From Hubert Harrison, 2 Newburgh House, Highworth,
Swindon, Wilts.
[written about 1971. Hubert Harrison was born 1888.
Extracted from http://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/images/Harrison%20memoirs%20part%201_tcm9-16994.pdf]
The homecoming of Wirksworth soldiers from the South African War impressed
my boyish mind as each one was given an official welcome and was made the
central figure of a torchlight procession, headed by the town brass band,
with flags and garlands across the streets. These events were all
separate occasions as the men were demobilised. In all about twelve men
from the town served in the war and all returned, I believe. Among the names
I remember were Isaac walker, Harry Lenton, Corbett (Cob) Bartlett, Richard
Casterton, Bertram Arkwright (son of the Vicar, Rev H Arkwright), all
volunteers; also two regular soldiers, Albert Goodwin (R.A.M.C.), and
Anthony Maskrey ("Rev Tant"), also Harry Gell, of Hopton Hall.
The principal organiser of these processions deserves mention not only for
this but for his efforts for the youth of the town over many years, as he
ran the Church Lads' Brigade, with its own drum and fife band, its meeting
place in a gymnasium near the railway station, where there were horizontal
and parallel bars, weight lifting apparatus, trapezes, boxing gloves, etc.,
largely provided by Charlie Wright, who took the boys to camp and recruited
gymnastic instructors for them. All this was before the Boy Scouts were formed
by Baden Powell of the defence of Mafeking fame. Mr Wright was the son of
Charles Wright, head of the wines and spirits business, and after he retired
he lived first on the French Riviera, then at Fort House, Bolehill. Charlie
Wright died at Scarborough aged about 90, largely forgotten in Wirksworth as
he had been so long absent from the town. As I remembered his many services
for youth I wrote my tribute to his memory for the local papers, cuttings from
them being pasted in many scrapbooks of townspeople who had known him,
especially the lads of the Brigade long grown to Manhood. The Brigade Room,
also used by the St John Ambulance Corps for instruction classes in first-aid
was destroyed in a disastrous fire many years ago. Dr A.E.Broster was the
first-aid instructor and it was not until the doctor died that I learned that
he had served as a surgeon with the Turkish Army during the siege of
Plevna and decorated by the Turkish Govt for his work there.
Very few people ever knew that the face of a saint or an angel in the
stained glass memorial window of the Wrights in Wirksworth church is an
actual photograph of Charlie Wright's mother, much respected by everybody
who knew her. The family lived at Yokecliff, West End, Wirksworth, in
considerable style.
[signed] Hubert Harrison
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