Memorial Details

Garden 4th-8th N.F. 1939-45 Beaumont Street

H51.04

HEXHAM

NY 937642

Beaumont Street, beside the Abbey Shop

1939-45

Remembrance Sunday 9th Nov. 1952. Lord Allendale unveiled the plaque. The first wreaths were laid by Lord Allendale and Capt. Arthur Gardner. The gates were erected in November 1953.

Memorial garden with plaque on wall and a pair of ornamental gates leading to the cloister garth.
The plaque is 49.5cm high 120cm wide, and has the regimental badge of the Northumberland Fusiliersat the top, and of the 3rd Reconnaissance Regiment, 8th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers at the bottom. Lettering is in Roman capitals, in relief and painted gold. The plaque is painted black.
The wrought iron gates are each 166cm high x 79cm wide and high, and bear the dates 1939 and 1945 in wrought iron and painted gold as decoration along the top.
Two wooden seats were placed in 1997.

Plaque metal. Gates wrought iron.

None

The gates were the gift of an anonymous donor.

Good.

Major Guy L. Bradley of Bridge End House, Hexham, who served in 1914-18 in the 4th Battalion. He was an engineer and a water-colour artist.

1. The garden is on the site of the calefactory of the former 12th Century Augustinian Abbey.

2. The Hexham Parish Magazine Oct. 1952 editorial reported:
“A few years ago we were all ashamed of the approach to the Abbey down Beaumont Street. A public convenience, a mound of weeds and a pile of ruins. Already the scene has greatly changed, the proposed new chapel is nearing completion and now the 4th and 8th Battalions of the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers have come forward with a proposal to lay out the adjoining piece of land as a War Memorial . . The appeal has gone out and I would commend it to all of you. . . . Already we have received a generous anonymous gift to cover the costs of the wrought iron gates to hang in the new opening in the wall but one scar remains. Can nothing be done to remove the public convenience?"

3. Hexham Parish Magazine Nov. 1952 editorial :
“On Remembrance Sunday (November 9th) the Garden of Remembrance will be dedicated before the morning service. You will be aware that the 4th and 8th Battalions of the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers have taken this over as their War memorials and Lord Allendale is to unveil a new plaque”.

4. Hexham Parish Magazine Oct. and Nov. 1952 and Nov. 1953.
"The wrought iron gates have now been hung in the memorial garden and they make a fine finish to this corner of the Abbey grounds. We are indeed grateful to the anonymous donor."

5. The gates were repaired and repainted, the seats varnished, in June 1995, prior to the service held on Sunday July 2nd 1995 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

6. Two wooden seats in 1997 bear the inscriptions as follows:
a. Presented by the Old Comrades Assoc. / the 3rd Recce Regiment (RNF).
In 2005 a brass plaque 12 cm x 6 cm was placed over this on the back rail, and this bore the dedication:
"To the memory of our comrades
in 3rd Reconnaissance Regiment
8th Battalion (RNF)
from
the 3rd Reconnaissance Regiment
Old Comrades Association".
This was unveiled by the Mayor of Hexham on Sunday, 25th September Hexham Courant 7/10/2005)
b.
Presented by the Old Comrades Assoc. the 4th and 8th Bns. R.N.F.
In 2005 this was repainted.

Photos: C.N. Dallison; also photo of dedication by J E Hedley for Hexham Courant Nov. 1994

Hexham Parish Magazine October 1952 reports state of area before Garden of Remembrance; November 1952 reports the dedication ceremony.

Hexham Courant Centenary Supplement 31/07/1964, page 10.

Hexham Courant 7/10/2005 reports unveiling of brass plaque on seat

The late Miss Jean Briddon, Hexham Local History Society; the late Ken and Dorothy Southern; C.N. Dallison; P. Thirkell; Tony Harding

Alan Grint has researched the names on the Hexham memorials in his book The Faith and Fire Within, 2006, Ergo Press ISBN 0955275814 Faith and Fire Within - Amazon or Cogito Books 01434 602555

 

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