War Memorials – St John’s Church

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The former St John’s Church
Image courtesy of Clive Gilbert © 2011

In 1884, the parish church of St Martin of Tours established St John’s Church (in Church Road, Epsom – just off East Street) as a “Chapel of Ease” (a subsidiary chapel) to cater for the growing population in that part of its parish. The Chapel closed in 1975 and re-opened as a community centre.  It has for some years now been a pre-school nursery.

In 1921, a memorial plaque was unveiled in the church commemorating two members of its choir who had fallen in the Great War. The June 1921 edition of the St Martin’s Church parish magazine printed the following:

CHOIR WAR MEMORIAL.
At St. John’s on Trinity Sunday, a memorial to two members of the choir, Pte. Charles White and Pte. John Wickens, who lost their lives in the war, was unveiled by Mr.A.J. Warren, and dedicated by the Rev. F.S. Farebrother. The memorial consisted of an ornamental oak plaque. The letters of the inscription are in gold on a blue ground. Mr. Warren, who delivered a most suitable address, said the dedication service was being held at the ordinary evening service because of the very happy relations which existed between choir and congregation, and of the feeling of the choir that they would like the congregation to join in that service of remembrance.

Unfortunately, the plaque no longer exists within the old church building and was probably lost when the building was converted for community use.

However, both men are commemorated on the parent St Martin’s church memorial and on the Borough’s Ashley Road memorial. John Wickens is also commemorated on the Sutton Grammar School memorial.