The War savings movement was not expected to attract much interest in a poor rural village like Sulhamstead, where labourers were constantly on the verge of destitution, and had no savings to invest. But the Rector encouraged them to support the war effort by thrift. Their children, meanwhile, volunteered to weed the churchyard since there was a labour shortage with so many men in the forces.
The Rector [the Rev AJP Shepherd] has received the following official letter:
“PARLIAMENTARY WAR SAVINGS COMMITTEE
COMMITTEE FOR THE DIVISION OF SOUTH BERKS
Sir,
We are instructed by our Committee to invite your kind co-operation … in encouraging thrift and economy at this time, and the investment of savings in the new War Loan….
We shall be much obliged if … you think it would be desirable to hold a Public Meeting in your parish….”
In many homes the increased cost of living is proving a great strain upon the amount earned in weekly wages in our agriculture districts. It is thought, therefore, that a public meeting be of little use in Sulhamstead. But the paper circulated in this Magazine may help the cause of some, and these three maxims from the paper “Silver Bullets” issued by the Parliamentary War Savings Committee may be useful to all:
1) Waste nothing; to waste food is as bad as to waste munitions
2) Save, especially in all things which have to be got abroad; that is to say, food and drink of all kinds, tobacco etc
3) Use home products, and use them sparingly
We are sending abroad £1,000,000 per day for the purchase of goods consumed by the country, and it is of the utmost importance that this should be reduced, if possible.
Lieut. Herbert Merton has been gazetted from the 6th Bedfords as Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers.
As a side-issue of the war, the delightful action of the school children, helped and guided by Mr and Mrs Leake, must be distinctly recorded. St Michael’s new Churchyard was sowing a rich crop of weeds owing to the difficulty of obtaining labour to seal with them. The School came to the rescue, and in their play-time, entirely removed all the weeds. The pile of weeds beneath the tree shows the large amount of work done. The children did it as an offering to their church in the present serious issue of their country. The thanks of the whole parish are none the less due to them for saving the situation.
ROLL OF HONOUR
We have just heard, on going to press, with deep regret, that Sergeant James Price, 5th Wilts, has been wounded. No details have as yet been received.
Sulhamstead parish magazine, September 1915 (D/EX725/3)
Berkshire at War 