麻豆社

Too old to fight, a factory manager from Nottingham showed his support for the war by writing patriotic poetry.

John Thomas Pinkstone worked for the Wrights Finishing Company on Carlton Road in Sneinton. He was in his late fifties at the start of the conflict and within his collection is a poem where he urges staff to contribute gifts for the soldiers.

The style is mainly rhyming and he uses words like 'our noble lads' and 'gallant men' to praise the efforts of the British forces. In contrast, the Germans are described as the 'barbarous' or 'cowardly hun' causing 'atrocities' and 'horrid deeds' that will never be forgotten.

More than a hundred men went to serve in the armed forces from the factory. In 1917 he wrote an acrostic poem, using the first letters of its name -'The Wrights Finishing Company' - to encourage staff to give items like wool and cigarettes to send as 'comforts' to them. There's also a poem called 'Our Lads from the front' which he published as a song.

His great grandson, who shares the same name, believes John Pinkstone was a man of his time and the poems reflect how many people at home viewed the war.

Location: Carlton Road, Sneinton, Nottingham NG3 2AS
Image: John Pinkstone, courtesy of his great grandson

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