The main entrance
to Talbot House, Poperinge
i
Born to Lavinia Lyttelton, daughter
Of a Baron and Edward Talbot -
A vicar of Parish church of Leeds -
Gilbert Walbert Lyttelton Talbot,
Born into a house
of faith - yet
Had a fondness of
beauty, fun
Along with all
kinds of nonsense.
When aged 8,
Gilbert's older brother,
Neville, had soldiered in the South
African war - to
fascinate the young
Boy - for him to
memorise areas
Of the fighting,
with his learning
Love to be a 'Wykehamist';
time
At school was
never wasted.
Success and
progress took Gilbert
To Oxford and
Christ Church -
At 19, like all
his family before him,
To be Union President. Then
War broke out; likely fired by
His childhood
fascinations,
Gilbert became an
officer.
The Churn
training camp of public
Schoolmen, gave
him a glow
In strenuous
training - with fellow
Happy company dedicated
With conviction like many;
That the war's
cause were
Righteous, to form efficiency.
Strict and
efficient, this Lieutenant
Was part of the
7th Battalion
Rifle Brigade,
Prince Consorts Own.
To have in his
charge a platoon
Of 54 men - directing progress
Into soldiers; to
fight for causes
Of freedom for
Britain and allies.
1915, with the
battle lines established
Across a western
front of Ypres,
Saw a stalemate
situation that settled
Over both sides,
with many plans
Made to break the
monotony -
Came June and Hooge Chateau;
A ruin to be lost
then regained.
Within the vicinity
of the fight, young
Lieutenant
Gilbert Talbot was
Involved in the
first days of attacking
German's uses of
liquid fire -
At Zouave Wood the battalion
Under Talbot made counter attack;
The Lieutenant
led C Company.
Moving left of
their communication
Trench, Old Bond
Street, Talbot
Was hit - that
news of the fact led
Men to volunteers
to get him
Back - under
heavy fire two
Groups set off,
but casualties
Meant the rescue
was halted.
It was a week
later when the body
Of their
lieutenant was found -
The loss was hard
for men, to say
That Talbot was
cheery - never
Short of words to
give them -
The officer aged
23, lay at rest
Close to where he
had fallen.
ii
A third child,
being a second son
And brother of
Gilbert Talbot
Was Neville - who in service
Of military, fought in the Boer War.
Neville being a
believer in courage,
Had the inclination
to charge
Into matters; such
older brothers,
Always held in
esteem by youngest.
While Gilbert
Talbot carried such
Belief into a new
war, Neville
Turned towards a
clerical career,
To serve as
military chaplain.
In 1915, together
with a fellow
Padre, Thomas
Tubby Clayton,
Founded the idea
of a movement,
That would be a
soldier's haven.
iii
Under the
barrages of enemy
Shells, daily destruction
of Ypres
Had sent the
population away,
To find places of
safety - an army
Turned to place
of Poperinghe.
Within the town's
many houses,
Stood one built in 18th century -
The Lebbe family home
bought
By a banker
called Mr Coevoet;
Wealth built from
trading hops.
1911, already over 100
years old,
Maurice Coevoet's
family lived,
To stay until a
shell struck after
One year of war - to rent by 1915,
The house to
6th army division.
The house of 43 Gasthuisstraat
Witnessed a new
transformation -
Under renamed Rue
de l'Hopital -
A use was seen by
Tubby Clayton,
In need for
soldier's club location.
The negotiations with Belgium
Family, was to
make all repairs -
Remove all Coevoet
furniture
Along with a
large safe; whose
Removal had a
story of its own.
Chaplain Tubby
Clayton's idea,
To provide the
men alternative
Of the nightlife
of Poperinghe -
Neville Talbot
and Padre Tubby
Decided name of 'Church House.'
But a lack of
appeal prompted
A Colonel May's
suggestion,
For a memorial to
the brother
Of Army Chaplain, Neville
Talbot;
To be named
'Talbot House.'
iV
The clubhouse ran
by Tubby,
Was to be
informal and cosy -
Thus the sign of
his office
Said, 'All rank
abandon ye who
Enter here' - A
rule was to enjoy.
The launch of the
everyman’s
Club fully opened
their doors
On 11 December
1915, to serve
Every soldier in
equality, whose
Faith would be
held in respect.
The empty house
had received
Furniture from
both England
And local
donators - and to add
A piano, along
with book or gifts,
Left by soldiers
to build a library.
On their way back
and forth
Through a pivotal
Poperinghe,
Men began to file
into warmth
Of Talbot house, known by all
Alike asTH or signaller's parley.
Toc H with its
large hall way -
To linger by the
friends board,
With messages for
any friend
That might enter - to drink and
Laugh; or read a book for a cap.
To have a room or a proper bed,
And climb the
narrow stairs up
To the upper room
- the loft hop
That served as a
chapel for any
Faithful fellow,
to sit or ponder.
Furnished by a
carpenter's bench
For an alter and
bedposts to serve
As candlesticks -
where signs said
'If you spit at
home then spit here' -
Tubby Clayton
gave all a welcome.
Words spread by
talk of mouth,
To encourage all fellow friends
To take a visit
to Talbot House -
Where a man might
sit and read
Talk in a garden to laugh or sing.
This was the
legacy of one son
Of Britain and
brother of a priest -
A place for
countless fellows to
Pass beneath a
sign, that stated
Date of Talbot
House; 1915 to ?
by Jamie Mann.
Anon Source: File: Toc H. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Online Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toc_H>
Accessed
11
December 2015
Source: File: The
Story of Talbot House (Toc H), Poperinge From The Great War 1914-1918. Online Available at:
<http://www.greatwar.co.uk/ypres-salient/museum-talbot-house-history.htm>
Accessed
11
December 2015
Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 11 December 2015).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone
#worldwaroneremembered #WW1Poperinghe
