The Hathersage Branch was first established in 1930.
Branch Officers
President: Michael Shuttleworth e-mail: m.shutt@btinternet.com
Chairman: Brian Ward email ward.sage@btopenworld.com
Vice Chairman: David Hoskin email jennifermayhoskin@icloud.com
Secretary: Maryann Orwin e-mail maryann-orwin@live.co.uk
Treasurer: Christopher Jewitt
Branch Community Support: Bernard Eyre e-mail: b.eyre@btinternet.com)
Standard Bearer: David Hoskin e-mail jennifermayhoskin@icloud.com)
Poppy Appeal Organiser: Ann Flavell e-mail annflavell42@btinternet.com
Communications with our branch should be directed through our Secretary
Poppy Appeal
News & Events
Best regards for 2021 to all members. We will update you on News & Events as they become available.
Branch AGM:
This will be held at 7.30 pm on 17th November at the Scotsman’s Pack Inn, Hathersage. You will receive an agenda in due course, but we know our secretary will be standing down when a replacement is appointed. We also want someone to take over as Membership Secretary from our chairman, so if you know of anyone who would take on these positions or as chairman, please put them forward as soon as possible. Committee member, Alan Johnston is also standing down.
Remembrance Sunday 2021
November 14th 2021.
After this event had to be cancelled last year, we are pleased to announce the traditional Remembrance Parade and Church Service will again take place this year.
Parade participants should congregate near the Oddfellows Road car park from 09.30 am ready to march off at 10.00.
We hope that the parade, organised on behalf of Hathersage Parish Council by Hathersage British Legion, will be led by drummers from Hope Valley, joined by the Hathersage Guides, Brownies, Scouts, Cubs and Beavers, Hathersage Firemen and Hope Valley St John’s Ambulance volunteers, together with Mount St Mary’s College, Spinkhill, Army and Air Force Cadets.
This impressive body will march up to the Parish Church for the service at 10.30. After the bugler has played the ‘Last Post’ at 11.00 there will be two minutes silence, followed by the ‘Reveille’ call.
Wreaths will be laid on the War Memorial inside the Church and on the War Graves outside.
All fourteen graves commemorating those others who were lost in various conflicts, will have a wooden cross placed on them by the Cub Scouts.
There will also be a Union Flag flying all week in the village centre.
During our parade march-past both up to the Church and return after the service, we are pleased to say that Hathersage Band will again be playing in the village centre.
We will again rely on Wayne Russel’s ever efficient volunteer road closure marshals.
Afterwards all participants and helpers will again be invited to join the Legion in the Scotsman’s Pack inn.
Armistice Day
Hathersage Remembers
The dedicated Hathersage remembers webpage can be found here. http://www.hathersage-remembers.org.uk/
Two booklets giving details of many of the people from Hathersage who served in WW1, can be obtained from Hathersage Craft Shop, Main Road, Hathersage, S32 1EH., or via the branch secretary.
ABOUT THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION POPPY APPEAL.
The Legion remains the principal charity organisation formed to support ex-service men and women, or their families, with whatever needs they may have, and particularly those who suffered injuries.
To pay for this our main fundraising effort is of course the annual Poppy Appeal. We hope you will support our branch’s efforts this year, in whatever way you can. Our Poppy Appeal Organiser would still welcome any new volunteers willing to help sell poppies.
You can also support by becoming a member of the Legion, even if you have not served in the armed forces.
A Much Deserved Recognition
Thank You Jean
War Memorial Flowers
At some time, we think over 40 years ago, Mrs Frances Ellacott of 'Ashleigh', Crossland Road, asked Jean Wilcockson's mother if she would take over from her the job of decorating the Hathersage War Memorial in the Church each year, for Armistice Sunday, with suitable flower arrangements.
Frances Ellacott (nee Mottram) was the widow of Frederick Herbert Ellacott of the RAF, who was killed on 30 July 1943. His body was recovered from the North Sea by the Germans and lies buried in Denmark. The couple who were both schoolteachers, had only married early in 1942, and Frances died in 1993 age 78, after being married for one year and then a widow for fifty. It is on her grave the British Legion place a wooden cross every Armistice Sunday, in memory of her husband.
Jean used to help until her mother was no longer able and she has continued doing the annual decorating to this day, at her own expense and satisfaction.
Miss Monica Hodgkinson of Moorseats also asked Jean to put flowers there, to remember her two brothers who served in WW1. One of whom, George Cedric Hodgkinson, was also killed.
Jean Wilcockson's mother was the niece of Leonard Field killed at Dunkirk in 1940, so she had the added incentive to continue the work in memory of him and all like him.
Over the years most people have forgotten about those behind this dedicated act of remembrance, but we would like to say thank you to Jean. Please keep up the good work.
Brian Ward. (Hathersage Branch, Royal British Legion
