Kingston Libraries: Remembrance Day

Sat 08/11/2025

Kingston Libraries and Heritage Service: Remembrance Day

This Remembrance Day, Kingston’s Libraries invite our community to pause, reflect, and remember.

Across all our libraries, you’ll find thoughtful book displays for children and adults — featuring stories, histories, and personal accounts that help us understand and honour the sacrifices made by those who served in the Armed Forces.

Our libraries and heritage spaces play a vital role in preserving the borough’s collective memory. As we mark Remembrance Day weekend, we’re proud to share some of the ways Kingston continues to remember — from safeguarding local wartime history to providing spaces for reflection, learning, and remembrance.

 

Remembrance Service in Surbiton 

Sunday 9 November 2025, 10.15am – 12.00pm
Surbiton Library, Ewell Road, Surbiton, KT6 6AG

Join us for this year’s Remembrance Service in Surbiton. The procession will begin at 10.15am from Hollyfield Road, moving along Ewell Road to the War Memorial in front of the library, where the service will commence at 10.45am.

Local organisations and community groups will take part in this special occasion of remembrance.
Before and after the ceremony, Surbiton Library will be open as a warm and welcoming space for older and disabled veterans to gather, rest, and connect.

Inside the library, you can also visit the Surbiton Book of Remembrance for World War II, displayed in the Reference Room — a lasting tribute to those who served and sacrificed.

New Malden Library

At New Malden Library, you’ll find the Roll of Honour commemorating the civilian casualties of Malden and Coombe from 1939–1945.

The library also proudly displays two plaques dedicated to Airmen Pilot Officer Cyril Joe Barton and Squadron Leader Ian Willoughby Bazalgette — both posthumous recipients of the Victoria Cross. These memorials stand as powerful reminders of courage, sacrifice, and community spirit.

Kingston Museum and Kingston History Centre

Our museum and archives hold a wealth of artefacts, documents, and objects that tell the story of Kingston’s military past and its people.

Two recent acquisitions highlight our continuing commitment to remembrance:

  • HMS Kingston, by artist Robert Taylor — commissioned by Wally Cox, a crew member who served on the ship and used his pension to commission the work. It is currently on view in the Town of Kings Gallery.

  • _"Hawker Hurricane Prototype" by Quail (Qingyun Wa), this year’s Brill Award winner — an imaginative illustration depicting Siddeley House, where the prototype of the Hawker Hurricane was secretly developed in 1935. The rolled gate in the artwork symbolically opens a “time tunnel” into Kingston’s aviation history.

Community Library Service

Our Community Library Service brings books, spoken word CDs, and activities directly to residents who are unable to visit our libraries. Among these is our World War II Reminiscence Box, designed to spark memories and conversations about life during wartime.

Discover Your Family’s Military History

Explore your heritage and uncover personal connections to the past with free access to military and war records via Ancestry — available in all Kingston Libraries.

E-Books and Online Resources

You can also explore our specially curated online collections:

OverDrive

BorrowBox

Lest We Forget

This Remembrance Day, take time to learn more about Kingston’s rich heritage and the vital role its residents played in both World Wars. Whether through books, archives, or quiet reflection, our libraries and heritage spaces stand ready to help our community remember — and ensure these stories live on.