Photo archive 15 - Elections, Soldiers & Sailors

Family mementoes encompassing both World Wars, loaned by Ron Webster, Eveyln Gration and Ian Land.
If you have any more information about the people, places and events shown on this page? Please contact the Bonsall History Project.

131. & 132 Abraham Webster's election leaflet 1919. BACK COVER National Federation of Discharged and Demobilised Sailors and Soldiers. MATLOCK & DISTRICT BRANCH. Queen's Chambers, The Bridge, Matlock 26/3/19. Dear Mr Webster, The Members of the Matlock & District Branch of the National Federation of Discharged and Demobilised Sailors & Soldiers have unanimously passed a Resolution adopting you as "THEIR REPRESENTATIVE CANDIDATE" for the Urban District Council Election of Bonsall, and wish you success at the poll. The proof of the People's promises will be fulfilled if you are returned at the head of the poll, as you are the only Soldier Candidate. Yours fraternally, W.E. WILLIAMS, Secretary. ELECTORS! You have THREE Votes. Give ONE to the Discharged Soldier! Vote and Work for WEBSTER. Printed and Published by W.E. Smith & Co., Cromford." (loaned by Ron Webster)	132. TO THE ELECTORS LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, The war, which has continued for nearly 41/2 years, has now been brought to a successful and, it is hoped, final conclusion; but this village, which has borne its full share of the burden, has to regret the loss of a large number of men. All of them were well known to us, many of them having been associated with us since childhood, and their loss leaves a void in our village life which it is impossible to fill. For the first time in several years you are called upon to elect Representatives on the Urban District Council and, having been nominated, I beg to ask for your support and vote at the forthcoming election. The work of Local Authorities, which has to a large extent been suspended during the war, will need to be taken up with increased vigour, and matters of great importance will engage their attention in the near future. The administration of measures, promised by the Government, affecting Public Health, Housing etc., will place increased responsibilities on Urban District Councils, and I should advocate a Progressive Policy in the Administrative Work which will have to be undertaken by your Council. The Health of the People and the conditions under which they live are of Vital Interest to Members of Friendly Societies, and, as I am keenly interested in the work, it would be my duty to give earnest consideration to these matters as they arise, and I make a special appeal to Members of such Societies to give me their support. I am a Member of the Bonsall Local War Pensions Committee, which has to deal largely with Pensions and Allowances to Disabled Soldiers, and it is my intention to secure the fullest possible benefit in all cases affecting Bonsall Discharged Soldiers and their Dependants. A good deal of useful work could be done by the Council in approving the appearance of the village (and as Bonsall is well situated it would be more attractive to the large number of holiday makers who visit the immediate districts every year). Many of the roads are in very poor condition and have been, no doubt unavoidably, neglected, and I should support the system, adopted by the Council prior to the war, of repairing thoroughly stated portions of the road each year, as I believe this to be the most economical method. I should carefully scrutinize all proposed expenditure in order to secure full value for all money spent. If you elect me as one of your Representatives I shall do my utmost to further the interests of the District in which I have lived all my life. I am, Ladies and Gentlemen, Yours faithfully Abraham Webster Ex-Corporal 9th Leicester Regiment YEOMAN STREET, BONSALL, April 2nd, 1919 The Election will take place on Saturday, April 5th, at the Endowed School, Dale End, between the hours of 12 noon and 8 p.m. All Ratepayers (Men and Women) are entitled to vote, and the Wife of a Ratepayer can vote, if over 30 years of age. (loaned by Ron Webster)
133. Charles White's election leaflet (loaned by Evelyn Gration)	134. Reverse of Charles White's leaflet To the Electors of the Winster Division of the County Council Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support in the past, and regret that I can no longer continue the work that over four years ago you sent me to do, and which judging by the recent remarks of both friends and opponents, has merited the appreciation of both the Electors and my Fellow-Councillors. May I therefore earnestly ask you, if you desire a continuation of that work to send to occupy my seat HUBERT BEAUMONT a man of high principles and wide experience, who possesses that intense human sympathy for the workers which has been sadly lacking in administrative bodies in the past. It will be some consolation to me to know that while I am out of the fighting line, to which some day I mean to return, that you have sent a real Democrat to occupy my position. Very faithfully yours, CHAS. F. WHITE "Woodside", Matlock Bath, July 23rd, 1914(loaned by Evelyn Gration)
135. Presentation to Charles White. Download a larger (140 k) image. (loaned by Evelyn Gration)	136. Card reads: Silver inkstand presented to Mr. C.F. WHITE, J.P., C.C. and Silver Tea Set and Tray to Mrs. WHITE by the Winster Liberal Association, Jan 28th, 1911. (loaned by Evelyn Gration)
137. Grandad (loaned by Evelyn Gration)	138. Funeral card for Joseph Bunting. In heaven, where there is no pain, And sorrow is no more, We hope to meet him once again, With those that's gone before. In Loving Memory of JOSEPH, Beloved Son of John & Jemima Bunting, of Bonsall WHO DIED OCTOBER 14TH 1897 Aged 4 Months Interred at the Parish Church, October 16th. (loaned by Evelyn Gration)
139. George (photograph loaned by Evelyn Gration)	140. Arthur (photograph loaned by Evelyn Gration)
141. German POW. Back of photograph reads: "Mrs E. Gration, Market Place, Crich Willie Eberwiser, German Airforce (Luftwaffe) Shot down over the English Channel. Taken to America made to work as a prisoner of war in the cotton fields. Then brought back to England and kept at Heage. Made to work here too under guard, with other prisoners, they rebuilt the steps up 'Stepping Lane' in Bonsall, which is a short cut from The Cross to Upper Town." (photograph loaned by Evelyn Gration)	142. Walter Baker, killed when the Neptune hit four mines off Tripoli in 1944. See story below. (photograph loaned by Baker family)

143. The story of Norman Walton, best friend of Walter Baker and the only man to survive the sinking of the Neptune. Norman's 40 extra years For Norman Walton Christmas brought a special reason for celebration - 40 years of life. He was the only man, out of 766, to survive when the cruiser Neptune sank off Tripoli, Libya, on December 19, 1941. Able Seaman Walton was operating submarine-detecting equipment aboard Neptune when the ship struck four mines. He scrambled into a raft, with the sea thick with oil from the stricken ship. One by one his companions died. After six days without food and water, and suffering from exposure and a smashed leg, he heard an aircraft flying above him. He waved and an hour later an Italian destroyer drew near enough to throw Norman a line. As soon as he scrambled aboard he collapsed. He awoke in a Tripoli hospital on Christmas Day - unable to see anything. Oil from the stricken ship had blinded him temporarily. When he recovered Norman spent 18 months in prisoner-of-war camps. He said: "The Italians told me I was the only Neptune survivor, but I couldn't believe it until the Royal Navy confirmed it when I was released. Sometimes even now, it is hard to take in." Before joining the Navy, Norman had been a keen sportsman and he believes that he survived because he was so fit. He continued his sports career after the war as a professional boxer, fighting under the name of Patsy Dodds and winning 50 of his 100 bouts. He is now 60 and director of a container firm in Leeds, Yorkshire. And he still considers himself one of the war's luckiest men. (photograph loaned by Baker family)

144. Picture of Harold Land born in Bonsall, son of Albert and Mary Ann Land. Harold was in 121 Company, Pioneer Corps during WW2 and this picture was taken in 1942 whilst undertaking Range Construction in Harlech, North Wales. His unit was later dispatched to Northern France and landed on one of the Normandy beaches on June 8th 1944. After returning from the war Harold married Elsie Jones from Rhos, Nr. Wrexham, North Wales and had 5 children. (image provided by Ian Land)

145. Picture of Norman Land born in Bonsall and also son of Albert and Mary Ann Land. Norman was in the 5th Suffolk Regiment and was taken captive in Singapore on 15th February 1942. He became a prisoner of war and worked in forced labour building the railway between Thailand to Burma. Norman Land died 17th October 1943 and is buried in the Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery in Burma. His name appears on the War Memorial in Bonsall. (image provided by Ian land

The Bonsall History Project has been supported by the Local Heritage Initiative