In November 2020 we were asked to contribute the names of those from Tyneside Congregations and Schools who had died in the First World War to Ed Fordham, who was putting together a Remembrance Day service at the Old Chapel in Great Hucklow, Derbyshire. Great Hucklow is the home of the Nightingale Centre, the Unitarian conference and holiday centre, and a former convalescent home for ex-servicemen – it is named for Florence Nightingale. The photograph shows a set of plaques on display at the back of the Old Chapel which is adjacent to the Nightingale Centre, and it is thought that these would once have been on display in various rooms in the Centre. The plaque for Tyneside Congregations and Schools can be seen in the bottom right-hand corner of the photograph.

At the time the Tyneside Congregations would have consisted of Newcastle and Gateshead (other North East congregations included Choppington in Northumberland and Sunderland.) Unfortunately, we have no records of any of those from the Gateshead congregation who died in the First World War, but we sent through the names of those from our own Newcastle upon Tyne congregation to be part of the Great Hucklow service.

Louise Reeve