Libraries and leisure

Miscellaneous Hertfordshire Names

Our Local Patriots: A name index to photographs from the Royston Crow newspaper depicting soldiers from the Royston area who served in World War I. There are 700 references to not only those photographed but also serving relatives who are often named in the text accompanying the pictures. The photographs are of soldiers who were either killed, wounded, prisoners of war, decorated or simply serving. The index covers late 1915 to early 1919, then a little into the 1940s. A list of the WW1 dead from Royston is also included.

The photograph above is of Private Ralph Sharp, September 15th 1916. The description is as follows:

"Private Ralph Sharp, a stretcher- bearer in the Bedfords, third son of Mr and Mrs Stephen Sharp, of Gower Road, Royston, was killed in action by a shell on or about July 28th 1916. Private Sharp, prior to the outbreak of war was employed in the gardens of Yew Tree House, Royston, and at Cokenach. He enlisted on the outbreak of war and was in training near Felixstowe, and was sent out to France in may 1915. He was 22 years of age. Mr and Mrs Sharpe's eldest son, Hubert was so badly wounded and crippled in August 1915 that he has been discharged. His photograph is published in No.1 of the Herts and Cambs series of Our Local Patriots. Private Harry Sharp, the youngest son who is in the Herts Regiment, has just gone out to the Front."