Queniborough War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, designed by architect Clement Ogden, built by mason Joseph Herbert Morcom and unveiled by Col Sir Charles Yate on Saturday 28th May 1921. Following the Second World War plaques were added to remember those who lost their lives in that conflict.

Reasons for Designation

War memorial, Main Street, Queniborough , 1921, by Clement Ogden and mason Joseph Herbert Morcom, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

* Historic interest: it is a poignant reminder of the impact of tragic world events upon an individual community and, thus, has strong cultural and historical significance within both a local and national context;

* Design interest: as a distinguished, accomplished and well-executed memorial by Clement Ogden and mason Joseph Herbert Morcom;

* Group value: with the Church of St Mary, listed Grade I (NHLE 1074484), 85 Main Street listed Grade II (NHLE 1074478) and numerous other listed buildings along Main Street.

History

The concept of commemorating war dead did not develop to any great extent until towards the end of the 19th century. Prior to then memorials were rare and were 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.

The war memorial, Main Street, Queniborough was designed by architect Clement Ogden and built by mason Joseph Herbert Morcom. It was unveiled by Col Sir Charles Yate on Saturday 28th May 1921. Following the Second World War plaques were added to remember those who lost their lives in that conflict.
Joseph Herbert Morcom ARCA (1871-1942) worked first for a local firm of stonemasons in Wales, later securing a position with Norbury, Paterson & Co of Liverpool. In the early 1890s he enrolled at Liverpool School of Architecture and Applied Art. By 1904 he was Assistant Modelling Master at the School and in 1910 was appointed Modelling Master at Leicester School of Art. Four years later he bought Pearson and Shipley, a firm of stonemasons and monumental sculptors, which he renamed The Plasmatic Company. Thereafter he continued to work for the company as well as sculpting independently and teaching at the Leicester School of Art. He was responsible for a number of other war memorials, including those at Quorn, Aylestone (NHLE 1433210), St Augustine’s Church, Edgbaston, and for Cortonwood Colliery.

Details

First World War memorial, designed by architect Clement Ogden, built by mason Joseph Herbert Morcom and unveiled by Col Sir Charles Yate on Saturday 28th May 1921. Following the Second World War plaques were added to remember those who lost their lives in that conflict.
MATERIALS: Portland Stone with a base of Forest of Dean Stone and slate plaques.
PLAN: D shaped in plan.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial is set in St Mary’s churchyard wall but is designed to be viewed from Main Street. The memorial comprises a small Portland stone cross on a two tiered base of Forest of Dean stone, standing on a curved wall bearing slate plaques. The central plaque bears the inscription: TO THE GLORIOUS DEAD AND IN EVER/ HONOURED MEMORY OF THE/ MEN OF THIS PARISH WHO/ GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE/ GREAT WAR 1914-1918/ THEY LOVED NOT THEIR LIVES UNTO THE DEATH/ AND THEIR GLORY SHALL NOT BE BLOTTED OUT and is flanked by plaques bearing the names, rank and regiment of the 15 men of the parish who lost their lives in the conflict. The inscription and names are in white lettering with the three central plaques surrounded by laurel garlands in relief.

Two more plaques have been added to the piers at either end of the monument, each bears the inscription '1939-1945' followed by a list of the names, rank and regiment of the 10 men of the parish who lost their lives in World War II. Above each of these plaques are laurel wreathes in relief.

A rubble wall extends either side of the monument encompassing the churchyard.

The memorial is located just south of St Mary's Church, listed Grade I (NHLE 1074484), 85 Main Street, listed Grade II (NHLE 1074478) and in close proximity to numerous listed buildings along Main Street.


This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 20 February 2017.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 6th September 2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/14768
Leicestershire County Council War memorials project, accessed 6th September 2016 from http://www.leicestershirewarmemorials.co.uk/war/memorials/view/922
GEOGRAPH WEBSITE, accessed 6th September 2016 from http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3757113
War Memorials Online, accessed 20 February 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/214149

End of official list entry

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