Every year in November, the country pauses and takes a moment to remember our war dead.
And while crowds gather around St Peter’s Church War Memorial, poppies are also quietly placed on small, but equally significant, memorials in the streets of St Albans Abbey Parish. Because from this parish, over 110 men died.
In 1914 the Abbey Parish was a poor but close-knit community, mostly living in small, Victorian terraced houses.
Many of their young men joined regiments in which friends served together. They had played together as children, attended school and worked together and, sadly, often died together.
The impact of their loss on their community was devastating.
Some of these soldiers were buried in war cemeteries where they fell. Some have no known grave.
Many were buried in Fleetville Cemetery in what became known as 'Soldiers Corner'.
Napsbury Hospital was used as a hospital for war wounded and so official war graves, containing soldiers from Canada, Australia and New Zealand as well as local men, were established in the Hatfield Road cemetery.
Crossing the High Street from the Clock Tower it is easy to miss the wall memorial on Waxhouse Gate.
St Albans Abbey Parish was unique in choosing more personal wall memorials in the streets where the fallen had lived, rather than a communal war memorial.
We don’t know whose idea this was, but Canon Glossop and his wife, who had lost two of their three sons in the war, were strongly supportive.
The first memorial, in Albert Street, was dedicated by the Dean during Spring 1920. By June, Michael Furze, Bishop of St Albans, had dedicated three more: Bardwell Road, Pageant Road, Sopwell Lane.
By April 30, 1921, another five were placed in Fishpool Street, High Street, Holywell Hill, Verulam Road and Lower Dagnall Street. In Orchard Street and Dagnall Street, the memorials were later removed but were rededicated in 2002/3.
The plain stone wall plaques each bear the words, 'For Remembrance', surmounted by a cross. The names are in alphabetical order, without rank. All are equal in death.
Last year a new memorial joined these other older ones. The residents of King’s Road raised funds to commission a memorial to the men from their street who had died over 100 years ago.
These street memorials are unique.
On November 11 at 10.45am, St Albans Tour Guides will lead their annual public walk to pay our respects to these memorials and tell the stories of the people behind them.
Tickets are £6 per person, with all receipts being donated to the Royal British Legion.
Find out more at www.stalbanstourguides.co.uk.
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