Memorial Title

Maj F W Wragg, Lt N J Wragg BA and Maj Gen F C Roberts VC

Summary

Derbyshire War Memorials: a description of a WW1 war memorial to Maj F W Wragg, Lt N J Wragg BA and Maj Gen F C Roberts VC added to a gravestone in St Wystan's Churchyard, Bretby, Derbyshire.

Images

Locations

Last known location:
St Wystan's Churchyard
The Green
Bretby
Derbyshire

Nearest postcode:
DE15 0RE

NGR:
SK 29389 23277
(From online digital mapping.)

Location details:
In the northeast corner of the churchyard.

Type

Overall type: Addition to gravestone.

Overall condition: Fair. The inscription is legible.

Description:

Additions to inscriptions on a family grave. The large family grave plot is surrounded by stone kerbs and posts with a metal chain and contains a granite wheel cross on a stepped battered pedestal and stone plinth. The cross is decorated on the two faces with designs of bosses and whorls in the Anglo-Saxon or Celtic style. The pedestal bears several bronze plaques with raised inscriptions in upright capital roman lettering against a stippled ground.

Components:

Component	Material	Height	Width	Depth	Condition
Cross	Granite	2600	750	270	Fair
Pedestal	Granite	470	910	750	Fair
Plinth	Granite	130	1130	985	Fair
Plaque	Bronze	250	860	5	Fair
Plaque	Bronze	100	865	10	Fair
Plaque	Bronze	100	610	10	Fair
Plaque	Bronze	250	705	15	Fair
Plaque	Bronze	240	865	5	Fair
Plaque	Bronze	240	705	5	Fair
Plaque	Bronze	100	710	5	Fair
Railings	Stone, metal	-	-	-	Fair
Dimensions in millimetres ±5mm unless stated otherwise.

Inscription

Upper plaque on 6 o'clock face:

TO THE DEAR MEMORY OF MARIA WRAGG THE BELOVED WIFE OF
JOHN DOWNING WRAGG OF SWADLINCOTE, WHO DIED JUNE 9TH. 1916 AGED 69 YEARS
ALSO IN HONOURED MEMORY OF FREDERICK WILLIAM WRAGG, CAPTAIN
(TEMPORARY MAJOR) 5TH. SHERWOOD FORESTERS, WHO WAS KILLED NEAR GOMMECOURT
ON JULY 1ST. 1916, AGED 34 YEARS MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES JANUARY 1ST. 1916.
FOR GALLANT AND DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT. BURIED SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE
AND OF NORMAN JOHN WRAGG, BA (CANTAB) LIEUT 3RD. SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGT.
WHO DIED AT ROUEN ON JULY 18TH. 1916 FROM WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION AT HIGH WOOD, ON
JULY 14TH. 1916, AGED 26 YEARS, BURIED AT ROUEN, SONS OF JOHN DOWNING AND MARIA WRAGG.

Middle plaque on 6 o'clock face:

IN MEMORY OF WINIFRED MARGARET ROBERTS NÉE WRAGG
BORN 8TH. JULY 1892. DIED 22ND. DECEMBER 1980
THE MOST BELOVED WIFE OF MAJOR GENERAL F. C. ROBERTS V.C.

Lower plaque on 6 o'clock face:

MAJOR GENERAL F. C. ROBERTS. V.C.
BORN 2ND. JUNE 1891 - DIED 12TH JANUARY 1982

Plaque on 9 o'clock face:

ALSO IN LOVING MEMORY OF
HERBERT WRAGG, KNIGHT,
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR THE BELPER DIVISION
1923-1929 AND 1931-1945
JUSTICE OF THE PEACE FOR DERBYSHIRE
SON OF JOHN DOWNING AND MARIA WRAGG
DIED FEB. 13TH. 1956 AGED 75 YEARS
ALSO IN LOVING MEMORY OF MAJOR FREDERICK ROBERT WRAGG
T.D. LATE DERBYSHIRE YEOMANRY THIRD SON OF HERBERT WRAGG KNIGHT
SERVED 1939-1945 WAR. NORTH AFRICA AND ITALY DIED 8TH. FEBRUARY 1950 AGED 44 YEARS.

Plaque on 12 o'clock face:

AND IN AFFECTIONATE MEMORY OF JOHN DOWNING WRAGG OF
SWADLINCOTE, ALDERMAN, AND JUSTICE OF THE PEACE FOR THE COUNTY
OF DERBY, WHO DIED FEBRUARY 19TH. 1917, AGED 70 YEARS.
ALSO IN AFFECTIONATE MEMORY OF HORACE WRAGG, ELDEST SON OF
JOHN DOWNING AND MARIA WRAGG, WHO DIED MARCH 9TH. 1917, AGED 47 YEARS.
ALSO OF FANNY GREENWOOD WRAGG, THE DEARLY LOVED WIFE OF
HERBERT WRAGG, WHO DIED NOVEMBER 26TH. 1918 AGED 36 YEARS AND OF
MARGUERITE AND FRANCIS GREENWOOD WRAGG, THEIR INFANT CHILDREN,
WHO DIED ON NOVR. 22ND. 1918 AND JANY. 8TH. 1919, AGED 5 DAYS AND 6 WEEKS.

Upper plaque on 3 o'clock face:

ALSO IN LOVING MEMORY OF
MARY ELIZABETH WRAGG, THIRD DAUGHTER
OF JOHN DOWNING AND MARIA WRAGG, OF
SWADLINCOTE, DIED JUNE 25TH. 1930, AGED 54 YEARS
ALSO IN AFFECTIONATE MEMORY OF
JOHN DOWNING WRAGG, JUSTICE OF THE PEACE
ELDEST SON OF SIR HERBERT WRAGG,
WHO DIED ON JUNE 5TH. 1951, AGED 44 YEARS

Lower plaque on 3 o'clock face:

ALSO IN LOVING MEMORY OF EMILY WRAGG
SECOND DAUGHTER OF JOHN DOWNING & MARIA WRAGG
OF SWADLINCOTE DIED 26TH. APRIL 1968 AGED 93 YEARS

Conflicts and people named:
Conflict	First World War (1914-1919) (Victoria Cross Winners)
Number died	2
Number served and returned	1
Total names	3

Administration

Custodian: Presumed to be the Wragg family.

Local authorities:
From WW2: Bretby Parish Council; Repton Rural District Council; Derbyshire County Council.
From 1974: Bretby Parish Council; South Derbyshire District Council; Derbyshire County Council.

History

27 May, 1976: The memorial lies within the Bretby Conservation Area designated on that date.

26th May, 2011: The memorial was surveyed by Roy Branson and Alan Willmot. It was in fair condition.

References

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Comments

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