The picture below is of the cenotaph in Main Street.It is erected from Weldon stone and stands on three steps constructed from Derbyshire stone. It stands 16 feet high.
At the top is a bronze wreath of laurel leaves and in the centre is a metal plaque bearing the names, in alphabetical order.
A total of twenty-eight men from the Parish (Althorp, Great & Little Brington and Nobottle) laid down their lives for "King and Country" during The Great War (1914 - 1918).
Their names are recorded on two War Memorials. The first to be erected in 1920 was in the form of a large brass plaque mounted on marble. It was affixed close to the North Door within St Mary's Church and was unveiled by the 6th Earl Spencer. The names of the fallen are shown in order of military rank.
In June 1921, Lord Spencer unveiled the second War Memorial, which stands within an iron-railed enclosure on Main Street not far from the village green in Great Brington. At first glance it appears to be identical to the Cenotaph in Whitehall with its strong Lutyens influences. The bronze plaque displays the names of the fallen in Alphabetical Order with no mention of rank.
There is a difference, however, in the spelling of one surname. ALBERT TREADGOLD is shown correctly on the plaque in the Church, whereas on the Cenotaph in Great Brington his name appears incorrectly as ALBERT THREADGOLD. Apparently, just before the Dedication Service, this mistake was brought to the attention of the architect, but has never been rectified in the intervening 90 years.
Five names inscribed on both War Memorials can also be found within the Churchyard of St. Mary's, Great Brington.
THOMAS ANDERSON, JOHN MARRIOTT, HERBERT GEORGE LESLIE MARTIN, HERBERT JOSEPH HAWGOOD AND CHARLES RICHARDSON
William Anderson is listed as Thomas Anderson on the CGWC website and was the son of George Williams Anderson and Mary Anderson. He enlisted aged 17 after working for 4 years on the Althorp Estate and was killed in action 18/08/1916. His name is inscribed on the curbstone of his father's grave in St. Mary's Churchyard and reads
ALSO OF TOM, THEIR DEARLY LOVED SON, WHO WAS KILLED IN ACTION AUGUST 18TH 1916 AGED 19 YEARS.
On the 1901 Census for Gt. Brington his age is given as 4 yrs. His name is shown on the form as William T.Anderson.
Pte. J. Marriott was wounded in France and repatriated to England, where he died from his injuries. His headstone is identical to that of an "Official War Grave"
Beneath the insignia of the Northamptonshire Regiment, it is inscribed as follows - 31269 PRIVATE J. MARRIOTT NORTHAMPTONSHIRE REGT. 24 APRIL 1918 AGE 33
GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS THAT HE LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS
An adjacent grave is that of his widow AMELIA, who never remarried and lived until 1967 - aged 84 years
Private Herbert Martin's name is inscribed at the foot of his mother's gravestone in the Churchyard at Great Brington.
The inscription reads as follows - PTE HERBERT GEORGE LESLIE MARTIN ONLY SON OF THE ABOVE WHO DIED FROM WOUNDS RECEIVED IN THE BATTLE OF GAZA, DEC. 3RD 1917, AGED 23 YEARS. BURIED AT KANTARA, EGYPT. "HE DIED THAT WE MIGHT LIVE"
see A-Z index of graves - surnames M
This memorial cross stands close to the Bell Tower overlooking the steep hill on the road towards East Haddon. (The actual burial site for Pte. Hawgood is in Crouy British Cemetery)
The inscription on this cross reads as follows IN LOVING MEMORY OF PTE H.J. (BERT) HAWGOOD 7TH BN., THE QUEEN'S (R.W.S.R.) (Royal West Surrey Regiment) ONLY BELOVED CHILD OF HARRY AND ALICE HAWGOOD HE DIED AGE 18 ON 26TH APRIL 1918
BURIED CROUY BRITISH CEMETERY, CROUY- SUR-SOMME.
Charles Richardson's name appears on the lower part of the headstone for his parents, JOHN MUSCOTT RICHARDSON WHO DIED FEB. 27TH 1935 AND EMMA JANE RICHARDSON, WHO DIED JAN 22, 1945.
The inscription reads as follows -
"ALSO OF CHARLES, DEAR SON OF THE ABOVE PRESUMED KILLED OCT.22 1917 AGED 29 YEARS RESTING."
The three storey building on the right hand side of the photograph was known as the "White House" and was owned by the Althorp Estate. It served at one time as a general store and Post Office. At the end of WW1 Earl Spencer decided to demolish this building and erect a War Memorial dedicated to the Fallen from the Parish. He chose this site for the Cenotaph and it was dedicated by him in 1921. See details above. A section of wall on the extreme right of this picture still stands. The eight cottages, which bear the Spencer crest, on the left hand side of this photograph, still stand. Several are now privately owned. St. Mary's church tower can be seen in the distance. The thatched cottage to the right of the pony and trap, is now known as Carey Cottage, however, the row of thatched cottages to the rear were demolished c.1950. Just in front of Carey Cottage one can see a pair of Yew trees, below which are two stone gate posts which formed the entrance to the strangely named "Cottage". This huge house was demolished after WW2 and the present site is now occupied by a modern bungalow! As a point of interest, the brick pillar jutting out from behind Carey Cottage, was recently demolished by a large vehicle. Its base now marks the corner of the "new" Rectory garden.
