THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: War memorial dedicated at Presbyterian church

A handsome brass tablet erected by the members of Whitehouse Presbyterian Church in Co Antrim in memory of the members of the congregation who had fallen during the Great War was dedicated this week in 1921, reported the News Letter.

Proceedings were conducted by the Reverend Dr Barron, the minister of the congregation, and the praise was led by the choir under the direction of Miss Buckley.

Miss Agnes Charleston sang Lead kindly light with “devotional feeling” and the choir rendered the anthem What are these? “in a manner that reflected credit on the organist and members”.

The dedication ceremony itself was conducted by the Reverend Dr Simms, CB, CMG, KHC, who had formerly been the principal chaplain to the British Armies in France and Flanders and Miss Dorothy Williams, who had served throughout the war as a nurse.

The following description was given of the memorial: “The tablet is surmounted by a laurel wreath and the years 1914-1918 in bronze relief, and is mounted on a slab of polished black marble.”

The following was the list of some those who had fallen in the First World War: Royal Navy and Mercantile Marine – John Smiley Coey, midshipman; William Craig, captain; Samuel Fee, James Maxwell, W J Ferguson, Ezekiel Gallagher and William McDonald. Army – Robert Anderson, George Bradley, William Ferguson, George Forrester, Edward Graham, David Graham, Robert Humphreys, Charles Houston, W J Marquis, Alfred Molloy, Robert McFall, David McRoberts, Robert McConnell, A McConnell, J McCartney, Jos Patton, John Reid, Andrew Sinclair and Thomas Snoddy.