To remember all who have served for us over the centuries, particularly on this Remembrance Day …
Cenotaph, London (2004)
The Library Association in recent years has uncovered historical information about librarians who signed up and who had fallen during WW1 …
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| The commemorative plaque |
… the 142 members came from libraries in the British Isles, or the Empire overseas …
Acknowledging
both WW1 and WW2
The commemorative plaque consists of five panels of well seasoned English Oak – the particulars are set out in letters of gold: giving their names, their military particulars, together with the name of the library from which they have honoured by volunteering and serving.
Royal Canadian Legion poppy
from 2004
This Memorial is now to be found in the British Library, Euston, London at the main entrance to the reading rooms …
They shall always be remembered
Links: British Library blog post
in this blog post there are various newspaper articles referring to the Memorial ...
Edinburgh University Press article
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
26 comments:
Hari OM
Poignant... YAM xx
Lovely. Lest we forget.
The loss of anyone in war is an immense tragedy, but the loss of a librarian even more so. May their memories be a blessing.
That is so interesting. No cohort should be forgotten.
So many librarians - wow.
@ Yam - yes poignant having come to light decades on ...
@ EC - I don't think we will forget ... they did so much for us ...
@ David - anyone's loss from violence is appalling and so sad ... I'm pleased they've got a memorial ...
@ Janice - yes I thought it was interesting when I found out about the Memorial ...
@ Alex - yes and they were the ones from World War One ...
Thanks for remembering all souls lost in times of conflict - with thoughts - Hilary
Oh wow, I never considered that librarians would have gone to war, but why would they not have? A good remembrance.
How interesting! I didn’t know that existed.
That's wonderful, Hilary. Years ago, when I first visited the National Memorial Arboretum, I was delighted to see they had accommodated several corporate memorials recovered from head offices that had moved, or whose organisations had ceased to exist. Having been involved in multiple projects where these sensitive artefacts had become an embarrassment to their owners, it was reassuring to know they had been housed. This one, dedicated to librarians, seems to fit into that category! :-)
In my mind, young men who were boxers, policemen and hunters might have been used to violence. And, I assumed, librarians, teachers and composers would not have wanted to use guns. RIP.
Wow! So many from libraries…I would never have known that
@ Liz - yes, that's right, every man was encouraged to fight in WW1 ... most volunteered ... so anyone who was of fighting age ...
@ Anabel - I guess yo'd be interested in reading this ... I hope you looked at the British Library link, which included a few newspaper articles - while the actual board would show the libraries of the men who died.
@ Mike - I've never been to the National Memorial Arboretum ... I've seen programmes on it ... so that's interesting to know that there are other corporate memorials ... I hadn't thought particularly about them - but the history is so interesting ... and it's good to know various associations have been remembered. There are individual club, society, church plaques remembering locals recorded at many places - those I'm sure we all see them around us.
@ Hels - it was everyone ... including men from overseas too - no choice really, a few who became known as conscientious objectors.
@ Birgit - I was pleased I spotted this Memorial ... and so yes - men from libraries ... particularly interesting to many authors ...
Thanks for being here ... on this our actual Day of Remembrance ... the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month at the Eleventh hour ... we will remember them. With thoughts - Hilary
Yet another reason to appreciate librarians!
I would never have guessed there would be that many. I'm glad to see they have been honored.
How wonderful that they have honored them.
@ Elizabeth - yes ... it is an interesting historical find ... with other snippets too ...
@ Dan - apparently there were 200 ... but I'm sure many other librarians and assistants served in both wars ... and yes I was glad to see they are honoured ...
@ Diane - this was an interesting find ... and I knew many commenters would find the information of interest ...
Thanks you three - good to see you ... Hilary
I would never have known. What a wonderful tribute.
How intriguing. I would guess there aren't many of these worldwide. Thank you for this.
@ Keith - I only found out as I subscribe to Ian Visits ... his post alerted me ... I was really pleased to come across it ...
@ Jacqui - I wonder how many tributes there are that we don't know about ... I suspect many and a lot in plain site, that we just don't notice: there are lots of village and town memorials, so as Mike pointed out the National Arboretum showcases several corporate memorials ... it's being an interesting find ...
Cheers to you both - suddenly we have chillier winds here - Hilary
So many brave librarians! Good to know they have been honoured. Everyone who risked their lives in war should be commemorated. 🌸 #LestWeForget
This is amazing and so moving. Thank you.
wow - that is so nice. I read a novel called "The Underground Library" based on a town library that moved everything to the underground train system, since that's where folks went during air raids. They read books to children, and folks could borrow and read as desired. Librarians were war heroes in their own right
Thank you, Hilary, for this post -- a poignant reminder that librarians, seen as custodians of knowledge and culture, also played a significant role in defending those very values during times of conflict. That plaque is a great tribute to their sacrifice.
An important and interesting post. Thank you dear Aloha
I love that they listed their names along with the libraries they volunteered at. Not that it was easy on anyone but it seems like it would have been twice as hard for men who loved to disappear into books, to serve, but yet they did. Then again, Teddy Roosevelt loved his books so maybe I have that all wrong:)
@ Debbie - lovely to see you ... and yes it's a wonderful tribute to those librarians who lost their lives in WW1 ...
@ Sandra - thank you ... it made a change to come across this memorial ...
@ Joanne - I know ... I was so pleased to find it and knew many of you would be interested. I've got that book - bought on recommendation from you 'The Underground Library' - it was a delightful tale ... and I'm sure happened in so many places ... I've another to post about ...
@ Pradeep - yes they are custodians of our knowledge and our way of life ... and must help so many today - I know the one here in Eastbourne ... guides many people ...
@ Cloudia - thanks for coming over ... good to see you - I'm glad you enjoyed it ...
@ Sandra - yes I found it interesting that the libraries were listed - I guess giving their location ... I'm sure that adjustment to being on the front line must have been an enormous shock ... horrifying for many, let alone death or injury - the mental aspects ... if one had a passion to write or draw that must have helped ... I'm just so thankful for all who served ...
Teddy Roosevelt as many leaders, not all though, was well read and understood much about life through their reading ... good learners ...
Cheers to you all - thanks for being here to comment - Hilary
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