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NEW TESTAMENT & PSALMS BOOK

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1916

Overview

A fawn coloured rectangular book with rounded corners and text on the front [NEW TESTAMENT & PSALMS]. The outer edges of the pages are red.The first page has text written in black ink and is signed by the pastor of the Congregational Church Armadale [To. / C. Marsh / With a prayer for / Gods blessing from / Armadale / 19 April 1916 / John Beukers / Pastor]
The book has 100 pages of text.

Historical information

On 19th April 1916, the Congregational Church in Armadale held a farewell event for a number of local men who had enlisted with the Australian Imperial Force to fight in Europe during WWI.
The men honoured and farewelled on this day included Joe Farnell, Keith Sloan, Arthur Edward Bingham, his brother Austin Henry Bingham, Arthur Charles Grafham, William Thomas Saw, brothers Bertram Ernest and Frederick James Powell, Richard Beatty, Hartland Wheare Richards, Edward (Ted) Bailey, Leonard George Morgan, Francis William Wakeham, Charles Fielder, William George Martin, Sydney Francis Till, Ernest Serls, H Stenson (possibly Harold Stinton), Claude Marsh and Vernon Whitney.
The event was held at the Congregational Church with a number of speeches given and patriotic songs sung. Miss Hurren presented the enlisted men in attendance with the inscribed copy of the New Testament. The Reverend John Beukers then led the group in prayer before they all retired for refreshments. This New Testament and Psalms book, signed by Rev John Beukers was presented to Claude Marsh.
The Rev John Beukers held this event as he believed that the Armadale Kelmscott Road Board had not done enough to acknowledge the many local men who were enlisting. He hoped to use this event to embarrass the Road Board and push them to hold more fair well events for the local men and women who were enlisting.
Claude did not take the prayer book with him when he left to enlist. The book was left at home in the care of his family as he took a different copy of the New Testament with him to war which was used as a diary during his time serving with the Australian Imperial Forces and his time as a prisoner of war.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-33-COA2015.4

Item type

Books

Themes

People
Social History
War and Conflict

Width

108 mm

Height or length

77 mm

Keywords

Armadale congregational Church Armadale

ARMADALE

BEUKERS John Rev

MARSH Claude R Mr Pte

First World War

WHOLAGAN Alison May Mrs

Year

1916

Statement of significance

This object is part of a collection of items associated with a person or family who have played a significant role in the economic, community or social development of the City of Armadale. This can include holding key political or social positions within the community, being a key contributor or member of a community organisation, a strong contributor to improving the well-being of the local community, a prominent figure in a local business or industry, developer of new industries or activities or someone who grew up in the area and moved away and had a noteworthy career or life.

Primary significance criteria

Historic significance

Comparative significance criteria

Interpretive capacity

Rare or representative

Well provenanced

City of Armadale - History House

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