The Fampoux Gardens

The story of one of Bournemouth's least well known, yet most touching memorials to the dead of the First World War. It was built by the survivors in memory of their fallen comrades.

Origins

The eastern end of Green Road was laid out around 1910, by 1922 proposals were being made for it to be adopted as part of the public highway, which happened on 23rd February. As part of the scheme to complete the development of this area of town, a small Pleasure Gardens, of one-and-a-half acres, was to be formed on the site of the former claypit and brickfield in Green Road.

Deeply excavated sites such as this were difficult to adapt for house plots, and it was simpler to landscape them and create a park. Additionally the question of land ownership arose. The pleasure grounds were formed from allotment 30, which had been set aside as a claypit, rather than being sold off for private use. Using the land for a public garden avoided the difficult issue of extinguishing any historic public rights to the land.

On 8th March 1922 the Parks committee heard a proposal from the British Legion in relation to the Green Road Pleasure Grounds. Following an Armistice Day collection, £460 was delivered to the British Legion; of this the Legion wished to pay £400 to Bournemouth Council to secure work for unemployed ex-servicemen.

As a result of a meeting between the Legion, the Borough Engineer and the Parks Superintendent, it was decided that the ex-servicemen could be put to work on the pleasure gardens in Green Road.

Ex-servicemen

In laying out the gardens, the Council would supply the tools and materials and the British Legion would provide the labour.

Married men with families were selected for the work, in order that the wages would benefit as many people as possible. One of the first tasks would be to build a concrete wall along the Green Road frontage.

By 11th June Mr H. T. Symons, the honorary Secretary of the British Legion was writing to the council to say that the original fund of £400 had been exhausted, and the gardens were not yet complete. The Rotary Club came to the rescue on 13th June, with an offer of a gift of £200 and on 15th June the Parks Superintendent was ordered to see the work on the gardens completed.

Fampoux Gardens get their name

The gardens were completed and known for several months as the Green Road Pleasure Gardens until, on 11th March 1923, Major General Sir Harry Triscott Brooking, KCB, KCSI, KCMG wrote to suggest that the gardens should be named 'Fampoux' in view of the part played by the Hampshire Regiment at the Battle of Fampoux on 28th March 1918.

He also suggested that a board should be put up in the gardens to record the part played at Fampoux by the regiment and that the gardens should have a formal opening.

Opening Cermony - 21 April, 1923

On 15th March the Parks and Pleasure Grounds Committee resolved that the name would be changed to Fampoux Pleasure Ground and that a sundial would be erected bearing an inscription that would 'record the work of the Hampshires'. The chairman of the committee was authorised to arrange a formal opening.

The notion of using public spaces to mark the horrifying events of the 'Great War' was gathering momentum at this time. Just under a month later, on 12th April, the committee approved plans submitted by Mr Shervey for a War Memorial in the Central Gardens close to Bournemouth Town Hall.

Formal Opening

On 21st April 1923, the Parks and Pleasure Grounds Visiting Committee (comprising Alderman Nethercoate - the chairman, Alderman Mate, Alderman Elcock, Charles Fox, Councillor Chamberlain, Councillor John Fox, Councillor Harris, Councillor Pratten, Councillor Sparkes, Councillor Thwaites, and the Mayor, Alderman Cartwright) visited Fampoux Gardens for the opening ceremony.

Sir Harry Brooking, of the British Legion, explained the part that members of the British Legion had played in setting out the gardens. Sir Harry handed the grounds over to the Mayor, who then formally opened the gardens; he congratulated the British Legion for the scheme of bringing employment to ex-service men, which 'avoided the pernicious system of doles'.

Then Alderman Nethercoate, the chairman of the committee, formally accepted the ongoing care of the gardens.

A sundial had been placed on a circular spot at the highest part of the gardens, and on the side was the following inscription:

'On March 28th, 1918 the enemy launched a big attack at Fampoux. The Hampshires refusing to be driven back, the enemy received a serious defeat'.

Background to the Fampoux sacrifice

Contemporary artist's impression of the battle

The village of Fampoux in Northern France was taken from the Germans during the Battle of Arras in 1917. It remained behind the Allied front line until the Germans' final Spring Offensive a year later.

The Germans were desperate to secure a victory and on 28th March 1918 made a heavy attack on the British and French lines.

Fampoux was at the centre point of the assault, and its control was vital to both sides. After heavy shelling and fierce fighting, German infantry captured part of the village - but the British, including many men of the Hampshire Regiment, though tremendously hard-pressed, maintained their hold on the remainder.

It was this stand at the Battle of Fampoux that is commemorated by the Fampoux gardens.

The dreadful toll on human life is born witness by the fact that there are no less than five war cemeteries around the village of Fampoux. They contain the graves of many hundreds of soldiers - some of whom will never be identified.

They are however remembered by the Fampoux Gardens in Winton.

Click here to read more about Winton during the "Great War".