Memorial

Seat 1914-18 Column Field

Alnwick

Memorial Name: Seat 1914-18 Column Field (A11.52)

NEWMP Ref No.: A11.52

Parish: Alnwick

Original Location:

Set in a recess in the wall around the Column Field, Denwick Lane, near to the main War memorial.

Which War:

1914-18

Dedication, Creation or Publication date:

Handed over to Alnwick Urban District Council November 1924, in the presence of the Duchess of Northumberland.

Materials Used:

Wood from the battleship “H.M.S. Lion”
Bronze plaque.

Who Commissioned:

Women who ran the Rest Room Fund

How Money was Raised:

Money left over from the Rest Room for Soldiers.

Inscription:

Dedicated to
the brave men & women of Alnwick
who served their country
in the Great War 1914-1918

Memorial Description:

Seat.

There is now a plaque set onto the back which bears the dedication.

The plaque has a raised edge.

The lettering is in raised burnished Roman capitals throughout.

Names:

None

Notes:

1. This was part of the memorial handed over to the town by the women of the Rest Room and Canteen. The main memorial is the plaque in Northumberland Hall, A11.03

2. “As for the seat, Mr. Michie mentioned that although they were formally taking it over in the (Northumberland) Hall, still it was taken over in a very practical way as soon as it was placed in position that day, when two elderly gentlemen sat down on it, lighted their pipes and chattered”.

3. Rededicated 16th December 2007 by Padre Rennie, Chaplain of R.A.F. Boulmer, in the presence of the Cllr. Mary Graham, Mayor of Alnwick. The North Northumberland Branch of the Western Front Association commissioned and paid for the plaque, which was made by Ken More, of Falon Name Plates, Bedlington. Alnwick Town Council paid for the repair of the seat by local carpenter Chris Bowden.

4. H.M.S. Lion was the name of a ship of a series of dreadnought battle-cruisers, which was was instrumental in sinking the German cruisers Köln and Ariadne in Heligoland Bight in 1914; suffered badly at Dogger Bank in 1915; took part in the Battle of Jutland in 1916. After the war she served as a flagship of 1st Battle Cruiser Squadron, but was finally sold for break up in 1924. (Information gleaned from the leaflet produced at the re-dedication, which contains a much fuller history and photos).

Sources:

Photos taken at rededication ceremony in 2007: Janet Brown

Alnwick Guardian
08/11/1924 records handing over ceremony.

Illustrated Chronicle
06/11/1924 reports unveiling.

Northumberland Gazette
20/12/2007 reports re-dedication.