Market Harborough Historical Society

In 2015 the Society published “The Harboro’ Boys” which tells the stories of local men who went off to the Great War

Barry Summers was a well-known local teacher and a member of the society. He was fascinated with the story of the young men connected with the town who marched off to war in 1914. His detailed research was encouraged by Sam Mullins, the first Keeper of Harborough Museum, and he made good progress before his health suddenly deteriorated. He died in 2000 leaving a manuscript that had reached 1917.

A Brief Summary of the Book

The Harboro’ Boys covers the progress of the war from the Territorials marching away to Loughborough in August 1914, (including the young man whose mother insisted he took his pyjamas). Men from far and wide returned to Market Harborough to enlist or visit family members, before leaving for training. It examines the early naval battles, life on board a submarine, and our young men at the Battle of Mons. It recounts the tragedy of young men and their fathers killed or wounded, as well as the requests from home for razors, cricket kits and footballs. At home in Harborough it reports the ‘Remount’ depot at the market, and the poverty faced by the wives and mothers who had depended on their men’s income.

A fascinating read, full of compassion and humour, it is the story of many connected with the town from the former local bank manager, to the grooms who were to travel with the horses to France and beyond. It is the story of Fred Tuffs, Albert Terry, Bob Cotton, Tom Alcock, Bill Stevens, Fred Simmonds, Richard Kelly and T W Jackson, using contemporary diaries and recorded material from the 1980s. For that, and for weaving their reminiscences together into a coherent story of an East Midlands community at war we are forever indebted to Barry Summers.

A great deal of work recovering a usable manuscript, editing and providing photographs has been undertaken by society members, and the result is a compelling story of a local community at war which will appeal to families with relatives who went to fight, to those interested in the local history of Market Harborough and the surrounding area, and to those who wish to commemorate the centenary of ‘the war to end all wars’.

Copies of the book may be obtained as follows:

Collect: Price £8.99 at Society meetings
Postal (UK): Jiffy bag delivery by Royal Mail £11.50 per book. Orders with remittance to
Mike Stroud (Treasurer) 7 Orchard Close, Desborough, Kettering, Northants, NN14 2LR mikestroud01@aol.com
Overseas: Please contact Mike Stroud – delivery costs dependent upon destination & service.

Pat Perkins published her book “World War 1” in 2018

It is the result of 5 years of painstaking research and in addition to historical data it also contains many interesting photographs of personnel and their Harborough locations. It has been compiled on a street by street basis thus affording convenient access through the street names and home addresses of the soldiers recorded.

Foreward

My book is the result of a five-year personal project to record all members of Market Harborough town and Rural District who took part in WORLD WAR 1 (as listed on the Cottage Hospital Memorial in Coventry Road), plus the men who were stationed in the town during the war. Unfortunately there are gaps in the data, which I have been unable to complete; there are many reasons for this including the fire that took place in London during the WW2, which destroyed many service records. Plus, some names are very common generally but also first and surname combinations are often repeated in the town, this creates a difficulty in ensuring you have the correct details.

Sales

Price £5 (excluding any delivery costs). Please contact the Society secretary Dr Len Holden leonard.holden@ntlworld.com