Saturday, July 06, 2019

BRIGG TO REMEMBER ITS HEROES 100 YEARS AFTER VICTORY LUNCHEON


Brigg honoured its First World War heroes in 1919 and will be doing so again later this month with an exhibition at Brigg Heritage Centre.
One hundred years ago a number of those who survived the conflict had returned to the town. And on July 19, 1919, as part of the Brigg Peace Celebrations, a Victory Luncheon was held at the Angel Hotel, starting at 1pm. The organisers said it was given "in honour of our Heroes."
To mark the 100th anniversary the Heritage Centre will be displaying memorabilia supplied by the family of one of the servicemen invited to the Victory Luncheon.
Sgt Charles Ernest Taylor, then living in Happy Land, off Bridge Street, was born in 1896. He served in the Lincolnshire Regiment and was wounded in action in 1917.
A founder member of the Royal British Legion in Brigg during the 1920s, he laid the branch's wreath at the Monument war memorial as late as the 1980s.
Exactly one hundred years after the Victory Luncheon - Friday, July 19, 2019 - members of Sgt Taylor's family will be visiting the Cafe Courtyard, within the Angel building, for a meal at 1pm to remember those honoured within the Angel building on that date in 1919.
There will be others living in Brigg and district today with family members who were also invited to the Victory Luncheon 100 years ago.
They may also have items that will interest the Heritage Centre or wish to visit the Cafe Courtyard on July 19 at 1pm.
Items supplied by Sgt Taylor's family for the exhibition later this month include his medals, Lincolnshire Regiment cap badge, his soldier's pay book on active service and his original invitation to the Victory Luncheon 100 years ago. It was sent to him by Gordon Williams, secretary of the Brigg Peace Celebrations Committee, in 1919.
Although the guns fell silent in November 1918, the First World War did not officially end until the Treaty of Versailles was signed in late June 1919.
Brigg Heritage Centre can be contact by email  briggheritage.centre@northlincs.gov.uk or by phone, 01724 296771.

No comments: