Heckmondwike War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, 1922, based on the 1918 Cross of Sacrifice by Sir Reginald Blomfield for the Imperial War Graves Commission, but this example using Scottish granite rather than the more usual Portland stone.

Reasons for Designation

Heckmondwike War Memorial, The Green, 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:

* a well-preserved example of Blomfield's symbolic design for the Imperial War Graves Commission, in this case unusually executed in Scottish granite rather than the more usual and more easily worked Portland stone.

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 prominently in Heckmondwike, as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War, later being added to with names of service men killed during the Second World War and the Korean War. The memorial, based on Sir Reginald Blomfield’s 1918 design for the Imperial War Graves Commission ‘The Cross of Sacrifice’ was constructed by Wright and Sons of Bradford at a cost of £699 10 shillings, and was unveiled on Saturday 27 May 1922.

Details

First World War memorial, 1922, based on the 1918 Cross of Sacrifice by Sir Reginald Blomfield for the Imperial War Graves Commission.

MATERIALS: Scottish granite, bronze sword, leaded lettering.

DESCRIPTION: a tall cross with a sword mounted on its south-east face overlooking the entrance to the park. The cross is set on a large octagonal plinth that carries the original inscription, this plinth being set on a three-stage base, the lowest carrying inscriptions for the Second World War, the upper one to the Korean War. The memorial is enclosed by a low ironwork fence set on a stone kerb.

INSCRIPTIONS: To the south-east face of the main plinth: ‘1914 1919 / To the glory / of God / and in honoured / memory of the men / of Heckmondwike / who gave their / lives that others / might live in freedom. / Let those who come after / see to it that their names / are not forgotten.’ The other seven faces of the plinth carry the names of 150 service men listed alphabetically. To the upper stage of the base: ‘Korea 1950-1953’ with the names of 8 service men. To the bottom stage of the base: ‘1939 1945 / To the glory of God / and in proud remembrance of / the men of Heckmondwike who paid the / supreme sacrifice / their names liveth for evermore.’ the other seven faces carrying the names of 59 service men.

Sources

Websites
Kirklees Council museums record of the war memorial, accessed 17 Aug 2022 from https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/leisure/museumsGalleries/warMemorial/memorial_details.aspx?mid=14#:~:text=Situated%20in%20Green%20Park%20in,the%20shape%20of%20a%20cross.
Imperial War Museum record of the war memorial, accessed 17 Aug 2022 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/24595
Spen Valley Historical Society record of the war memorial, accessed 17 Aug 2022 from https://www.spenvalleyhistoricalsociety.org.uk/heckmondwike-war-memorial

End of official list entry

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