Memorial

Cross South Africa 1899-1902 Roadside

Blyth

Memorial Name: Cross South Africa 1899-1902 Roadside (B42.22)

NEWMP Ref No.: B42.22

Parish: Blyth

Original Location:

At the junction of Bridge Street and Freehold Street.

Present Location:

Moved to its present location in Ridley Park in autumn 1950.

Which War:

South Africa 1899-1902

Dedication, Creation or Publication date:

Unveiled Tuesday July 22nd 1903 by Lord Ridley

Materials Used:

Granite

Cost:

£138 17s exclusive of palisading.

How Money was Raised:

Public subscription

Sculptor, Artist or Designer:

Morrison and McLean of Gateshead.

Inscription:

In Memoriam
Men of this District
who fell in the Boer War
1899-1902

(Names)

Dulce et decorum
est pro patria mori

This Monument was
erected by
Public Subscription

Memorial Description:

Cross of Celtic type.

It has a rectangular tapering column 11 feet high (3.4m) on a base 42 inches square (107cms) and stands on three graduated platforms.

The front of the cross is carved with an abstract Celtic design.

Lettering is incised in sans serif capitals.

Names:

6 names, ranks, regiment, place and date of death.
See transcript.

Notes:

In 2018 “The Cenotaph in Ridley Park underwent the biggest transformation with a complete refurbishment. When work started on the refurbishment programme it was discovered that there were no foundations and this had been the reason for the subsidence that was in the initial survey report. The World War II memorial was dismantled and the subsidence issues were resolved. All the memorials were cleaned and the names re-painted.

New memorials were created to incorporate the names of those not on the original memorials and also to commemorate those who have died in conflicts post 1945.

The parade area was paved and the steps re-laid in granite. An accessible path was added from the parade area to the top of the Cenotaph to allow those with restricted mobility to access the memorials to lay wreaths. A dropped kerb to the path was created to aid access and six dome bollards installed at the entrance to the parade area to limit vehicular access.

Handrails were installed at either side of the steps, at the side of the accessible path and behind the memorials. This work was carried out by D & M Fencing who also supplied the steel troughs that have been placed beside the memorials to hold crosses.

The final flourish to the parade area was the installation of an engraved, polished plaque depicting the emblem of the All Arms Association.

The cost of the refurbishment and renovation work was £95,107.99 plus £1,166.50 for Survey/condition report, planning applications.” Blyth Town Council website.

Sources:

Photos: Jack Tait; Tony Harding; P. Thirkell; Lonely Tower; Robert Preston;
old postcards: Tony Harding; George Nairn

Shields Daily News
reports discussion regarding which form the memorial should take, be it a cross, a drinking fountain, clock tower or stained glass window.

Shields Gazette
13/05/1903 carries final proposal for the inscription.

Northern Press supplement
“All our Yesteryears” 28/09/2006 carries photo of unveiling.

Newcastle Central Library
Photograph c1910.

Source of quotation:
“Dulce et decorum est . . .” Horace, Odes Book 3, No.2, 1.13