Owen’s iconic Requiem Mass to be played for the fallen heroes of Ingleborough Road during Remembrance Week.

The event will be held at the Wilfred Owen Story, 34 Argyle Street, Birkenhead during Remembrance Week and will feature contributions from a performer who took part in the première of this world famous tribute to Wilfred Owen in Coventry Cathedral in 1962.

Organiser Dean Johnson says “The original vinyl recording of this classic music is very rare today. It was one of the first pieces ever to pay tribute to Wilfred Owen and the fallen of WW1. We wanted to do something special for the museums first remembrance week and it is fitting to dedicate the day to the memorial field that honours Wilfred and 87 other soldiers remembered there. The War Memorial field is still under threat from development plans from TRFC so this is a way to pay respect to those men rather than decimate an irreplaceable part of the town’s social history.”

The afternoon begins at 3pm on Thursday 10th November. Admission free.

www.wilfredowenstory.com

Source: Press Release, October 2011

For further information please contact
Dean Johnson
Wilfred Owen Story and Gallery
34 Argyle Street
Birkenhead
Wirral
CH41 6AE
0753 937 1925

A very one-sided slant on the proposed Ingleborough development, but then maybe promotion of one's own business interests is perhaps a powerful motivation!

Do you intend to put this issue into context, and at least explain how the proposals are set to incorporate a memorial, and indeed make it more accessible, whilst at the same time funding much enhanced community facilities at Woodchurch, or simply project a wholly one-sided view?

By the way, are the 88 trees all the originals, or are they later replacements?

To be honest, I have found the whole campaign, with self-promotional songs on youtube, a rather nasty poem entitled "A Pox Upon Thine House" aimed at anyone who supports the proposals, & misleading imigary of war graves on the Ingleborough site distasteful, and inappropriate in preserving the memory of Oswestry's celebrated war poet & The Fallen from BI.

Finally, is it true that the Owen family only reluctantly came to Birkenhead due to family issues, & were broadly unimpressed with the town, before leaving when their circumstances improved?

I am sure that most people are disappointed with Birkenhead but it is no different to anywhere else. The thing is that the field was meant as a memorial, how the hecky becky it came to belong to Tranmere Rovers in the first place is a mystery to most townsfolk. The whole Ingleborough Field was supposed to be the Memorial is what most people believe to be the case. If it is otherwise then someone could perhaps explain it. It all looks like a commercial transaction and if a thing looks like a duck, flies like a duck and quacks like a duck then it is probably a duck. Someone gained from this somewhere, whether it was commercially or otherwise, it stinks.

Anyway, why I originally came on, I was looking forward to tomorrows Requiem Mass but my old boys gone into hospital so have to go to Lincoln instead, bummer.

http://www.freewebs.com/birkenheadinstitute/pupils.htm

I totally understand peoples feelings regarding the development of the Ingleborough Road site but would ask the question why those who are dead set against the idea did nothing to try maintain the up keep of the site. As it currently stands the site is a wreck with vandalism all over the memorial stone and damage to the pavilion etc. Why when you all saw these things happening did you not come forward then to tidy it up? Where was your respect for the fallen then?

IF the development does go forward the club will I am sure show a degree of respect for what the site stands for. They have already stated that they will move the memorial stone and place it in a purpose build memorial at the entrance to the site. Part of the reason the fields were originally created was that it was believed the 'Old Boys' would have approved a site were sporting activities could be enjoyed. Tranmere Rovers have stated that some of the money from the proposed development would be used to develop a sports facility that would be used by the Football club and the local community. Would the 'Old Boys' have approved of this?

Wilfred Owen (1893 - 1918)

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Anthem for Doomed Youth

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
- Only the monstruous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs, -
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.


What candles may be held to speed them all?
Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of good-byes.
The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.

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How that poor man's heart must have wept with every line he wrote.