Waltham War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial erected 1920 with Second World War additions.

Reasons for Designation

Waltham War Memorial, close to the junction of Brigsley Road and Cheapside, Waltham, 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 made in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* as a dignified and well-executed wheel head cross.

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 erected in Waltham in about 1920 as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 16 local servicemen who fell in the First World War. Following the Second World War the names of eight local servicemen who died in that conflict were added to the memorial. Preparations for a memorial began after the Peace Celebrations of July 1919 when a committee was formed under the chairmanship of Wilfred Vere Doughty JP of Waltham Hall. At a meeting on Wednesday 10 September 1919 in the Temperance Hall the Treasurer reported that a house to house collection had raised £20. In a letter to the chairman £50 had been promised by Mr Thomas William Hewitt of Weelsby Old Hall.

The memorial was designed by a Grimsby architect John Cresswell, the sculptor was Arthur Sherwood Edwards (1887-1960) of London who was born in Leicester and studied at Grimsby School of Art. The stone was provided by Messrs Thomas W Frith and Sons of Victoria Street, Grimsby and builders Messrs William Gilbert of Granville Street, Grimsby laid the concrete surround and foundations. The total cost was £358 7s. 9d.

The memorial was unveiled and dedicated on Thursday 11 November 1920 preceded by a well-attended service in All Saints Church conducted by the Rector Revd William Horn MA assisted by the Revd Gerald Arthur Gostick and the Revd F S Button. Afterwards Lieut Col J H Hinton of the 1st North Midland Brigade RFA based at Grimsby unveiled the memorial and paid tribute to his fallen comrades.

In the 1960s the road layout around the memorial was improved, and the memorial remained in the same location at the junction of Brigsley Road and Cheapside.

Details

First World War memorial erected 1920 with Second World War additions.

Materials: Portland stone.

Description: Waltham War Memorial is prominently located at the junction between Brigsley Road and Cheapside. It comprises a two stepped plinth surmounted by a wheel head cross with the words ‘Hope,’ ‘Faith’ and ‘Glory’ in relief on its arms and a figure of the risen Christ overlooking a soldiers grave, in relief on the stem.

The inscription on one face of the plinth reads:1914-1918/ FOR GOD FOR KING FOR COUNTRY/ TO THE GLORIOUS MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF WALTHAM WHO/ DIED AND IN RECOGNITION OF/ THE SELF SCRIFICE OF ALL/ WHO FOUGHT IN THE GREAT WAR/ THIS MONUMENT IS DEDICATED.

On another face it simply reads 'THE FALLEN' followed by the names of the 16 men who lost their lives in the conflict.

A third face reads '1939-1945', followed by the names of the eight men who lost their lives in the Second World War.

Sources

Books and journals
Credland, M, The First World War Memorials of Lincolnshire, (2014), 186

Websites
War Memorials Online - 163513, accessed 24th January 2019 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/163513 accessed 24th January 2019

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