Memorial Details

Cross South Africa 1899-1902 Roadside

B42.22

BLYTH

NZ 319812

At the junction of Bridge Street and Freehold Street.

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

South Africa 1899-1902

Unveiled Tuesday July 22nd 1903 by Lord Ridley

Cross of Celtic type with rectangular tapering column 11 feet high on a base 42 inches square and standing on three graduated platforms. The front of the cross is carved with an abstract Celtic design. Lettering is incised in sans serif capitals.

Granite

In Memoriam / Men of this District / who fell in the Boer War / 1899-1902
Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori

£138.17s exclusive of palisading.

Public subscription

Morrison and McLean of Gateshead.

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 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.

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.

Newcastle Central Library Photograph c1910.

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

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

The late Jack Tait, Blyth Local History Society; the late R.W. Gould; John S. Perry; P. Thirkell; Tony Harding; George Nairn

If you are researching this memorial please contact 2014@newmp.org.uk

 

Blyth, Ridley Park.  

   In Memoriam

   Men of this District

   who fell in the Boer War

   1899-1902

   Pte. E. Neilson, 2nd N.F.

   Stormberg 10th Decr. 1899

   Pte. J. Brownrigg, 5th I.Y.

   Bloemfontein 1st July 1900

   Corpl. J.W. Tinning, 5th I.Y.

   Oliphants Nek 21st July 1900

   Pte. J. Stafford, 3rd R.P.R.

   Johannesburg 4th April 1901

   Pte. F. Osborne, 2nd N.F.

   Kleinfontein 24th Octr. 1901

   Pte. J.E. Donkin, 5th I.Y.

   Krugersdorp 15th Feby. 1902

   ---------------

   Dulce et decorum 

   est pro patria mori

   -------------------

   This monument was

   erected by

   public subscription

NamesB42.22

Notes for this Parish

Individual stories for this Parish