The team from the Victoria Cross Trust were out and about in Eston, Cleveland undertaking a restoration marathon between 28th to 30th July 2025. Magnificent support received from the Friends of Eston Cemetery volunteer Vince Smith alongside Andy Pearson and Trevor Thompson from the local authority enabled the team to complete 28 restorations seven of which were rebuilds of memorials.
The Cross Keys hotel and restaurant hosted us at the end of very long days and volunteers from the friends group dropped in to lend their support. Ian Merryweather cousin of Private Harry Chilton Merryweather who was killed in action on 23rd October 1917, called in to see the restoration on his ancestors headstone (shown below).
Ian Merryweather with his ancestor.
Eston Cemetery has a memorial to William Short VC which was also cleaned by the team who had restored Richard Sanford VC's grave earlier in 2024.
William Short Vc's memorial.
Eston town centre also benefitted from the visit with their stunning war memorial cleaned as part of the marathon.
The photo gallery below shows the extent of the work completed with the graves of three brothers - three children and three war memorials all restored for future generations to see.
'When we say their name we remember them'........
