When we have found only small amounts of information on a grave it will be documented here. This does not mean that we don’t consider the people ‘not worthy’ of a full page, it is simply a matter of time and space.
The Venerable Cecil Frederick Joseph Bourke MA (1841-1910) Archdeacon of Buckingham,
He and his sister lived together in Taplow and arrived in Sidmouth on Thurs 14th April for a short stay at the Royal York hotel. Staying in the same hotel was Prof E.A.Sonnenschein, Professor of Classics at Birmingham University, who had arrived on Wed morning.
On Fri morning the two gentlemen arranged to take a walk together that evening. They left the hotel at 5pm and headed along the Esplanade and up Peak Hill. When they were about three quarters of the way to the top they stopped to admire the view, the Archdeacon had made no complaints, nor given any signs, of feeling unwell.
As they were looking over the Golf Club and discussing what they could see the Prof, who was in front of the Archdeacon when facing that direction, heard a slight gasp. On turning round he found his companion collapsed and at first thought he had fainted or suffered an epileptic fit. While trying to render aid they were joined by a man walking up Peak Hill who came to see it he could be of assistance. He immediately recognised that the Archdeacon was dead. The Professor then saw that this was the case and they sent for a doctor and for a vehicle to take the body to the mortuary of the Sidmouth Cottage Hospital. Prof Sonnenschein returning to the hotel to break the sad news to Archdeacon Bourke’s sister.
His Arts and Crafts grave
Remembering two fearless army Chaplains from the First World war.
These Churchmen retired to Sidmouth so the major effects of their lives were felt elsewhere, on battlefields and in their parishes. There is an article about them in the Sidmouth Herald.
Their graves came to the attention of the CSC working party on 7th Nov 2024 during their session at the cemetery.
This is the grave of Charles Graham Swann who lived at Mead House, Meadway. He received his Military Cross from the King on 19th Dec 1917, for his actions in digging out soldiers buried by shell explosions on the battlefield; and for getting these soldiers, and others, off the the site of action and into hospital.
Vivian Banham was not only awarded the Military Cross but later received a bar to it.
His medal was for his actions on 18th Sept 1918 when the Australian Machine Gun Battery to which he was attached came under severe shelling. He organised stretcher parties, supplied dressings and accompanied the wounded to dressing stations before returning and supplying moral support.
The bar was from only 11 days later when he once again worked under heavy shelling and machine gun fire to get casualties to the dressing station a mile away, repeatedly returning to continue this task. He was said to have shown a complete disregard for personal safety. He is also commended for the way he ministered to the underfire troops, cheering and encouraging them.
Vivian Banham lived at The Red House, Moorcourt Close.