Our First meeting is planned for – 7pm / 4^th August / Queens Walk Community Centre, NG2 2DF

Rededicating the Gardens for their intended purpose, commemorating the Great War, the people from Nottinghamshire who served, honouring them and this precious space of Remembrance.

• The Memorial Gardens and Entrance Gates were dedicated in 1927. Various people had been involved and it would be good to invite some key people to take part in this event in the late summers of 2018, as Commemorations of the Great War approach their conclusion.
  • Benefactor – Jesse boot
  • Designer of Gardens and Arch – T Wallis Gordon, City Surveyor and Engineer.
  • Arch – Stands 46ft high & 58ft wide.
  • Foundation Stone – laid by the Prince of Wales (Edward the VIII) on 1 August 1923
  • Unveiling – Prince of Wales, Mayor, Alderman Edmund Huntsman on 11 November 1927
  • The ‘Service of Dedication’ was carried out by Revd. James Geoffrey Gordon the Vicar of St Mary’s Church, Nottingham.

Meanwhile the playing field next to the Memorial Gardens, land also bought by Jesse Boot in 1920 and gifted to City in perpetuity, is being considered for inclusion in the Fields in Trust Centenary Fields Project. FIT Regional Manager Angela Lewis has met with the City Council regarding this and we hope to hear about the outcome soon.

For more information on preserving and maintaining commemorative site have a look at

http://www.fieldsintrust.org/centenaryfields.aspx

The Event could include several threads & other related elements.

• Act of Remembrance – The Names of those who gave their lives: Projected onto the Memorial Arches

• Rededication: The current Vicar of St Mary’s has said he is willing to be involved if we can make this project happen.

• Legacy – Centenary Field Opening – HRH The Duke of Cambridge?

• Historic elements: Period costume, Army enactment (Football match). Turn field into no mans land, barbed wire, Smoke etc… Air balloon Blimpt remembering Airship bombing of Meadows. Fly-past by period aircraft ?

• Bandstand: Military Bands were the first to play at the Bandstand after it first opened – Period Music – Poetry (Childrens Competition) – Period Films: All Quiet on the Western Front? Re-run or development of Play

• Short Talks and poetry in the gardens / Jesse Boot – “Men in Karki” magazine, the inspiration behind choosing the site? Link to the Embankment Pub restoration – Jesse’s Office. War’s effect on Trent Bridge School.

• Raise the Trent Bridge School Military Hospital Arch. Information Board about Military Hospital / those Teachers & Students of Trent Bridge School who served in the War

• Displays: use the Under-croft and Toilet space – restore toilets. Information Signs to remain after the event

• Statue of a 1^st WW Nurse – Queens Alexandra’s Corps. Grade II Listed Historic Garden – Restoration of the Rose Beds / Pergola’s on the Trent Bridge School side of Gardens

• Metal Poppies on the few remaining small entrance gates. Badges were recently made from shell casings found at the battlefields.

• Satellite Gardening Project for injured servicemen recovering at the new Stanford Hall / Community. Redesigning the Compound – Gardening Sheds, Composting, Rest room, Training for Wounded, Schools History, and Community working alongside injured for their wider rehabilitation?

• Royal and Military representation at the event

• Other suggestions

Our First meeting is planned for –

7pm – 4^th August – Queens Walk Community Centre, NG2 2DF

For more information about the project contact Jonathan Hughes at ideepeace@googlemail.com