Memorial Details
Memorial
Cross 1914-18 1939-45 Roadside
Reference
D31.01
Place
DUNSTON HILL
Map ref
NZ 226616
Original Location
Junction of Ellison Road and King George Avenue, in front of St. Nicholas' Church.
Which war
a. 1914-18
b. 1939-45
b. 1939-45
Dedication, Creation or Publication date
a. Unveiled Sunday April 15th 1923 by Major-General Sir Percy Wilkinson, KCMG., CB.; dedicated by Bishop Welldon.
b. 1950, unveiled by Lord Gort (Durham County President of the British Legion)
b. 1950, unveiled by Lord Gort (Durham County President of the British Legion)
Memorial Description
Cross of Celtic type on square pedestal on five-stepped octagonal base. The words "The Great War" are at the base of the cross. The dedication is borne on a bronze panel at the centre front of the pedestal, and the names are carried in two sunken panels on each face. The names from 1939-45 are on the sloping top step at the base of the pedestal. Lettering is in sans serif capitals.
Materials used
Granite
Inscription
a. The Great War / 1914 - 1918 / To the glory of God /
These laid the / world away / Poured out the / red sweet wine / of youth / Gave up the years to / be of work and / joy and that / unhoped serene / that men call / age.
b. Remember also / those who gave / their lives in / World War / 1939-1945
These laid the / world away / Poured out the / red sweet wine / of youth / Gave up the years to / be of work and / joy and that / unhoped serene / that men call / age.
b. Remember also / those who gave / their lives in / World War / 1939-1945
Names
Who commissioned
War Memorial Committee
How money was raised
Site donated by Rev. C.E. Little, rector.
Present condition
Restored 2009. Excellent see note 6 below.
Sculptor, Artist or Designer
Designed by Mr. S.J. Stephenson of Messrs White & Stephenson, Newcastle;
Made by Messrs. Emley & Sons, Newcastle.
Erected by Messrs. Bewley & Scott, contractors, Dunston;
Made by Messrs. Emley & Sons, Newcastle.
Erected by Messrs. Bewley & Scott, contractors, Dunston;
Ownership and maintenance
The Deed of Conveyance was handed over to the Chairman of Whickham Urban Council at the unveiling.
Notes
1. Of the names from 1939-45, half the names were those of seafarers.
2. The unveiling programme came up for sale on e-bay in March 2006 priced at £25. “Dunston On Tyne War Memorial Service 1923 Dunston. Dunston On Tyne War Memorial Service of Unveiling and Dedication. Sunday 15th April 1923. Newcastle On Tyne: Smith & Son, 1923. [12] pp, frontis plate of the Memorial Cross, Roll of Honour. Original printed limp card wraps, stapled. 26 cm x 16 cm. Random marks to wraps, wear to upper edges, staples rusted, centre page starting to come loose, contents lightly age browned.”
3. A card issued at the time of the ceremony and bears a picture of the unveiling carries the words “To the memory of the sons of Dunston /Who fought for their country so brave, / With thoughts of the past / They will never be forgot / By the Families and Comrades who are left."
4. Maj.Gen. Wilkinson was presented with a silver cigar box as a memento of the occasion.
5. After the rededication in 1950, a collection was taken which raised £23, but this left the fund still below the target of £250.
6. This War Memorial was renovated and repaired by Gateshead Council around April 2009, as the foundations were unsafe due to road widening and wear and tear.
7. When the Memorial was originally built, there was a lot of correspondence about the construction.
2. The unveiling programme came up for sale on e-bay in March 2006 priced at £25. “Dunston On Tyne War Memorial Service 1923 Dunston. Dunston On Tyne War Memorial Service of Unveiling and Dedication. Sunday 15th April 1923. Newcastle On Tyne: Smith & Son, 1923. [12] pp, frontis plate of the Memorial Cross, Roll of Honour. Original printed limp card wraps, stapled. 26 cm x 16 cm. Random marks to wraps, wear to upper edges, staples rusted, centre page starting to come loose, contents lightly age browned.”
3. A card issued at the time of the ceremony and bears a picture of the unveiling carries the words “To the memory of the sons of Dunston /Who fought for their country so brave, / With thoughts of the past / They will never be forgot / By the Families and Comrades who are left."
4. Maj.Gen. Wilkinson was presented with a silver cigar box as a memento of the occasion.
5. After the rededication in 1950, a collection was taken which raised £23, but this left the fund still below the target of £250.
6. This War Memorial was renovated and repaired by Gateshead Council around April 2009, as the foundations were unsafe due to road widening and wear and tear.
7. When the Memorial was originally built, there was a lot of correspondence about the construction.
Newspaper cuttings, photos or archival material
Photos: C. Sanders; photos taken during 2009 restoration: Tony Young, Gateshead Council; Ken Blythe; old postcard: Tony Harding
Illustrated Chronicle 29/03/1923 carries photo; 14/04/1923 gives programme for forthcoming unveiling;16/04/1923 reports unveiling with photos.
Northern Echo 14/04/1923 reports proposed unveiling; 16/04/1923 reports unveiling;
Newcastle Weekly Chronicle 17/03/1923 and 14/04/1923 report proposed unveiling; 21/04/1923 reports unveiling with a photo.
Blaydon Courier 21/05/1921 reports donation of site; 17/03/1923 reports proposed unveiling; 21/04/1923 reports unveiling.
Gateshead Library Local Studies Dept
Gateshead Post 08/09/1950.
Source of quotation
“These laid the world away . . .” The Dead Rupert Brooke, which begins “Blow out, you bugles, over the rich dead”.
Illustrated Chronicle 29/03/1923 carries photo; 14/04/1923 gives programme for forthcoming unveiling;16/04/1923 reports unveiling with photos.
Northern Echo 14/04/1923 reports proposed unveiling; 16/04/1923 reports unveiling;
Newcastle Weekly Chronicle 17/03/1923 and 14/04/1923 report proposed unveiling; 21/04/1923 reports unveiling with a photo.
Blaydon Courier 21/05/1921 reports donation of site; 17/03/1923 reports proposed unveiling; 21/04/1923 reports unveiling.
Gateshead Library Local Studies Dept
Gateshead Post 08/09/1950.
Source of quotation
“These laid the world away . . .” The Dead Rupert Brooke, which begins “Blow out, you bugles, over the rich dead”.
External web link
Links to Source Material :
Research acknowledgements
Ethel and Neville Armstrong (Whickham & District L.H.S.); C. Sanders; Tony Harding; James Pasby; Tony Young (Gateshead Council)
Research In Progress
If you are researching this memorial please contact 2014@newmp.org.uk
Cross 1914-18 1939-45 Roadside (D31.01)
DUNSTON HILL Junction
Front
The Great War
1914 - 1918
To the
Glory of
God
Aggio W. These laid the Hopper J.T.
Allan C. world away Hufton R.B.
Archer R. Poured out the Iley J.
Bains H. red sweet wine Jones E.
Batty G. of youth gave Jones G.
Bell A. up the years to Kay J.W.
Bell, C. be of work and Lee J.R.
Bell R. joy and that Laws A.
Bewley I. unhoped serene Lowery R.
Bolam T. that men call Lowery W.
Bonner E. age. Luke J.
Burke A.E. Mole E.
Cross H. Noble J.S.
Dixon G. Noon G.
Doyle R. Pape W.
Doran J. Potts S.W.
Evans P. Quirk E.
Flint R. Ree J.W.
Frost C. Ree T.B.
Gray R. Rollo J.
Gray S. Scott F.E.
Grieves R. Scott W.
Hogg A.W. Terry J.
Hogg E.T. White C.
----------------------------------------------------
Lower pedestal (1939-45)
Adams L. Remember also Bradford P.
Allison W.R. those who gave Brebner W.
Anderson T. their lives in Brodie O.
Atkinson T.A. World War Brown E.R.
Backhouse R. 1939-1945 Brown J.
Baggally J. Brown J.W.
Bell S. Brunswick A.T.
Bissett J.B. Carr R.W.
Bissett J.C. Caufield D.
Bowen A.B. Charlton J.G.
----------------------------------------------------
Second face (1914-18)
Aisbit A.H. Connor W.
Arthur T.W. Cooper J.R.
Arthurs D. NURSE Costelloe.J.
Armstrong W.J. May Thompson Coulson A.
Arkless W. Crawley W.J.
Alderson G. Cunningham J.M.
Atkinson R.E. Cunningham J.J.
Atkinson T. Davison T.
Axtell A.J. Dail J.S.
Belgian W. Dodds T.W.H.
Bicker H.H. Dockwray J.C.
Bishop J.T. Drummond J.
Blenkley A. Elliott R.
Blenkley W. Elmore M.
Brown J.G. Elmore P.
Buckley W.G. Evers J.
Burness J.G. Findley J.M.
Cairns E. Finlay
Cawkwell A.H. Flartey W.
Charlton T. Fletcher J.W.
Clarke H. Fothergill E.
Collier W. Fulthorpe T.
Copeland E.E. Gallon J.W.
Copeland R.G.T. Gettings C.
----------------------------------------------------
Lower pedestal (1939-45)
Clark G.M. Donnelly E. Gill W.
Cockburn J.K. Dunn J. Goulbourn J.W.
Connor G. Egle G. Graham J.
Cowen W.H. Foreman J. Green P.
Coxon J. Foster J. Harrison B.
Cross H. Foster T.O. Herwood M.
Cummings J.G. Gallimore M. Henry G.H.
Davies G. Gibbons J. Snr. Herron J.G.
Dixon F. Gibbons J. Jnr. Hood R.
Dockwrey W.M. Gibson R.T. Jackson G.H.
---------------------------------------------------------
Third face (1914-18)
Greenwell G.R. McDermott W. Neil T.J.
Hall J.J. McGirr J. Oakes T.
Halliday R. McGuckian J. Oakes N.
Hankey B.H. McGuckian H. Oliver J.W.
Harrison A. McKenzie W. Olloman R.
Hewett G.E. McLane J. Plewes G.E.
Hewson J. McLeod A. Powton N.
Hodgson R. McHenry D. Proudfoot A.S.
Hodgson T. McHenry H. Proudfoot W.B.
Husband W. McHenry J. Pyle J.T.
Hutchinson W. McWhinnie A. Pyle T.
James R.W. Manger W.F. Ramsay M.
Jenson G. Melton H.R. Renwick M.M.
Johnson J. Miller J. Rice T.
Keeler W.G. Miller N. Robson W.
Kelly J. Miller G. Rodham J.
King J.B. Mitchinson W. Ross J.W.
Lancaster J.A. Moore J.H. Russell J.
Lancaster T. Moore I. Scorer W.
Latty G.G. Moorsom G. Simmonds R.K.D.
Leech E.J. Morley J. Sinclair J.T.
Leech W.H. Morpeth J. Smith T.
Lichfield W. Morpeth S.B. Soulsby E.C.
Longstaff J. Moule E.C. Sowerby J.M.
----------------------------------------------------
Lower pedestal (1939-45)
Jorgenson K.H. Miller J. Pears W. Roberts C.E.
Jorgenson S.A. Mills J. Penman A. Roberts D.
Kidd W. Moad G.M. Pinkney W. Robertson A.
Ledger S. Moody G.C. Perry C. Robinson J.
Liddell A.T. McAllister T. Porthouse G. Robson H.
Marsh G.G. McCurl J. Ramsay P.S. Saul T.
Martin R. Noble J.H. Rice T. Scott R.N.
Maulson W. Norgaard G.C. Richards G.H. Secker W.J.
Meades C.T. Pearce A. Riordan H.D. Sharp R.
Metcalfe N. Peareth G. Roberts T. Shaw R.
---------------------------------------------------------
Fourth face
Stafford G.R. Baines H. Usher A.
Staples W.J. Bunting M.C. Utterson P.
Stark W. Clarke W. Varty T.
Steel S. Evans J. Vickers R.
Stephenson W. Hughes J. Waistell W.E.
Stobbs L. Tate T.S. Wake W.
Swaddle R. Oloman R. Ward W.
Swaddle J.G. Wardle J.
Swaddle G. Watson F.
Swindle J. Weston G.T.
Swindle M.C. Wilson C.
Taylor H. Wilson E.A.
Teasdale J. Wilson J.W.
Temperley J. Wilson W.
Thatcher J.W. Winter W.
Thompson A. Wood J.R.
Thompson D. Wright A.
Thompson H.J. Wright M.D.
Thompson M. Young J.R.
Thompson T.H. Cook R.
Tinning A. Georgeson J.
Turnbull W. Newton R.M.
Turpin J. Swinbank J.W.
Unsworth J.C. Thompson J.R.
Lower pedestal; (1939-45)
Shotton R. Thackray T. Wilson V.
Skelton A. Tinning S. Wright W.L.
Slater A.H. Thompson J.I. Youens R.A.
Slater E. Turner R.B.
Snaith W. Vaughan Edna L.
Spraggs T.H. Waggott A.
Stout J.W. Walker R.E.
Strang J. Wallace W.
Swan G.E. Watson J.W.
Symm N. Welsh J.
NamesD31.01
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