Halfway War Memorial

Summary

War memorial commemorating the First World War and Second World War, 1922, to designs by Mr H W Roberts of Sheffield.

Reasons for Designation

Halfway War Memorial commemorating the First World War and Second World War, 1922 to designs by H W Roberts of Sheffield, 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 events on the local community, and the sacrifices it made in the First World War and the Second World War.

Architectural interest:
* a dignified and attractive memorial in the form of a Celtic cross in Darley Dale stone with relief carvings set on a high pedestal, providing a fitting tribute to the lives lost.

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, 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.

One such war memorial was raised at Halfway as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

Fundraising efforts for a war memorial for the men of Halfway had commenced by November 1919. By 22 July 1921, £200 had been raised and tenders were invited for the design of the memorial. Although the War Memorial Committee had decided upon the school playground as the preferred site for the memorial, permission to erect the memorial there was refused. On 19 September 1921 Mr E Peat and Mr P P Hudson offered an alternative piece of land directly opposite the school, which was accepted by the committee. In November 1921 local residents were encouraged to put forward the names of fallen residents for inclusion on the memorial. Work commenced in April 1922 to designs by Mr H W Roberts of Sheffield. Unveiling took place in June 1922 with the honours performed by Mrs E Peat and the dedication undertaken by the Rector of Eckington, the Revd W R Hewson.

Following the Second World War the names of casualties of that conflict were added to the memorial, including one woman, Cissie Woodward, about whom little is known.

Details

War memorial commemorating the First World War and Second World War, 1922, to designs by Mr H W Roberts of Sheffield.

MATERIALS: Darley Dale stone.

PLAN: a cross set on a square pedestal standing on a three-stepped base.

DESCRIPTION: the war memorial stands on the north side of Station Road opposite Halfway Nursery Infant School. It takes the form of a stone Celtic wheel cross on a collared shaft with a moulded foot set on a high pedestal. The front, south face of the cross head has a central boss with the raised dates 1914 1918 on the horizontal arms. The south face of the cross shaft has a relief carving of two rifles, a flag, flowers and foliage bound with ribbon. The faces of the moulded foot have relief-carved panels of a field gun enclosed by a wreath. The cross is set on a high pedestal with an egg and dart cornice and a moulded foot, which stands on three square steps. The south face of the pedestal bears an incised inscription painted black, which reads ERECTED TO THE HONOURED MEMORY / OF THE / MEN OF THIS VILLAGE WHO GAVE / THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR / 1914 – 1918. Beneath are 20 names. The moulded foot has the dates 1939 1945 with one name between. It is unclear whether this name is a casualty of the First World War or the Second World War, but it is likely to be the former as the 1922 news article on the unveiling states that the memorial was inscribed with 21 names. The south face of the top step is inscribed with the names of five casualties of the Second World War.

Sources

Websites
Halfway memorial site in a playground, Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 22 July 1921, p3., accessed 15/01/2019 from https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000250/19210722/116/0003
Halfway Memorial, Sheffield Independent, 27 June 1922, p7., accessed 15/01/2019 from https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001464/19220627/151/0007
Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register: Halfway Memorial, reference 27514., accessed 15/01/2019 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/27514
Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register: Halfway - Cross, reference 27807, accessed 15/01/2019 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/27807
War Memorials Online: Halfway War Memorial, reference 96404, accessed 15/01/2019 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/96404

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