Stakeford and Bomarsund War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 1923, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Stakeford and Bomarsund War Memorial, which stands in front of the War Memorial Hall, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* 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;
* Architectural interest: an elegant memorial column in the Classical style.

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: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. One such memorial was raised at Stakeford as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

The memorial was unveiled on 3 February 1923 by Sir Loftus Bates KCMG CB DSO and dedicated by the Vicar of Cambois, Reverend R Good. It commemorates 70 local servicemen who died in the First World War. Following the Second World War the memorial was moved a few metres from the very front of the War Memorial Hall to one side, and panels for Second World War commemoration were added. The newly-added names of 22 men who fell in that conflict were unveiled on 9 October 1949 by Dr HS Brown, president of the local British Legion Branch, and re-dedicated by Reverend T Clough.

Details

The memorial stands outside Stakeford and Bomarsund War Memorial Hall (opened 1922, not listed). It takes the form of a tall granite column standing in front of a panel. The column is raised on a small plinth, square on plan. At the top of the column a small wreath, suspended from the abacus, is carved in low relief. The commemorated names are listed below on the column shaft.

The principal dedicatory inscription is recorded to the front face of the plinth, reading IN MEMORY/ OF THOSE/ WHO FELL IN/ THE GREAT WAR/ 1914-1919. Low flanking panels with curved tops each bear a small granite tablet recording the commemorated Second World War names.


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, 27 February 2017.

Sources

Websites
North East War Memorials Project, accessed 17/10/2016 from http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=8899
War Memorials Register, accessed 27 February 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/33968
War Memorials Online, accessed 27 February 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/179566

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