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Foots Cray Village War Memorial

Once the armistice took effect after 11th November 1918, the cottagers and the gentry,
equally experiencing a mixture of both extreme sadness and eternal gratitude, felt it was
vitally important that the men who had sacrificed their lives should not be
forgotten. Proposals for the provision of some sort of permanent monument were
extensively discussed and residents of Sidcup, Foots Cray and North Cray, began to
put plans in place, but argued about who belonged to Sidcup and who belonged to Foots
Cray or North Cray.

With a considerable amount of local pride it was announced in June 1920 that a War
Memorial Cross was to be erected in the village of Foots Cray, which would be regarded as
the village’s own Memorial to its fallen. No lavish expenditure was to be undertaken, and it
was not intended that the scheme should make any difference to the Memorials being
promoted in Chislehurst and Sidcup.

By time the November 1920 Remembrance Day was being commemorated, the people of
Foots Cray had decided that their War Memorial would be in the form of a granite-cross of
the style of those erected in English villages in olden days. It was to be placed in Church
Road and the cost was estimated to be about £300.

A committee was formed, headed by the Rector of All Saints Church, who organised fund-
raising events both inside the Church and in the grounds. It was acknowledged that
although some of the wealthy families would have willingly paid for the Memorial, members
of the committee felt it was vitally important that the villagers should make a contribution,
however small, in order that they could feel that it was their Memorial to their fallen.

Not surprisingly, perhaps, there was some disquiet when the names of the some of the
Foots Cray and North Cray fallen had been included on the Sidcup Memorial. On 20th
November 1920 the Rev. Berens-Dowdeswell, Hon. Secretary of Foots Cray War Memorial
Committee, wrote to the local paper commenting that

“whilst wishing to honour our men to the full, we protest about their being annexed by
Sidcup. Certainly, if their names are to be inscribed on the proposed Memorial, then it
should be called “The Foots Cray, North Cray, St. Paul’s Cray, and Sidcup War memorial.”

St. James’ Church Memorial

After the end of the terrible war, St. James’ Church parishioners decided to erect a small,
very personal cross in their intimate grounds. It contains very brief details of 17 men and
their rank, both rich and poor.

Nine of the names also appear on Foots Cray Memorial: Frank Ballard, Edward Brigden,
Frederick Corke, William Harris, James Saunders, Alfred Taylor, Harry Tuthill, Henry Wells
and Thomas Whiffen.

Who provided the funds is not known but it is more than possible that the local wealthy
families, such as the Vansittarts, Capt. North’s widow and the Vesey-Holt family made
substantial contributions to the final costs. It was dedicated during the early part of 1920.

For each man there is a poignant story of sacrifice, adventure and misadventure which
should be known and not forgotten. Each made the ultimate sacrifice for their country

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