Armitage with Handsacre War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Armitage with Handsacre War Memorial, situated on New Road, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reason:
* Historic Interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this local community, and the sacrifice it has made in the conflicts of the C20.

History

Armitage with Handsacre War Memorial was unveiled by Brigadier-General Stewart CMG DSO on 15 February 1920, in memory of the parishioners who fell in the First World War. It was designed and executed by Messrs Bridgeman and Sons of Lichfield. On the previous Saturday at a well-attended ceremony, the returned servicemen of the parish had been presented with souvenirs arranged by a Welcome Committee.

After the Second World War an inscription on a new stone was added to the base in memory of those who fell in that conflict. The memorial was originally erected on the corner of Boat House Lane and Rugeley Road on a plot donated by Mr Hiram Moorcroft, but was moved c300m to the east to New Road at a later date. This ground was donated by Armitage Ware Ltd and the small memorial garden in which it now stands was designed by Mr D Shaw, the company gardener. The memorial was re-dedicated in 1969. In 2014 conservation and repair work was carried out, funded by War Memorials Trust.

Details

The memorial stands in a small garden on the south side of New Road. Built of sandstone, it is a tall Calvary with an octagonal shaft that stands on a tapering square plinth. A shield embossed with lettering is carved on the front face of the shaft below the crucifixion, and a small stone wreath ornaments the foot of the shaft. The plinth stands on a low, round, step. That is raised on a platform shaped in plan as a square intersecting a quatrefoil. A segment of stone stands in front of the plinth on the round step.

The principal inscription carved in raised letters on the front face of the plinth reads TO THE GLORY OF GOD, AND IN/ HONOURED MEMORY OF THE GALLANT/ MEN OF THIS PARISH WHO GAVE THEIR/ LIVES FOR KING AND COUNTRY AND FOR/ THE CAUSE OF LIBERTY AND RIGHT IN/ THE GREAT WAR. 1914 – 1919/ WE TRUST THEM, O LORD, TO THY LOVING CARE, with the names of those who fell in the First World War listed below and on the sides of the plinth, arranged by year. The rear face of the plinth bears the inscription “THEIR NAME LIVETH/ FOR EVERMORE”/ ECCLESIASTICUS XLIV 14. In addition, the stone segment placed in front of the plinth bears the incised inscription NAMES OF THE FALLEN 1939 – 1945 WAR/ (9 NAMES).

This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Register. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 19 January 2017.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 18/05/2015 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/13452
War Memorials Trust, Grants Showcase - Armitage with Handsacre, accessed 18/05/2015 from http://www.warmemorials.org/search-grants/?gID=1044
Staffordshire Record Office online catalogue entry (4817/15/43, Programme for the re-dedication of Armitage War Memorial), accessed 03/08/2015 from http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/rd/a3dffb4c-4836-40c4-972e-d4646ce4b4c4
War Memorials Register, accessed 19 January 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/13452

Other
"District News, Armitage", The Mercury, 20 February 1920, p3

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