Home
Other Bath memorials

Oldfield Park Junior School (Bath) WW1 Memorial Project

St John the Evangelist Church 

Lower Weston (Bath) 

WW1 Memorial

St John Lower Weston memorial

This unassuming church is situated on the Upper Bristol Road, opposite the derelict gasworks, between Windsor Bridge and the Royal Victoria Park. It is home to no fewer than eight memorials relating to WW1. The main memorial commemorates 66 men who died in WW1 and is still in its original position in the north transept. Arriving at the church shortly before the 11am Sunday service, I was welcomed and assisted in taking photographs of the memorials.

From Bath Chronicle & Weekly Gazette, Saturday 21st February 1920:

ST. JOHNS, LOWER WESTON

VICAR DEDICATES WAR MEMORIAL

SERMON BY REV. R. F. WALTERS

In the presence of a large congregation the Rev. J. C. Church, Vicar of St. John's, Lower Weston, on Sunday dedicated the memorial tablet which has been erected on the wall of the north transept in memory of the parishioners who perished in the Great War. The sermon was preached by the Rev. R. Farley Walters, S.C.F., a former curate. Many of the fallen soldiers were members of Mr. Walter's Bible Class. Mr. H. F. Weight was at the organ.

A special form of service was used. The processional hymn was “O God of Bethel, by whose hand." The opening sentences of the Burial Office were then read, the 23rd Psalm was chanted, and the lesson was taken from the First Epistle to the Thessalonians, chapter 4, commencing at verse 13. The hymn, "On the Resurrection Morning," was followed by the Apostles' Creed and further prayers.

THE DEDICATION

The tablet was not veiled, but was in full view of the congregation from the commencement of the service. After the singing of the hymn, "Lead kindly Light," the Vicar dedicated the memorial "in the faith of Jesus Christ and in loving and honoured memory of those whose names are recorded on the tablet." He prayed that England might be kept mindful of the sacrifice made by those men who, counting not their lives unto the death, stood between us and a merciless foe. The hymn, "How bright these glorious spirits shine," was then sung.

THE SERMON

The Rev. R. Farley Waiters, who prefaced his sermon by the collect for Easter Day, chose for his text Jeremiah 31 verses 15 to 17, “A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping: Rachel weeping for her children refused to comforted because they were not. Thus saith the Lord. Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears, for thy work shall be rewarded; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. And there is hope in thine end that thy children shall come again to their own border."

The Vicar then read the inscription on the tablet and the names of those commemorated, the congregation standing meanwhile. There was a minute's silence in memory of the fallen, and the concluding hymn, "O Valiant Hearts, who to your glory came," was followed by the National Anthem. As a concluding voluntary, Mr. Weight played "0, rest in the Lord."

THE MEMORIAL

The tablet, which is of lateen brass, surrounded with Tinos marble, bears the inscription:

"To the memory of the men the parish of St. John, Weston, Bath, who gave their lives in the Great War, 1919.' Upon it are inscribed the 66 names of the fallen, and beneath is a sculptured laurel wreath. 

The polished marble border was supplied by Messrs. B. Turvey and Sons, of Bath and Locksbrook, who fixed the tablet in position.



To the memory of the men of the
Parish of St John's, Weston, Bath
who gave their lives for their country
in the Great War 1914-19 

  • W. J. Ash
  • C. Ash
  • A. F. Ashman
  • G. Ashman
  • H. S. Bailey
  • W. G. Bassett
  • T. H. Bean
  • H. Bellamore
  • J. C. Beswick
  • J. F. Billett
  • A. Bloom
  • J. H. Bolsom
  • G. H. Brampton
  • L. Bright
  • A. V. Butler
  • A. Carey
  • S. H. Carey 
  • E. Chalker
  • F. Cowley
  • A. Derrick
  • M. Durston
  • A. Ford
  • W. Fussell
  • Jack George
  • F. Grace
  • K. Haines
  • A. Hancock
  • F. Harris
  • C. E. Harris
  • A. Harrold
  • R. G. Hatcher
  • H. Hayter
  • W. Heseltine

  • R. Howell
  • W. H. Liddicoat
  • R. C. Miles
  • R. S. Miles
  • E. W. Milsom
  • S. Milsom
  • W. Missen
  • V. L. Morris
  • C. Nurse
  • P. W. Parsons
  • F. Peters
  • A. Phillips
  • A. Pond
  • W. Powney
  • W. Prentice
  • H. Randall
  • F. Razzell
  • W. H. Saunders
  • T. Seymour
  • A. Sheard
  • G. E. Shepherd
  • B. Silcox
  • H. Skinner
  • J. Skirton
  • L. Smith
  • A. Snow
  • F. Stevens
  • A. Strevens
  • F. H. Tallamy
  • E. Vanderspar
  • W. Webb
  • R. Wheeler
  • T. Whitty
For as much as ye know that
your labour is not in vain in the Lord


Individual Memorials

The walls of the nave (and balcony) of the church also contain memorials to seven individuals, six of whom are also named on the main memorial. In alphabetical order:

Private Albert Derrick
Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Derrick in St John Evangelist



Private Albert Harrold
The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
Harrold on St John Evangelist memorial



2nd Lieut. Reginald Hatcher
King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment

Hatcher in St John Evangelist



Lieut. Wilfred Missen
Canadian Infantry

Missen in St John Evangelist



Lieut. (acting Capt.) Frederick Olphert
Royal Engineers

Olphert in St John Evangelist



Lance-Corporal Frank Stevens
Gloucestershire Regiment

Stevens in St John Evangelist



Lance-Corporal Ronald Wheeler
Somerset Light Infantry

Wheeler in St John Evangelist