The Wilkinson Peace Sword
was presented to the Ruddington & District Branch
of
the Royal British Legion at
a meeting on the 6th of July 1995, by
William Blackford a long standing member of the Ruddington &
District Branch and a Captain in the Royal Signals in the
2nd World War.
In the branch minutes it is
recorded that Mr Blackford having described the Sword and its
meaning said that during his membership of the branch he had always
enjoyed a good relationship with branch members especially in later
years when his illness had made him more reliable on other people
so had had decided to make this presentation to show his
appreciation.
At the time of the
presentation Mr Blackford was the Licensee of the Red Lion in
Ruddington which was the branch headquarters and it was decided to
mount the sword in the club room which was the room in which the
branch members met.
Mr Blackford died in
November 1995 and the Red Lion had a new licensee although the
branch remained at the public house it was decided to move the
Sword to the Nottinghamshire County Headquarters of the Royal
British Legion at Malvern road in Nottingham. There it was mounted
in the office of the County Chairman Mr John Raynor MBE who was
also the Ruddington & District Branch Chairman. The sword
remained there until the premises were sold and the County Office
was relocated to the Territorial Army Depot at Bulwell were it was
again mounted in the Chairman's Office There it remained until the
County Office was again moved to Portland college at
Mansfield
This time there was no room to
mount it. so it came back to the branch where it was stored by a
member until Councillor Mr Reg Adair of the Nottinghamshire County
Council agreed to its presentation to the Nottinghamshire County
Council on permanent loan This was achieved and the sword is now
displayed in a cabinet on public view for all to see, in the County
Hall Headquarters.
