Service of Remembrance

Senior Prefects Ruby and Jaidan accompanied Executive Headteacher Mr Brown, to Hackney’s Service of Remembrance which took place on Sunday 14^th November. The parade gathered at Hackney Town Hall and walked to the war memorial at St John at Hackney Churchyard. Poppies were laid and the large crowd observed a two minutes silence at 11am to remember all those who had lost their lives in war and conflict. Jaiden laid a wreath on behalf of members of The Urswick School. In total 62 former old boys of the school lost their lives in the First World War. A teacher, Mr Davis also never came home and is remembered by a memorial bench located in the Urswick Courtyard.

Hackney’s MPs, Diane Abbott and Dame Meg Hillier attended the ceremony as did The Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Hackney. The Speaker of Hackney, Cllr Michael Desmond, read an Ode of Remembrance. In his sermon the Rector of Hackney, Al Gordon, reminded the congregation that the war memorial was first established on this day in 1921 and is now part of the recently refurbished church. Visitors also spent time in The Urswick Chapel, the final resting place of Christopher Urswick. On the wall is a plaque remembering the school’s former Headteacher CT Breary, who led the school throughout the First World War and saw so many of his former pupils lost in battle. Breary died in 1930 and is still remembered for the service he gave.

‘They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them’