Our team from Thomas Bragg and Sons, Knowle have helped with the Knowle Memorial restoration project to mark the 100-year anniversary of the First World War.
It all started with a letter to The Knowle Society from Dr Irvine Stuart which was sent in February 2017. A committee was set up with Knowle Parish Church, Knowle Royal British Legion, The Knowle Society, Dr Stuart and Stephen Chaplin, builder, to come up with some new ideas. This was then published in the The Knowle Society’s Newsletter.
After reading the article and speaking to our stonemasons, G H Davies, our team offered their support to help with the restoration project.
After several meetings, many donations from local businesses and individuals and with the help of a professional landscaper and Steve Chaplin, a new memorial design was put forward.
Our team at Thomas Bragg and Sons worked with G H Davies to find the quarry that would provide three Red Hollington Plinths to accompany the already standing memorial.
Having found the quarry In May, it took until Monday 22 October for the plinths to be ready and collected. G H Davies then had the task of drying out the plinths to then inscribe the names of men and women from Knowle who had fallen in the First and Second World War, as well as other conflicts.
The memorial was cleaned via the Doff method and then Steve Chaplin and his team commenced the task of replacing all of the slabs around the memorial. The last thing to add to the memorial were the three plinths. With the help of G H Davies, Steve Chaplin and his team, the plinths were installed on Friday 2 November just in time for the grand unveiling on 4 November.
Funeral Arranger Kayleigh Hughes said: “The memorial looks absolutely incredible, hats off to everyone involved. It is so important that we keep remembering the fallen because we would not be here living our lives as we do if it wasn’t for them.
“I am so proud to have been involved in something so special, the entire community really came together, and it seems a fitting way to celebrate the lives of loved ones and the 100th anniversary since the end of World War One.”
