St Breward War Memorial

In 2009 St Breward was not short of War Memorials; in the Parish Church two granite wall plaques with the names of the fallen plus a smaller plaque for LT CDR P C HUTTON DSC. And The War Memorial Hall at Limehead which opened in 1925 was built as a Memorial to those men of the parish who served during the First World War

The Parish Council responded to requests from parishioners for a War Memorial to be erected on open ground and the project was launched at a Coffee Morning in late October 2009 at which  £6,85.24 was raised

Realisation of a Dream

On Saturday 27th March 2010, around 200 people gathered at Mine Hill St Breward for the unveiling and dedication of the Village War Memorial. 

Dennis Champion, Vice Chairman of the Parish Council thanked everyone for their time, effort and money in making the dream of a War Memorial in the village a reality.  Mrs Nancy Hall kindly allowed the War Memorial to be sited at Mine Hill, we really could not have chosen a better place. Viv Crowle and his son made the railings and gate and Fred Sanders seemed to do a bit of everything.

The total money raised for the War Memorial was £5215.69.  This came from individuals, families and businesses both in St Breward and beyond. The Parish Council donated £300.00 and the Cornwall Community Foundation gave a ‘Grassroots’ grant of £2000.00.  The Community Coffee Morning raised a staggering £685.24 and £95.00 came from the sale of donated Christmas trees.

Mrs Grace Masters, one of the oldest residents of St Breward and a former teacher at the Village School unveiled the War Memorial on behalf of the village.  Mrs Masters said she was unveiling the Memorial to the memory of those brave men who gave their lives for their country in the two world wars, and that wherever they lie, on English soil or in foreign fields, or in the deep sea they each have a little bit of St Breward with them.

The Rev Ray Avent and Rev Canon Sherry Bryan conducted the Dedication Service, which included the reading of the 25 names on the Memorial.  

Jake and Jessica Greenaway laid a wreath on behalf of the Village, their great uncle Roland Skinner is commemorated on the Memorial.  Claire Teague played the Last Post and the crowds stood in silence while the standards of the British Legion and the Aden Veterans fluttered in the breeze.

After the Dedication Service, refreshments were served in the Village Hall, organised by Margery Crowle and the Catering Corps. A display of photographs charting the progress of the War Memorial from an idea to the realisation of a dream was on display.

The War Memorial on Mine Hill and the plaques in the Parish Church are from De Lank granite the War Memorial Hall was built from Tor Down granite