Wilfred Hurry and family
Wilfred Hurry was born in Bramford on August 5th 1878. His father, grandfather and uncles were paper manufacturers who ran the mill in Paper Mill Lane. He attended Bramford School and went on to become a teacher, and later headmaster at the school. He married Helen May Baker in 1906 and the couple lived in Holly Cottage, at the corner of Duckamere and Fitzgerald Road. Wilfred was sworn in as a Special Constable on Wednesday 21 st October 1914 at Bramford Police Station. He was 36 years old.
Special Constabulary Postcard
At the beginning of the Great War the Special Constabulary was ordered into a body similar to the present day one: a voluntary, part-time organisation and paid only their expenses. During the war their primary function was to prevent German infiltrators from interfering with the nation’s water supply but also to assist in enforcing the extra legislation that was introduced. It was probably in response to this demand for extra men that Wilfred joined and was able to carry out his duties alongside that of headmaster of the school.
As the war progressed he kept note of the ex-pupils that enlisted in the armed forces – this record forms part of the information in the commemorative book “Remembered – The Men of Bramford Who Fell in the Great War” published by the Bramford Local History Group in 2014.
The demand for more men to join the armed forces lead to conscription in 1916 and Wilfred, now 38 years old, was eligible to be called up (the upper limit was 41). Wilfred attended a medical examination on the 1 st July 1916 – coincidently the same day the Battle of the Somme began. He was passed fit for “Service at Home” and on the 20 th July 1916 he received a letter informing him that his services may be required “at any time after 20th September 1916”.
He appeared not to have been called up but a letter sent to him in May 1917 thanked him for his offer to place his services at the disposal of the National Service Department.
Many of the ex-pupils of Bramford School, that Wilfred knew, did not return from the war and it understandable that he was one of the main people involved in setting up the memorial in the church and building the Victory Hall.
He was involved with many aspects of village life, including the formation of a “Pig and Poultry club” during the war.
Wilfred Hurry Special Constabulary Long Service Medal
He was awarded the Special Constabulary Long Service Medal in 1921. This Medal was instituted on 30 th August 1919. It was awarded to all ranks of the Special Constabulary for nine years unpaid service and with more than 50 duties per annum. War service with at least 50 duties counted triple. A clasp inscribed The Great War 1914-18 was awarded to those who qualified for the medal during that conflict.
When the new senior school in Duckamere was opened, he continued as headmaster, postponing his retirement because of the 1939-45 war. He was also on the Parish Council from 1946 to 1949. He died in 1954, the and the Parish Council minutes referred to him as being the "father of the council”.
He is remembered in the village by the naming of Wilfred Hurry Close.