Victoria Street War Memorial, Newton

Summary

First World War memorial, 1920, with additions for later conflict.

Reasons for Designation

Victoria Street War Memorial, Newton, which stands at the junction of Victoria Street and Cartwright Street is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it has made in the conflicts of the C20 and C21;
* Architectural interest: a tall memorial in the Classical style including the statue of an infantryman.

History

The aftermath of the First World War saw the biggest single wave of public commemoration ever with tens of thousands of memorials erected across England. This was the result of both the huge impact on communities of the loss of three quarters of a million British lives, and also 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. One such memorial was raised at Victoria Street as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the district who lost their lives in the First World War.

The memorial was unveiled on 13 March 1920 by Alderman HG Turner, who had donated the land upon which the memorial stands. Alderman Turner was supported by Reverend H Howson, Mr JW Hinchcliffe (chairman of the war memorial committee established in 1917), Councillor Thomas Middleton, Councillor A Haughton, and Councillor T Cooper. The Kingston Mills Band played “O God our Help in Ages Past” at the ceremony, followed by prayers from Reverend H Howson, the Last Post, “Hearts of Oak”, and the National Anthem. The many local servicemen who died in the First World War are commemorated by the memorial and the name of one man who died in Afghanistan in 2010 has been added.

The memorial was commissioned from the stonemasons Willoughby, Wilde & Sons of Hyde at a cost of £282. The original ‘Little Soldier’ statue, which had been funded by donations from local residents, was replaced with a bronze replica in 2005 after being damaged on numerous occasions as a result of anti-social behaviour. The original statue is on display in Hyde Town Hall.

Details

The c3.6m tall sandstone memorial stands at the junction of Victoria Street and Cartwright Street. It is raised on a square coursed stone block in a small garden surrounded by iron railings. The memorial takes the form of a three-stage base, square on plan, supporting a tall plinth. The plinth is capped with a pediment. Carved in relief on the west facing side of the pediment is a be-ribboned wreath. Incised into the ribbon on the left of the wreath is 1914 with 1919 to the right. The pedestal is surmounted by a bronze statue of a fully-equipped soldier, carrying his rifle. The original life-sized statue was made of Portland stone but has been replaced with a bronze replica.

The dedication inscribed on the west face of the pedestal reads ERECTED/ BY THE RESIDENTS/ OF VICTORIA STREET AND/ DISTRICT,/ IN HONOUR OF THE MEN/ WHO ANSWERED THEIR/ COUNTRY’S CALL/ KILLED IN ACTION followed by thirty names. The upper stage of the base below carries eight names. The riser of the middle stage bears the inscription UNVEILED AND DEDICATED BY/ ALDERMAN TURNER MARCH 13TH 1920. The riser of the lower stage is inscribed with the builder’s name WILLOUGHBY, WILDE & SONS/ HYDE.

There are seventy-one names inscribed on the south face of the pedestal and the base below bears the inscription LIBERTY. There are sixty-nine names on the east face of the pedestal and the base bears the inscription (NAME)/ FRATERNITY/ (NAME). There are sixty-four names on the north face of the pedestal, the base bears the inscription PATRIOTISM and on the riser of the middle stage is the name and regiment of a soldier followed by KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN/ MAY 2ND 2010.

This List entry has been amended to add sources for War Memorials Online and the War Memorials Register. These sources were not used in the compilation of this List entry but are added here as a guide for further reading, 30 January 2017.

Sources

Books and journals
Wyke with Cocks, , Public Sculpture of Greater Manchester, (2004), 371

Websites
Tameside Borough Council, accessed 16/05/2016 from http://www.tameside.gov.uk/warmemorial/victoriastreet
Hyde Cheshire Blog, accessed 17/05/2016 from http://hydonian.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/cartwright-street-war-memorial-newton.html
War Memorials Register, accessed 30 January 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/3259
War Memorials Online, accessed 30 January 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/123578

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