Scruton - A Thankful Village

Scruton is known as a Thankful Village because all its servicemen returned from the First World War. When memorials to the fallen were being erected everywhere else, Scruton raised money for a peace memorial as a symbol of its thankfulness.

A memorial clock, made by Potts of Leeds, was installed on the church tower in 1921.

Knowledge of Scruton’s Thankful status faded from memory but was re-established in 2004 when research confirmed that all the soldiers resident in the village had indeed come home. Little more was known about these men at the heart of our Thankful Village story until 2018. Thanks to further research, carried out on the centenary anniversary of the end of WWI, we now know a lot more about their lives and fortunes. The names of these blessed men of Scruton are listed here:

thankful-village-sign

Simpson Bellwood (Green Howards)

George Fawcett (Royal Garrison Artillery)

Thomas Firby (Royal Navy)

Aubrey Johnson (Northumberland Fusiliers)

Percy Johnson (Army Service Corps)

Arthur Kemp (Northumberland Fusiliers)

Fred Kemp (Royal Field Artillery)

Herbert Kemp (Northumberland Fusiliers)

John Kemp (Unknown regiment)

Miles Procter (Green Howards)

Harry Robinson (Green Howards)

Thomas Stead (Royal Garrison Artillery)

Harry Waterson (East Yorkshire Regiment)