Memorial to Dr William Rea

Memorial to Dr William Rea, Jesmond Road

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1392258
Date first listed:: 19-Sep-2007
List Entry Name:: Memorial to Dr William Rea
Statutory Address:: Memorial to Dr William Rea, Jesmond Road

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1392258
Date first listed:: 19-Sep-2007
List Entry Name:: Memorial to Dr William Rea
Statutory Address 1:: Memorial to Dr William Rea, Jesmond Road

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: Memorial to Dr William Rea, Jesmond Road

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:: Newcastle upon Tyne (Metropolitan Authority)
Parish:: Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:: NZ 25691 65501

Details

1833/0/10263

JESMOND ROAD Memorial to Dr William Rea

19-SEP-07

II Grave Monument erected in 1906 to Dr. William Rea who died in 1903. It was designed by Robert O'Brien North and incorporates a profile of Dr Rea by Francis Derwent Wood. Portland stone on a sandstone base bearing a bronze medallion.

The simple gravestone situated in Jesmond Old Cemetery (broken into two pieces at the time of visiting - 2007) bears an oval bronze medallion containing a life size profile in relief of William Rea; the bronze is, surrounded by a scrolled wreath. The inscription below reads: In Loving Memory of/WILLIAM REA, MUS. DOC./Who devoted more than forty years/To cultivating a love of good music/Amongst the people of the city./Born, March 25th, 1827 Died, March 6th, 1903./And of his dearly beloved wife,/EMMA MARY,/Daughter of Wesley Stoker Woolhouse, F.R.A.S,/Born April 7th, 1833 Died May 6th, 1893/Also of his children, who died in 1861/Emma Gertrude, age 6 years; Emma Beatrice, age 3 years./The souls of the righteous are in the hands of God. /Wisdom, chap 3.

History: The grave monument commissioned by Dr. Rea's sons was executed in London and transported to Newcastle where it was erected in the cemetery in 1906. Dr Rea is a locally important figure who in the later C19 was successful in establishing a musical culture among ordinary people of Newcastle upon Tyne. His local importance has recently been recognised by a blue plaque at his last known home, in Summerhill, Newcastle. The grave monument is based on C18 designs and is the work of the architect Robert O'Brien North. North was articled to Messrs. Goldie, Child & Goldie and served as their chief assistant before setting up practice on his own. His obituary in `The Builder' described his individual works as `scholarly', and notable designs include Rugby Town Hall.

A bronze medallion set in the upper part of the monument is the work of the sculptor Frank Derwent Wood; Wood is considered an eminent national sculptor and features in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. He has many acclaimed works of art to his name in a variety of media including public monuments such as the bronze sculpture of Sir Titus Salt, Saltaire and war memorials including the best known and Grade II Listed Machine Gun Corps Memorial, Hyde Park Corner bearing a statue in Bronze of David. His portraits in particular are considered remarkable for their modelling and character, and many of his works are held in national collections: his bronze portraits of T. E Lawrence and the painter Ambrose McEvoy, for example, are held in the Tate gallery and the National Portrait Gallery respectively. Among many accolades, he was a founder member of the Association of British Sculptors, Professor of Sculpture at the Royal College of Art (1918-23) and was elected first an associate of the Royal Academy in 1910 and Royal Academician in 1920.

SOURCES: Sarah Crellin, `Wood, Francis Derwent (1871-1926, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/36999, accessed 8 June 2007] A S Gray, (1986) Edwardian Architecture: A Biographical Dictionary, 390-1 Newcastle Daily Chronicle February 1906 Obituary of R O'Brien North, The Builder March 28th 1919 REASON FOR DESIGNATION DECISION:This early C20 grave monument is designated Grade II, for the following principal reasons:

* It incorporates a brass profile in relief by the eminent sculptor Francis Derwent Wood. * The sculptural quality is of the highest order * It represents a rare example of cemetery work by a national artist in England * Examples of Derwent Wood's work are uncommon outside London

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:: 503736
Legacy System:: LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Gray, A S, Edwardian Architecture A Biographical Dictionary, (1985), 390-1
'Newcastle Daily Chronicle' in February, (1906)
'The Builder' in 28 March, (1919)

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.