In November 2018, Kendal Library, with the support of Kendal Town Council and the Royal British Legion, created a walking trail to commemorate the sacrifice of the 316 men from Kendal and Oxenholme during the First World War.
The soldiers of Kendal and Oxenholme came from all walks of life and every part of the town and neighbouring villages. A local researcher, David Shackleton, has identified the addresses of all those recorded on the War Memorial and plotted them on a map. The trail takes you on a tour of where they all lived before going to war.
Information posters were located at each road or street recording the names of the local soldiers who once lived there. The trail guide with map can still be purchased from Kendal Library with all proceeds going to the Royal British Legion. The map can also be downloaded from the Cumbria Libraries Website at www.cumbria.gov.uk/libraries. The sale of the trail guides and poppies has raised £335 for the Royal British Legion so far.
Many local people felt inspired by the Remembrance Trail – connecting individuals who gave their lives with the streets in which they and their families lived – and a local community group has now been formed to see if more permanent markers of the servicemen’s sacrifice can be placed in the town’s streets. It is hoped that families, streets, businesses and all those who appreciate the sacrifice that was made by so many during the Great War will support this project as it develops over the coming months.
Councillor Deborah Earl, Cumbria County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Community Services, said: “I am delighted to hear that the trail has so far raised £335 for the Royal British Legion – the Remembrance Trail was a wonderful idea, and a fantastic way to pay tribute to the many local men who gave their lives during the First World War. It’s also great to hear that a new community group has been formed to try and extend this project throughout the local community and I wish them every success.”
