There’s a new website and a worthy project for Burslem. Honouring the Royal Doulton Fallen, Burslem, in tribute to the fallen of the First and Second World Wars who went to the wars from Burslem. They plan to erect a new Kilngate Memorial with names.

Picture: Burslem’s current war memorial, seen here circa the 1920s.

The additional new war memorial will be a bronze plaque, fired in Newcastle-under Lyme, engraved with names. With sponsorship from St. Modwen for the siting, I’m told. The organisers welcome contacts from descendants who find the names of their kin on the website.

There is also a specific local history research interest, in discovering more about the workers from the Royal Doulton factory who served in the world wars…

“At Honouring the Royal Doulton Fallen, we want to remember and commemorate the lives of those who worked at the Royal Doulton factory and lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars. We are dedicated to finding out their stories through careful research, aiming to honour their sacrifices and recognise their contributions to our freedom.”

11 families have so far been found.

Further, they plan… “an annual award to honour and celebrate the legacy of our heroes, “The Sylvester – Hall – Bolton Award for Design Excellence” to be awarded every year to local school children aged from 4 – 18yrs.”

They welcome donations and volunteers.

Picture: North Staffordshire recruits, out of camp for field musketry training near Tixall Hall. Presumably from the nearby Brocton army training camp on Cannock Chase, a few miles to the south. In the early years of the First World War men from Brocton marched to a special rifle-range camp near Keele for a few days to ‘fire’ (and hopefully pass) their musketry course with live ammunition, so the young men in this restored photograph are likely not using live ammunition. Just as well, as two of them are aiming at the cameraman!