Memorial Details

Plaque 1914-18 Hencotes Congregational

H51.38

HEXHAM

NY 932640

Congregational Church, Hencotes

St. Aidan’s United Reformed Church, Hencotes.

1914-1918

Unveiled September 1920 by Rev. W. Ellis Pearson.

Plaque, shield-shaped, 77cm high x 62cm wide. This was fixed to a wood pattress of the same shape with a metal holder for a glass flower vase below. The plaque has a single line border. The dedication is in lower case Gothic, the dedication and quotations are in Roman capitals with red capital letters. The names are listed in a single column in sans serif lettering with red capitals.

Brass on a wood pattress.

In memory / of / The Brave Men / of this Church / who gave their lives in / The Great War, 1914-18
Their Souls are in the hands of God
Their name liveth / for evermore.

Estimated cost of £1,000 including rebuilding the organ and re-arranging the interior of the church. Church accounts for 1920 include “Townsend Limited for War memorial £24.10s”.

Public subscription.

The plaque was found in February 1997 in the Community Centre, Gilesgate. The vase holder seems to have disappeared.

1. Secretary’s Report for the Annual meeting 1914 includes:
“In connection with the war I should like to include in this report, as on a Roll of Honour, the names of the young people of our Church who are now serving their King and Country James Atkinson, Sidney Atkinson, G. Davies, Wilfred Harrison, Frank Jay, William Perry, William Robb, Ridley Robb, Milne Robb, Fred Robson, C.N. Smith and Errol Sparke.”

2. In 1916 the Report gives the Church’s Roll of Honour Fred Robson and Robert Welch who gave up their lives;

3. The 1917 Report names Arthur Atkinson who gave up his life.

4. Minutes of the meeting of the Church and Congregation on 3rd February 1920 record:
“A sketch of a brass tablet, which the deacons suggested should be placed in the Church in memory of those connected with the church who had given their lives in the Great War, was submitted for inspection and was generally approved. The final choice was left to the deacons.”

5. In 1991 members of the former congregation of this church said that the plaque was mounted in the middle of the left hand (east) wall of this church and there was a metal holder to hold a glass flower vase below the plaque. There was no memory of a memorial from the 1939-45 War.

6. The final services were held in the church on Sunday April 10th 1966. The church was sold 24/11/1967 for £3,000 to Newman’s and demolished.
Colin Dallison states that “I could not find out in 1992 what had happened to the war memorial in 1967 but it came to light in Hexham Community Centre in February 1997 during a clean-out of the building prior to renovation. Mrs. Joan Smith says it was discovered by Stan Batey, chairman of the centre.

7. The memorial was cleaned and restored by Peter Cresswell of Hexham.

8. The unveiling ceremony was also the occasion of the farewell sermon by Rev. Ellis who was leaving after nine years to take up a new appointment in Aberdeen.

9. The building was sold in 1967 because of falling numbers.

Photo: C.N. Dallison; photo of Robert Welch: Joan Smith

Hexham Courant 31/01/1920 reports on the proposal to erect the memorial, at an estimated cost of £1,000 including rebuilding the organ and re-arranging the interior of the church.

Durham County Records Office Church records, ref C/DNU 19, part of a set relating to the Durham and Northumberland Congregational Union.

Haltwhistle Echo 01/10/1920 reports unveiling.

Source of quotation
“Their souls are in the hands of God”: Probably based on Apocrypha: Wisdom of Solomon 3:1. “The souls of the righteous are in the hands of God”.
“Their name liveth for evermore” Apocrypha Ecclesiasticus 44

C.N. Dallison; Joan Smith; Dorothy Hall

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

 

HEXHAM  Congregational Church, Hencotes.

   In Memory

   of

   The Brave Men

   of this Church

   who gave their lives in

   The Great War, 1914-1918

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

   Arthur Atkinson

   Harry Meins

   Frederick Robson

   Cuthbert Smith

   Errol Spark

   Robert Welch

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

   “Their Souls are in the hand of God.

   Their Name liveth

   for Evermore.”

NamesH51.38

Notes for this Parish

Individual stories for this Parish