The rear of the vicarage c1910

Canon Upcher took up the living at Stradbroke in 1913, after leaving Halesworth with Chediston. During the Great War (WW1) his daughter Margery de Berners Upcher set up 'War Hospital Supply Depot no. 5458' at the Rectory, shown in this photo. Miss Upcher co-ordinated a band of women who either made, or raised money to purchase, hospital essentials such as bandages, nightshirts, gowns, and bed-jackets for the soldiers who were rapidly filling the wartime military hospitals - many of which were themselves set up in country houses. Without the efforts of these volunteer groups, supplies to many hospitals would have been non-existent.

Wartime was a very difficult time for this village as we lost 17 of our sons to WWW1. The Suffolks marched through Stradbroke and enlisted so many young men who went off to fight. The women and those that could not fight did their bit too and I am sure that Canon Upcher and the whole of his family and household would have lead the village in the war effort both practically as Margery did and spiritually. Canon Upcher started a bowls league in 1913 which is still celebrated to this day. Thank you Graham, for this knowledge of a special family.