YPRES BRITISH SETTLEMENT.
To-night I am appealing once again for funds for the British Settlement at Ypres
I think a brief explanation for the necessity for further funds and a justification for this
appeal is needed.
It is not generally realised that there are more than 200 British residents living
permanently at Ypres and as many more in the surrounding villages, the majority of the
men being employed by the Imperial War Graves Commission, in the care of the
Cemeteries.
To give these families home amenities ^"15,000 which had been generously
contributed has been expended in the construction of a Church, Chaplain's House, Rest
Room, and School. All these buildings, which were designed by that eminent architect
Sir Reginald Blomfield, have been completed, but as is often the case, the cost has been
greater than was anticipated, and there is a debt of about ^*1,000 which is urgently
required. In addition to this we want some ^"10,000 for a Maintenance Fund.
The Church is a very beautiful building, the interior has been fully equipped by
many generous gifts, including that of a Bible presented by H.M. The King. There are
80 Regimental Memorials, 60 Personal ones, in addition to which 180 chairs have been
presented in memory of those who fell in the Great War.
Pilgrims' Rest Room, built for convenience of thousands of Pilgrims and Visitors
who come in the summer months to Ypres, maps and all books connected with the
Cemeteries are kept there. An excellent English Library has been collected.
SCHOOL.
Eton College built the School as a Memorial to the 342 Etonians who fell in that
district in the war. The original building was designed for 50 childrenwe are now
educating over 100 per annum, which necessitated large increase in accommodation and
additional London County Council teachers.
Before this School was started these children grew up without any knowledge of
English, their ignorance of their own language would have put them to a serious
comparison with those brought up in the Mother Country. When the School started
only 4 could talk English, now all can. The results of the work of the School have
exceeded all expectations.
[p.T.O.
