Project 72 is a community based project aimed at tracking down the names of the 72 children who attended William Alvey School and then went on to fight and tragically die for their country in WWI. Their names were originally written on a special scroll that the local paper, the 'Sleaford Journal', report was unveiled at William Alvey School on May 24th 1922 (Empire Day). Over the ensuing years the scroll has been lost. The current Alvey children are cross referencing Church and Civic monuments with our old school registers. We are trying to find all 72 names and then we want to build a permanent memorial at the front of the school. The project will also form part of a larger art trail, 'When in Sleaford' which is being put together by ArtsNK and funded by a grant from the Mukherjee Brothers Trust and the Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant.
Other contributors towards our school's involvement include the British Legion (£50), Lincolnshire Diocese of Education (£2000), the Sleaford Renewable Enerygy Plant (£2000) and the Mukherjee Brothers Trust (£8000). Thank you. We have organised a number of fundraising activities ourselves including a film night, chocolate tombola, golden arrow archery competition and a one stop-pop up owl shop. Thank you Parents and Friends for your support.
As you walk past the school, it would be great if in future years, you look at the memorial sculpture and remember those local boys who lost their lives in the service of their country.
In August 2019, our Project 72 plaque and scroll were listed on the Imperial War Museum Memorial Register:
https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/54163 and in September 2019 we started to list the names of the WWII fallen from William Alvey,
George Veale: War Hero
Hi,
I have just read about the work you have been doing in the last 12 months or on the Alvey School Project 72.
One of the soldiers, George Veale, was the cousin of my Grandmother.
As part of my family history investigations, I have discovered information about his parents, who owned a cake shop/ café in Sleaford, his early life as a school boy and a mechanic at Holland Brothers. He married the daughter of an Ancaster Publican.
In the Army he served with the RASC with one of the Tunnelling Regiments and it was while serving with them that he was killed in 1916.
He has a grave in the village of Suzanne in the Department of the Somme.
Regards
Mike Wotton
Pupil 1955 -1958
Charles Hollingworth: A William Alvey Hero
Charles William Penson: 72 of 72
BIRTH |
12 Jan 1898 Sleaford, North Kesteven District, Lincolnshire, England |
---|---|
DEATH | 24 Aug 1921 (aged 23) |
BURIAL |
Sleaford, North Kesteven District, Lincolnshire, England |
PLOT | S.345 |
MEMORIAL ID |
16006000 · |
Aircraftman 1st Class 301407 Airship Station (Howden) Royal Air Force.Died in the 'R38' disaster.
Son of James Ambrose Penson and Eliza Ellen Penson, of 111 Westgate, Sleaford.
Conflict Commemorated: WWI
Last Name: PENSON
First Name: Charles William
Age At Death:21
Rank: Aircraftman First Class
Service Number: 301407
Regiment/ Service: Royal Air Force
Unit: Airship Station (Howden)
Date of Death: 24/08/1921
Cause of Death: Killed
Notes: R38 Airship disaster at Hull, was the first of the major airship disasters. There is a memorial at Hull.
Charlie Penson was still given a war grave under Category One of the war graves commission:- Commonwealth men and women who were still in military service at the time of their death. These personnel automatically qualify for commemoration provided they died within the qualifying dates as follows: | ||
First World War - 4th August 1914 to 31st August 1921
|
David Mackie
Take a look at the work of David Mackie, the artist who is going to help create the Project 72 memorial. Click on the link below.
The children who have been working with David put on a special art exhibition for their Parents and other Special Guests in the evening of 16th July 2015. If you click on the 'Gallery' link below and then scroll down to 'Year 6 art exhibition' you can see some more of the photographs.