Pupils at Eltham Church of England Primary in Royal Greenwich have successfully helped to list their local war memorial. To commeorate the listing, Clive attended a wreath laying ceremony on the 10th November.

Historic England has pledged to protect 2,500 war memorials by 2018 to mark the centenary of the First World War.  As part of this project, children taking part in Historic England’s Heritage Schools Programme are being invited to put their local war memorials forward for listing.

Eltham War Memorial in Greenwich listed grade II:  https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1450335

Eltham Church of England Primary is one of 300 schools around the country involved in this scheme which has been set up to encourage school children to develop an understanding of their local heritage and its significance.

Year 6 pupils worked with retired teacher and former archivist at Eltham Parish Church (St John the Baptist), Margaret Taylor, to research the names on the war memorial that also appeared on their school roll of honour.  After carrying out a survey of the war memorial’s condition that they uploaded to War Memorials Online, they viewed the roll of honour inside the church and paid their respects to the war dead buried in the churchyard. Using newspaper articles from Greenwich Heritage Centre Archive and The Eltham Society newsletters they researched the history of the memorial and the men inscribed on it. Working with Helen Spencer, Historic England’s Local Heritage Education Manager for the region, they decided to apply to Historic England to consider listing the memorial.

Joshua, Year 6 pupil, said: “We really enjoyed finding out about the pupils of Eltham who served and died in the war.  It was incredible to think that they were part of our school, and helped us realise the sacrifice that they made.”

Clive Efford MP, said: “I congratulate the pupils of Eltham CoE Primary School for what they have achieved on behalf of our community.

“What these pupils have achieved will be remembered for as long as the memorial remains, which will be a very long time.”