Summary
War memorial plaque, unveiled 1920 by Bishop of St Albans, Dr Michael Furse. The dwelling which forms 11 Pageant Road is excluded from the listing.
Reasons for Designation
The war memorial plaque, attached to 11 Pageant Road, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impacts of world events on this community, and the sacrifices it made in the First World War;
* Rarity: as one of a rare group of commemorative plaques, which survive well and which offer a relatively private memorial compared to the usual more public monuments often placed in prominent locations;
* Group value: as one of eight surviving memorials forming a significant and rare group.
History
The concept of commemorating war dead did not develop to any great extent until towards the end of the C19. Prior to then memorials were rare and mainly dedicated to individual officers, or sometimes regiments. The first large-scale erection of war memorials dedicated to the ordinary soldier followed the Second Boer War of 1899-1902, which was the first major war following reforms to the British Army which led to regiments being recruited from local communities and with volunteer soldiers. However, it was the aftermath of the First World War that was the great age of memorial building, both as a result of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities and the official policy of not repatriating the dead, which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.
Details
War memorial plaque, unveiled 1920 by Bishop of St Albans, Dr Michael Furse
DESCRIPTION: the memorial comprises a simple inscribed stone tablet with a wood and bronze (?) crucifix surmounted by a shallow hood. The memorial is set into the front wall of the dwelling that forms11 Pageant Road* and is inscribed with nine names of those who lost their lives in the First World War.
The inscription reads: ‘1914 1918/JAMES CONSTABLE/GEORGE DRAPER/JOHN FRANCIS /PERCY JEFFRIES/ERNEST LEWIS/FREDERICK MERRYDALE/ EDWARD PERHAM/ALBERT STONE/ERNEST TODD/RIP’.
End of official list entry
