Memorial Details
Memorial
Memorial 1914-18 Worm Hill
Reference
F44.01
Place
FATFIELD
Map ref
NZ 310539
Original Location
Worm Hill
Present Location
Moved in 1997 to Bonemill Lane, cleaned up and provided with railings.
Which war
a. 1914-18
b. 1939-45
b. 1939-45
Dedication, Creation or Publication date
Unveiled 22nd July 1922 by Mr. Austin Kirkup.
Memorial Description
Column, octagonal, 4 feet high on pedestal 5 feet high, (1.21m x 1.52m) resting on three steps, total height 22 feet (6.7m). The lowest step measures 4 feet 6 inches x 4 feet 7 inches (1.37m x 1.39m). The whole set in a paved area inside a wrought iron fence. The dedication is on the south face. The names are carried in a single column on all four faces of the pedestal. The quotation is on the riser of the top step. All lettering is incised using sans serif capitals.
The names from 1939-45 have been added to the north face.
The names from 1939-45 have been added to the north face.
Materials used
Bolton wood stone. “Hard Yorkshire stone”.
Inscription
Sacred to the memory of / the brave men of / Harraton parish who fell / in the Great War 1914-1919.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay / down his life for his friends. St. John 15.13.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay / down his life for his friends. St. John 15.13.
Names
Who commissioned
War Memorial Fund, Secretary A. Smirk.
Cost
£300.00
How money was raised
Public subscription. Land given by the Earl of Durham.
Present condition
Restored April 2008
Sculptor, Artist or Designer
Designed by Messrs. W. Reed, Newcastle; built by R. Beall, Newcastle.
Ownership and maintenance
Handed over to the Harraton Parish Council on the day of the unveiling.
Notes
1. Lord Durham was prepared to give about three acres of land on Worm Hill for the erection of a memorial, provided that it was preserved and not disfigured or excavated. However, the mineral rights were retained by the Earl, and would not be liable for any compensation for damage caused by extracting any coal which might be underneath the land.
2. The parish bought 18 gold watches to be presented to those who distinguished themselves in action.
3. From a population of 3,500, 420 went to serve, giving a rate of 1.14 per home.
4. Worm Hill is the site of the legend of the Lambton Worm
5. There was a proposal to lay out a park around the monument.
6. On the day of the unveiling, three names had been omitted, and an appeal was made for any others missing to be notified to the Committee so that they could be added.
7. By October of that year, the memorial had been “irreverently treated” by boys.
8. In April 2008, a newspaper reports that drainage problems, overgrown bushes and crumbling stonework have been sorted.
9. The original location on the summit of Worm Hill was to the north of the Wear near Penshaw bridge behind “The Biddick” public house.
10. In 1923 a newspaper reported that local boys were stripping poppies off the wreaths and using the circular bases to play quoits with the top of the memorial.
11. The original memorial was surmounted by a Celtic-type cross. This has been replaced by a new Celtic cross dedicated in November 2012 with the obelisk in the memorial enclosure.
2. The parish bought 18 gold watches to be presented to those who distinguished themselves in action.
3. From a population of 3,500, 420 went to serve, giving a rate of 1.14 per home.
4. Worm Hill is the site of the legend of the Lambton Worm
5. There was a proposal to lay out a park around the monument.
6. On the day of the unveiling, three names had been omitted, and an appeal was made for any others missing to be notified to the Committee so that they could be added.
7. By October of that year, the memorial had been “irreverently treated” by boys.
8. In April 2008, a newspaper reports that drainage problems, overgrown bushes and crumbling stonework have been sorted.
9. The original location on the summit of Worm Hill was to the north of the Wear near Penshaw bridge behind “The Biddick” public house.
10. In 1923 a newspaper reported that local boys were stripping poppies off the wreaths and using the circular bases to play quoits with the top of the memorial.
11. The original memorial was surmounted by a Celtic-type cross. This has been replaced by a new Celtic cross dedicated in November 2012 with the obelisk in the memorial enclosure.
Newspaper cuttings, photos or archival material
Photos: C. Sanders; Fred Furness; Simon Raine; Dorothy Hall, Peter Welsh, Jessica Hepple
Unveiling programme
Auckland and County Chronicle July 1922 ibid reports proposals for a memorial, the Earl’s donation of the site, and the unveiling.
Illustrated Chronicle 22/07/1920 reports proposals to erect a memorial on Worm Hill; 21/07/1922 reports unveiling tomorrow; 22/07/1922 reports unveiling.
Stanley and Chester-le-Street News 23/03/1922 reports proposed erection of cross with drawing;
Sunderland Echo 22/04/2008 reports restoration work.
Tyne and Wear Archives Correspondence re contract for erection of the memorial.
Source of quotation
“Greater love hath no man . . . “ St. John 15 v 13
Unveiling programme
Auckland and County Chronicle July 1922 ibid reports proposals for a memorial, the Earl’s donation of the site, and the unveiling.
Illustrated Chronicle 22/07/1920 reports proposals to erect a memorial on Worm Hill; 21/07/1922 reports unveiling tomorrow; 22/07/1922 reports unveiling.
Stanley and Chester-le-Street News 23/03/1922 reports proposed erection of cross with drawing;
Sunderland Echo 22/04/2008 reports restoration work.
Tyne and Wear Archives Correspondence re contract for erection of the memorial.
Source of quotation
“Greater love hath no man . . . “ St. John 15 v 13
External web link
Links to Source Material :
Additional Research documents (click to download)
Research acknowledgements
C. Sanders; Fred Furness; Fitzhugh Collection, Middleton in Teesdale; James Pasby; Alan Vickers; Dorothy Hall; Yorkshire Regiment Remembrance
Research In Progress
Wessington U3A War Memorials Group (in Washington) has fairly extensive details of the WW1 men on Usworth, Washington Village and Harraton memorials. There are files of their information about the Harraton men in libraries at Shiney Row, Washington, Washington Village, Sunderland, Newcastle, Gateshead, Birtley and Durham Record Office and Tyne Wear Archives Blandford Street. The group have lots of photos and are happy to supply to anyone who wants them – they didn’t include photos because of the cost of printing. They are starting to collect about WW2 men as well – harder to research. There are also files of info about life and events in Harraton Parish during WW1 in the same places.
Contact: petewelshgettysburg@btinternet.com
Memorial 1914-18 Worm Hill (F44.01)
FATFIELD, Roadside
Although not stated, the names in the right hand
column on the north face appear to be those from 1939-45
South face East face
Sacred to the memory of Brown, B.
the brave men of Brown, R.
Harraton Parish who fell Charlton, J.G., M.M.
in the Great War 1914-1919 Clark, J.
Colpitts, T.
Ainsley, G.H. Corps, J.T. M.M.
Anderson, D. (Dr.) Crowe, N.
Appleby, J.G. Crowe, R.
Appleby, J.T. Crowe, T.
Appleby, R. Cumpson, J.
Appleby, W. Davison, L.
Armstrong, W. Davison, R.H.
Ashworth, J.F.G. Dawson, S.
Bates, J.T. Dean, J.
Beer, J. Doyle, B.
Bell, R. Drummond, R.
Blair, F. Dunn, J.
Bohill, J. Dunn, W.
Borthwick, W. Dwyer, J.E.
Bowater, J.G. Emery, J.
Boyle, R. Fletcher, H.
Brabban, A. Forster, T.
Brown, A. Foster, E.
Culine, W. Foster, T.
Conlon, J. Gibbons, M.
Crichton, G. Gloyne, R.
Layfield, W.
Little A.
---------------------------------------------------
North face West face
Gould, R.S. Natress, T.
Grass, M. Nicholson, J.
Hall, E. Nicholson, F.
Heatherington, E. Noble, J.W.
Hope, P. H. Fletcher Oliver, J.G.
Humble, J. E. Hollins Oliver, T.
Hunter, W. W. Jackson Potter, A.H.
Jeffrey, C. J.R. Jopling Potter, J.F. M.M.
Johnson, G. E. Millar Richardson, R.
Kelly, M. P.C. Morris Ross, J.
Kirton, A. T.V. Marsden Scott, H.
Kirton, J. W. Ramshaw Smith, C.
Lavertry, J. H. Ross Smith, G.H.
Leslie, J. A. Seager Smith, E.
Lonsdale, T. J. Scott Smith, G.B. D.C.M.
Marshall, N. C. Young Syson, R.W.
Marshall, R. Thompson, G.A.
Mawson, G. Todd, C.
McCulloch, W. Usher, G.
McKeon, L. Walker, T.
McNeil, J. Watson, C.
McNeil, R. Wells, H.
Metcalfe, A.J. Whitfield, J.
Mills, S. Whitfield, W.
Moore, W. M.M. Wilkinson, H.
Murray, H. Willis, R.
O’Neil, J. Dobson, G.J.
NamesF44.01
You are looking at all the information and the best images we have so far on this memorial. If you can supply more information or better images please get in touch by sending an email to enquiries@newmp.org.uk.
Parish Notes
Every Name A Story
The British Library is preserving this site for the future in the UK Web Archive at www.webarchive.org.uk
Copyright 2013, North East War Memorials Project. Registered Charity No. 1113088
Another Effective Group Website