1914

From the outset of the war in 1914 patriotic activities began.  In September there were intercession services every day in the parish church following the appeal from the King to all churches and chapels in the land.  The parish council formed itself into a committee to look after cases of need arising indirectly through the war.  From October women gathered every Monday in the Congregational Chapel to make warm garments for men at the front.

Throughout the war, the parish magazine published news of local people at the front and their letters.  Before the end of the year Percy Brass and George Featherstone were writing to the vicar from Great Missenden in Buckinghamshire and Fred Neasham wrote from the Cavalry Barracks at Scarborough.  Recruiting meetings were staged in the village.  There was a large attendance at one in the National School in November.  Two MPs, Roberts for Norwich and Arthur Henderson, the local Labour MP and Lord Barnard helped to whip up the mood.  In the same month, a Belgian Flag Day was held when the village was gaily decorated and the band paraded with collecting boxes followed by a social night in the school.  Men of the colliery submitted to a levy on their wages for patriotic purposes.  By the end of the year many Evenwood men had enlisted and many more were to follow.  At the end of the year the sounds of war were actually to reach the village: on the morning of December 16^th, many in Evenwood heard the heavy booming of big guns.  Hartlepool, Scarborough and Whitby were under bombardment by German warships.