TOPIC:

Second Lieutenant Harold Alfred Cobbe Wilson, Middlesex Regiment. Killed in action at Spion Kop, South Africa, on 24th January 1900, aged 21. Son of the Rev. Alfred Wilson, of the Vicarage, Bedford Park.

At St Michael & All Angels' Church, Bedford Park, London (to the north of Chiswick, and about 100 yards from Turnham Green Underground Station)













The case below the plaque contains the clock-winding mechanism.









The plaque below appears to be no longer in its original position; the window referred to in the inscription is adjacent to the window under which the plaque is now.

No expense spared when it came to simply remembering back in those days, a brief glance at Dooner, leaves the reader in little doubt of his personal courage , notwithstanding, I would be of the opinion that deliberately exposing yourself to accurate and concentrated enemy fire is not really a wise thing for any career minded subaltern to actually do on any battlefield, the wretched "Kop" in particular.

WILSON. - On the 24th inst., in the action at Spion Kop, Natal, HAROLD ALFRED COBBE WILSON, Second Lieutenant 2nd Middlesex Regiment, second son of Alfred and Fanny Wilson, of the Vicarage, Bedford-park, Chiswick, aged 21.

The Times, Wednesday 31st January 1900

Mr. A. O. Scott, hon. secretary, Harold Wilson Memorial Fund, writes from the Orchard-house, Bedford-park, under date the 15th inst. : - Many of your readers may like to know that the heroic conduct of the late Lieutenant Harold Wilson, referred to by Mr. Winston Churchill in his lecture at Bradford and reported in your issue of yesterday's date, is fully recognised by the residents in this district, and that we are at the present moment erecting a clock to his memory at St. Michael's Church. May I add that Mr. Churchill's kindly reference to the bravery of this young officer confirms the information already received from those who were present when Lieutenant Wilson so gallantly gave his life for his country?

The Times, Friday 16th November 1900

I called in to Chiswick Library, hoping to look up back copies of the Chiswick Times, but was told that a reservation had to be made to visit Local Studies.

The more I look at that clock, the more magnificent it gets, a fascinating and beautiful thing.

Frank Kelley wrote: The more I look at that clock, the more magnificent it gets, a fascinating and beautiful thing.

It's certainly in beautiful condition. The church exterior was restored in 1980, so perhaps the clock was included in that restoration. Just a shame that the trees partly obscure the clock.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Michael_and_All_Angels,_Bedford_Park

Fantastic pictures, Berenice. Many thanks.