays tribute to six men who fought in the First World War and six who fought in the second, and was unveiled in August 2018, to mark the centenary of the Armistice.

The servicemen named on the memorial are, from the First World War: Torrance Algernon Brett, Frederick Buck, Frederick William Self, James Edward Self, Herbert Ernest Self, Albert James Whitwood; and from the Second World War, John Beales, John Daniels, Cecil Frank Hall, Leonard James Hicks, George Walter Mount and James Henry Wright.

Joshua Hopkins, from the Hopkins Charitable Fund, said: “It is our pleasure to be able to donate this funding to allow this war memorial to become under full ownership of the Felmingham church community.”