Kibworth

History

Society

“Understanding yesterday, for the benefit of  today and tomorrow”

© 2005-2018, 2019 All Rights Reserved Kibworth History Society and W.G.Weston 1914-18Souvenir1.gif 1914-18Souvenir2.gif 1914-18Souvenir3.gif 1914-18Souvenir4.gif 1914-18Souvenir5.gif The much larger Souvenir Greeting, shown below, was produced for Christmas, 1917, and shows every individual who was serving in the Great War at that time. Click on an image to see an enlarged version.

Kibworth has three war memorials: a wooden plaque inside St Wilfrid’s church, a limestone monument in the graveyard of St Wilfrid’s, and a small brass memorial in the High School on Smeeton Road. The memorials at St Wilfrid’s commemorate both World Wars, whilst the High School memorial records pupils who attended the old Kibworth Grammar School in School Road. The limestone memorial, in the form of a churchyard cross, comprises an octagonal stepped plinth and square base pedestal, chamfered to octagonal at the top and with a simple spur. From this rises an octagonal narrow shaft (square base) with square miniature side shafts. It has a crenellated top and cross octagonal section and is decorated with foliage and central shield. The memorial was unveiled on Sunday 7th November 1920.


Smeeton Westerby has two memorials, both inside Christchurch. The WWI memorial is made of marble and the WWII memorial is a brass plaque.

The Souvenir Greeting, pictured below, was produced at Christmas, 1916, and sent to all of Kibworth’s Sailors and Soldiers on His Majesty’s Service.

This photograph, taken at Kibworth railway station, shows the 14 employees of Johnson & Barnes who joined up in Leicester as ‘Pals’ on 7th September 1914. Back row left to right: unknown, unknown, Arthur Freer (killed in action), Bert Freer, unknown, R G Lewis. Front row left to right: Len Buckby, Fred Holyoak, Harry Holyoak (killed in action), R G Iliffe, unknown, J W Holyoak, unknown, unknown.