Search for Chester Trelease's grave

Back in search of graves and memorials related to people's stories that are emerging in our Heart of Conflict project....
Today back to St Euny Church with Bridging Arts volunteer, Mike Matthews.
We are looking for the grave of Chester Trelease, who wrote a letter back to Redruth Wesleyan Chapel from the Front in 1918.
We find  his name on his mother's grave in the churchyard.
However, he is buried in Franvillers, France, a long way from home.

Photo of Redruth Wesleyan Chapel needed for exhibition

A quick stop on a tricky corner in Redruth: we need a photo of Redruth Wesleyan Chapel to illustrate panels in the exhibition.

We will be displaying at Heart of Conflict (courtesy of the County Records Office) various letters written back home from members of the Young Men's Bible Class there who signed up during World War One.
The Chapel looms like a huge ship over the station, and is bedecked with scaffolding at the moment.

By the door is a tablet of Aberdeen and Cornish granite with names of the dead, including that of Chester Trelease whose grave is at St Euny Church: we plan to visit it later in the day.

Shock to see list of fallen at Redruth Wesleyan Chapel

After reading the letters written to the Redruth Wesleyan minister from soldiers at the Front, I just had to go along this morning to the Chapel for its early morning service.

Something of a shock outside to see - immediately  - a list of the fallen.

No fewer than 180 members of the Sunday School and the Young Men's Bible class at the Chapel signed up.




















This seems a huge number: but Redruth was a large chapel. It is still extremely impressive.










From outside it looks like a huge ship: unmissable from the station and something of a landmark as you leave west Cornwall by train.

Inside, there is a brass plaque with the names of everyone who served, with a central panel listing those who died.  It is beautifully polished and maintained. I spot the names (in the list of fallen) of at least one man who wrote a letter to the minister - Chester Trelease.

Letters at County Records Office tell human stories of war

An early visit to the County Records Office, Truro, to look further at letters written from the Western Front to the minister at Redruth Wesleyan. We saw these letters when we visited earlier this week.  Chloe Phillips had put them on display because of their local interest, and also because they were written from various points around the world, not only from France.

There are 30 in total, so it was a question of sifting through to find letters of particular interest and relevance to our volunteers.  Left: a page of a letter from Chester Trelease, who was, sadly, killed in combat.

We are keen to find out more about these young men from Redruth Wesleyan who signed up so readily, early on in the War.