WILLIAM EASTON

Location address:  St Nicholas, Low Street, Husthwaite, North Yorkshire YO61 4QB

Details on cross (Text content of cross):

 In Memory of 181751 Spr EASTON

Railway Operating Division Royal Engineers

Died May 11 1918

28 years

Text type (e.g. hand-written, GRU tags, carved): Hand written

Cross dimensions (millimetres please)

Shaft Height: 590mm (bottom of cross broken/rotted off

Cross beam width: 533mm

Width of wood: 123mm

Thickness or depth: 40mm

Circle plate (if celtic type)

Outer diameter: 303mm

Width of circle:

Thickness: 40mm

Square plate (if supported)

Width of Square arms:

Angle of arms:

Thickness:

Other information

Mounting to wall: Kept safe in the vestry, awaiting a frame to allow display in the church.

Detailing: Letters hand painted with thick black paint (bitumen based?) on possibly originally white, faded background (see photo)

Evidence of use in field (earth marking, cracking, staining, shrinkage): Bottom of shaft gone

Surface insertion depth (into ground if apparent):

Finish (varnish, paint, oiled, unfinished etc): Paint – very faded

Condition (cracked, paint peeling, woodwork, damage etc): Top left circle plate gone. Bottom right section loose. Paint coming off in places. Delicate.

Notes and observations: (optional)

A small stake (560mm long) on the reverse of the cross, possibly used to support the cross in the ground after damage to the base(?)

The age of death of Sapper Easton has been researched locally and confirmed as 28 but the cross appears to suggest 22.

Editor’s Note:

Epitaph:

“LIFE’S WORK WELL DONE BRAVE HEART REST ON”

From CWGC

EASTON WILLIAM
28 11/05/18
Sapper Royal Engineers Railway Operating Div.
France ‘181751’
LES BARAQUES MILITARY CEMETERY, SANGATTE III. B. 6.
Son of William and Elizabeth Easton, of “Coulmony,” Husthwaite, Easingwold, Yorks.
Booking clerk employed on the Midland Railway for 10 years. Served at Rouen and Ypres.

 

 


Survey courtesy of: John Ovenston & Tim Charlson

Photographs courtesy of: Tim Charlson

Date of survey: 4/9/17