Herts and Essex Observer Saturday 18/6/1921 reported:
'Saffron Walden War Memorial Committee. Winding-up Meeting. The Saffron Walden War Memorial Committee held their last meeting in the Town Hall Committee Room on Monday evening, with the Chairman (Mr P. G. Cowell) presiding, supported by Dr. Atkinson (hon. treasurer) and Mr E. Fox (hon. secretary). The HON. TREASURER presented the statement of receipts and expenses. The receipts were: Subscriptions £1,109 0s 9d, donation from the Peace Celebrations Committee £185, bank interest £49 17s 6d, total £1,343 18s 3d. The expenses were: Structural work £1,187 6s 11d, architect's fees £62, Roll of Honour £28 7s 6d, advertising, printing and stationery £37 16s, Secretary's postages and out of pocket expenses £6 8s 5d, incidental expenses £7 1s 5d, total £1,329 0s 3d, leaving a balance in hand of £l4 18s. He (Dr. Atkinson) presumed the Committee would settle at this meeting the object the balance would be devoted to. He moved the reception and adoption of the balance sheet. MR TITCHMARSH seconded, and it was carried. The DEPUTY-MAYOR said he felt that the Committee should vote something to their Hon. Secretary in recognition of the great services he had rendered to the Committee, but as he understood Mr Fox did not wish for it he proposed that the balance be given to the Hospital. Mr SHEPHERD agreed that some recognition should be made of the arduous services of the Hon. Secretary. Mr Fox replied that he absolutely refused to take anything. He knew that the Hon. Treasurer was £2 or £3 out of pocket for stamps, receipts, etc., and he thought that Dr. Atkinson should be paid this amount. Dr. ATKINSON said their Hon. Secretary had refused to take any acknowledgment, and how he could expect him to do so he did not know. The HON. SECRETARY said the Committee were tied down to two alternatives as to the disposal of the balance. At the public meeting when the Committee were appointed it was decided that the fund should be raised for the erection of a War Memorial and Roll of Honour and that any surplus should be applied to the benefit of dependents of the fallen and to the assistance of the Hospital. Captain FLOYD seconded that the balance be given to the Hospital, and this was carried. THE COMMITTEE'S ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. The CHAIRMAN said he had received a letter from the Town Clerk (Mr W. Adams) as follows: Owing to absence in Scotland I am sorry I shall not be present at the last meeting of the War Memorial Committee, as I should have liked to have shared in the acknowledgments and thanks which the Committee will certainly wish to offer to you, the honorary officers and Mr Forbes, for the services you and they have rendered the Committee. It is, I believe, an open secret that we wished to make Mr Fox some tangible recognition of our regard for the able way he has discharged the duties of hon. secretary, but with a delicacy of feeling which we appreciate, he prefers that his services should be accepted, as he always intended, as a labour of love. His work therefore represents a special contribution of considerable value to the War Memorial, and we ought to be, as I am sure we are, most grateful to him. Neither will the Committee be unmindful of the good work of the Hon. Treasurer, nor the careful supervision which Mr Forbes has exercised over the building of the Memorial. The CHAIRMAN said that Mr Adams had voiced the sentiments of them all with regard to the work of their Hon. Treasurer, their Hon. Secretary and Mr Forbes. It was a great thing to be thankful for that the Memorial was free from debt. The Committee had carried out all their obligations—they had erected a War Memorial, had inscribed a Roll of Honour, and contributed to the Hospital—and he thought they had every reason to be satisfied with the way everything was conducted at the unveiling ceremony. - The Mayor said he was sure the Committee wished to acknowledge the services of their worthy Chairman and all who had assisted him in carrying out the work. The Chairman had devoted a good deal of time to it and certainly the unveiling ceremony reflected the greatest credit upon him. He moved that such a vote of thanks he passed. The DEPUTY MAYOR, in seconding, said the Committee were much indebted to the Chairman and the officers for the excellent services they had rendered. He had seen a good many War Memorials but nowhere had he seen one be liked better than their own. It had been a long time coming, but he thought the Memorial was a worthy tribute to the poor fellows who died that they at home might live in peace. The HON. Secretary put the motion to the meeting and the vote was unanimously passed. The CHAIRMAN, in reply, said he undertook the duties, not at the inception of the work, but because unfortunately their late Chairman was no longer with them. What he had done had been a labour of love and he was extremely pleased it had met with their approval. Mr Shepherd said he thought the Committee should signify to the Architect (Mr Wetherell) and the builders (Messrs Whitehead & Day) their appreciation of their work. The Town Council. as the local authority in the borough, had sent both the Architect and the contractors a letter of appreciation, but as this Committee employed them to do the work he proposed that the Hon. Secretary write and express the Committee's thorough appreciation of the way it had been carried out. Mr Titchmarsh seconded this, and included in the vote of thanks the name of Mr Edward Dunkley, who did the carving, and Dr. Atkinson, who secured for them the Architect. The vote was unanimously passed. Some discussion ensued as to whether the Committee's records should be sent to the Museum, or be handed over to the Corporation with a view to their being placed with the town's records in the Corporation's box. Upon a vote being taken it was decided that they be handed over to the Town Council. The minutes of this meeting were then read and signed, and the proceedings of the Committee terminated'.
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003122/19210618/021/0003