Steen Clarke 2017

After spending three years researching the names of the men on the St John’s Church Memorial in Clifton, Steen produced a book about their lives and the roles they played in the First World War. His interest stems from his school days which, like many of the men on the memorial, were spent at St John’s School. Steen worked closely with the school, encouraging Year 5 and 6 children to use his book to find out more about the soldiers before writing personal messages on a small wooden cross which Steen laid on the soldiers’ graves in France. Steen has also been instrumental in ensuring that the war memorial was a fitting tribute to the soldiers. Copies of his book were sold to raise funds and he secured a grant from the War Memorials Trust to have the memorial professionally cleaned and the necessary repairs made. Steen also supported a recent event which was organised as part of the First World War Memorials Programme where he shared his experiences of research, engaging with school children and conserving the memorial.