First World War Roll of Honour
Our Roll of Honour documents the 264 people who feature on our First World War memorial boards.
You can view the Roll of Honour and search for profiles using the link below:
96 names can be found on the memorial board for Cheltenham Training College, located in the Chapel of St Mary and St Paul at Francis Close Hall campus in Cheltenham. These men and one woman had been teacher training students at the institution. Cheltenham Training College went on to become the University of Gloucestershire.
168 names are from the St Paul’s Practising School memorial board, located in the North Porch at Francis Close Hall. These men were from the local area and had been pupils at the school, located in what is now the Bodley Building at Francis Close Hall. Some had attended nearby Cheltenham Parish School, which was administered by the Practising School. Teacher training students would practice their teaching on these pupils, thus the name ‘Practising School’.
The memorial board for St Paul’s Practising School was discovered in 2008 in a poor state in a store room in the Chapel. Ron Prewer, a local resident and Chair of the St Paul’s Practising School Old Boys’ Association, spearheaded a fundraising campaign to restore the board. Through his efforts and the generosity of fellow alumni members, the target of £2,500 for restoration was surpassed. The board was restored and an additional board dedicated to former Practising School pupils who died during active service in the Second World War was made. Ron sadly passed away in 2012.
This Roll of Honour is dedicated to Ron, alongside all 264 alumni members who lost their lives while serving their country.
References:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
J. Devereux, Leaving All that was Dear: Cheltenham and the Great War (1997)
Gloucestershire Archives, Cheltenham Chronicle and Gloucestershire Graphic publication, 1914 – 1918
Gloucestershire Archives, S78/3/1, Cheltenham Parish School Registers, 1870 – 1912
University of Gloucestershire Special Collections and Archives, University Archive, Various admission registers, photographs and publications