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Guarlford History Group

Beard Family Memorial Bench

Memorial bench

Visitors entering Guarlford Village Hall will immediately notice a new acquisition. This is an interesting wooden bench fashioned from a four feet diameter cartwheel, itself a reminder of times past when horse drawn carts were the common mode of transport. 

This seat has been generously presented to the village of Guarlford by Sam Beard in memory of his grandparents, George Edward and Rosina Beard.

The Beard family lived for many years at Malthouse Cottage, next to the Village Hall, and George and Rosina were well known in Guarlford village. George served as verger to St Mary's church for thirty seven years, maintaining the church and churchyard, lighting the boiler and the oil lamps, ringing the bell, digging graves and performing all the other verger duties and Rosina cared for all the church linen and vestments.

Sam has also presented a milk churn to the village which Don Hill painted and can be seen in the lobby.

Churn presented to vllage by Sam Beard

During the Second World War Sam, a volunteer, served in Iceland, Britain, Northwest Europe and India and achieved the rank of Battery Sergeant Major.

He married Freda in Guarlford church in 1941 whilst on leave, having first cycled to Worcester and back to obtain a special licence. 

In 2006 Sam and Freda celebrated their sixty-fifth wedding anniversary in Guarlford Village Hall.

Thank you Sam, for your generous gifts.