Date/Time
Date(s) - 15th Jul 2026
14:00-15:30
Location
St Matthew's Church
Categories
This is the story of how a group of wooden crosses from the battlefields of World War I came to be placed in a new, very small museum in the grounds of Cheltenham Crematorium. Originally placed on the graves of fallen soldiers from Gloucestershire these deteriorating memorials were brought to Cheltenham when the remains of the men they commemorated were reinterred in formal War Cemeteries. While all of the crosses would have been offered to the bereaved families, many were left in the care of the local authority and by 2014 twenty two of them were rotting and exposed to the weather, nailed to a fence in the Bouncers Lane cemetery. That is where our story begins.
Freddie Gick was co-opted as a Trustee of Friends of The Wilson in 2025. Before retirement he had careers as a research physicist and then a management consultant, ultimately with responsibility for practices in twelve European countries. Since retirement he has spent the last twenty years in a variety of Trustee/Chair roles in not for profit organisations in health, education, the arts, the Civic Society movement and grant awarding trusts. A number of these have been national positions involving ministerial appointments, Select Committee appearances and Deputising as Chair of an All Party Parliamentary Group. He has lived in Cheltenham since 2023.
Location: St Matthews Church, 44 Clarence St, Cheltenham GL50 3PL
Cost per person including tea/coffee and cake: FoTW members £11, non-members £13
Non-members welcome.
If you have any questions about the event or booking please phone Alison on 01242 519413 or Sue Reeves on 01242 675497 or email events@friendsofthewilson.org.uk.
Please book using one of the following options:
- On-line bookings with a debit or credit card can be made using the form below.
- Bank transfer – please email events@friendsofthewilson.org.uk to let us know you have sent your transfer so that we can send you a booking confirmation. Bank transfers should be made to Friends of The Wilson Sort Code 30-91-87 Account 00005816. The reference must include your surname plus as much of the event title as will fit, for example SMITH GICK
- Cheque – please make cheques payable to Friends of The Wilson and send with a SAE or clearly written email address to Mrs Alison Pascoe, 77 Naunton Lane, Cheltenham, GL53 7AZ.
Places are not confirmed until payment is received.
Terms & Conditions: You are undertaking this event at your own risk.
If you have any problems with our booking system please email events@friendsofthewilson.org.uk and we will be happy to help.