|
After more than a year of negotiation and discussion with the diocese of Guildford our war memorial is now in a satisfactory state. The structure has been renovated and the surrounding paving repaired and reset. After some hard work in cleaning the areas concerned by members of the committee the lettering has been redone. We now await planning permission for ‘1939-45’ to be added above the names of the fallen in the Second World War. Our thanks go to Surrey County Council (Local Partnership with the support of County Councillor Jim Smith), Mole Valley District Council, Maddox Homes, The Leatherhead Society for the Protection of the Countryside and private donors for providing the funding to carry out this work.
One of our village worthies, Mrs Chrystie, donated the Chrystie recreation ground to the village as well as other amenities. Money left in Trust is still being used to help maintain the recreation ground and our Committee thought it appropriate to restore the memorial on her grave in the St. Nicolas churchyard. The work was more extensive than expected since the cross was falling into a void and had to be dismantled and given new foundations as well as being cleaned.
The National Trust has undertaken to maintain the Greville Graves but the BRA has carried out some restoration of the stonework and railings. None of this work would have been possible without the generous financial support of Surrey County Council through Jim Smith, The Bookham Bowls Club and Finch of Bookham.
One resident who must claim credit for the outcome of this work is Frank Holmstead, who has for years campaigned to have the above attended to, with much discussion with the diocese and the War Graves Commission. It was Frank who encouraged the BRA to remedy the neglect of the memorial and graves and we hope he is pleased with the final result of his efforts.
Our final project will be to tidy up the war grave in the churchyard of All Saints Church, Little Bookham and we are in communication with the War Graves Commission about this.
October 2008
|
 |
