The handsome couple in the photo are Agnes Emily and Frederick Baigent. They were engaged in 1915 and married on Christmas Eve 1916. This photo was kindly given to me by Sharon, their great granddaughter. Sharon works with Morning Star, a charity for the homeless and those in need and was initially one of the first people to be helped and rehabilitated through the charity. As part of Cicatrix we will be working with the people resident with the charity later this year to create a response to the Cicatrix exhibition.
But to get back to Sharon's story. Sharon remembers as a child, a special ring in her family, passed on from her great grandmother. The Mizpah ring is still worn by Sharon's mother and was given by Frederick to his wife when separated during WW1. A Mizpah ring was inscribed with the Hebrew word and comes form a biblical text meaning 'Lord watch between me and thee when we are absent from oneanother'. (Genesis 31:49) Obviously their prayers were answered as Frederick returned safely from the war and went on to share many years with his wife Agnes until his death in 1959.