Hilary's Diaries - Hilary Townsend President of Stalbridge History Society
May 2021 Hilary Townsend
The British Legion was founded a hundred years ago. The `Comrades of the Great War` and other societies set up to continue its intense comradeship were amalgamated as the British Legion in 1921.
In Stalbridge in 1920 it was agreed to buy a hut for Legion activities. Funds for this were raised by loans and various fundraising activities and the Hut was put up in what is now the car park of Stalbridge Hall. This continued as the Legion’s venue until in 1931 when a site was found in Barrow Hill and the present British Legion’s building erected. 
Stalbridge men from static peacetime Edwardian Dorset were sent off to foreign countries and violent scenes, then after the Armistice returned to Stalbridge and their old lives. The British Legion and its activities and outings must have helped them so much.
Leslie Hobbs, the tailor who lived and worked in the High Street, has left us a sheaf of rollicking songs, the words of the verses relate to the men on hilarious Legion outings set to the tunes of popular songs. A verse about Seagers Charry (charabanc) gives the flavour of the outings: Roll along Seagers Charry roll along Roll along Seagers Charry roll along With the cargo that you’ve got At every pub you’ll have to stop So roll along Seagers Charry roll along. And And when they got to Bridport The rain was coming down But the lads were not downhearted They’d tried every pub in town. Thank goodness these men had such good times, for their dark times were clear at Remembrance services. The Remembrance Day parade was led by a local band and marched through Stalbridge to the Parish Church. Every service man who could parade walked in the procession and the streets were lined with watchers. It was only then that I realised what injuries some former service men had sustained. Mr Parsons, who sold fish, had a wooden leg and Mr Fezzard an iron foot. There was a service at the packed Parish Church. At the War Memorial the names of the dead were read out, so many young men. Charlie Jeans took up his trumpet and the Last Post and Reveille rang out over the Vale. 
The names of the fallen on Stalbridge War Memorial from both World Wars
There was such an intensity about it all. I was seven years old in 1938 and aware of it without understanding why, but obviously the Great War was a vivid memory still and there were rumours already circulating of another war to come. Thank goodness Leslie Hobbs has left us a record of the British Legion`s pre-war outings.
© Hilary Townsend
May 2021 |
Discover Dorset – Blackmore Vale Dovecote Press 2004
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Blackmore Vale Childhood Dovecote Press 2006
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One Woman’s Fight for Architectural Heritage 2012
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Stalbridge to Siberia and other places - Silk Hay Books 2018
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Titles by Hilary Townsend
Hilary, from a family of yeoman farmers, grew up in Dorset. As a personnel manager in industry, and later lecturer in management subjects, she wrote magazine and newspaper features for UK and North American markets.
Hilary, from a family of yeoman farmers, grew up in Dorset. As a personnel manager in industry, and later lecturer in management subjects, she wrote magazine and newspaper features for UK and North American markets.
