Memorial Details
Memorial
Memorial Hall 1914-18 Front Street
Reference
L62.05
Place
LANCHESTER
Original Location
At corner of Front Street and Kitswell Road
Present Location
Demolished
Which war
1914-18
Dedication, Creation or Publication date
Officially opened 16th February 1923 by Col. Hereward Sadler, dedicated by the Bishop of Durham; girls’ parlour opened by Lady Sadler.
Extension opened 29th November 1924 by Lady Sadler.
Extension opened 29th November 1924 by Lady Sadler.
Memorial Description
Hall, seating 450 with platform, cloakrooms, anterooms, “ladies’ parlour”, kitchen, caretaker’s house, on a half-acre site.
“Hall 50 feet long, 34 ft wide and 12 ft platform; seating capacity 450; cloakrooms at each side 13 ft square. Ladies’ Parlour 27 ft x 18 ft. Cloakrooms each side of entrance hall. Kitchen 12 ft x 10 ft. Boiler house beneath”.
“Hall 50 feet long, 34 ft wide and 12 ft platform; seating capacity 450; cloakrooms at each side 13 ft square. Ladies’ Parlour 27 ft x 18 ft. Cloakrooms each side of entrance hall. Kitchen 12 ft x 10 ft. Boiler house beneath”.
Materials used
Pelaw brick “well relieved with Norton stonework” and slate
Inscription
None
Names
None See L62.04
Who commissioned
Mr. Luke Thornton.
Cost
£3,800 initially; £1,582 later for library and billiard room extension. Total eventual cost was £5,939
How money was raised
War Memorial Committee. Built on half an acre of land belonging to the Greencorft Estate which was given without charge.
Present condition
Demolished 1985. The plaque which was inside the porch was removed and placed in the Lanchester Council Offices. See L62.04
Sculptor, Artist or Designer
Masonry and joinery work done by Mr. Thompson March, Lanchester.
Mason & bricklayer L.Thornton, Lanchester;
joiners, March & Ledger, Lanchester;
plumbers, Dowson Bros., Gateshead;
slater J.E. Nelson, Sunderland;
Plans prepared by Mr. Farrow, engineer of Malton Colliery; design by Mr. T.E. Taylor, L.R.I.B.A. of Lanchester
Mason & bricklayer L.Thornton, Lanchester;
joiners, March & Ledger, Lanchester;
plumbers, Dowson Bros., Gateshead;
slater J.E. Nelson, Sunderland;
Plans prepared by Mr. Farrow, engineer of Malton Colliery; design by Mr. T.E. Taylor, L.R.I.B.A. of Lanchester
Notes
1. Like most such buildings it outlived its purpose and had a chequered career, being the Empress Cinema, a labour exchange and a warehouse. There are now old people’s flats on the site.
2. “The Memorial Hall, built after the First World War, was erected by Mr. Luke Thornton. He was especially proud of the building because his eldest son, another Luke Thornton, was killed by enemy action on almost the last day of the war.”
3. It was often said that the roof was of better timber than the dance floor!
4. The original project was to include a Reading Room, Library, Billiard Room and Hall, but funds only allowed limited construction.
5. The Lanchester and Malton Institutes agreed at an AGM in 1919 “That we gave the Lanchester War Memorial Scheme every support and that we appoint two representatives of the Institute for the purpose of submitting their names to the Memorial Committee with a view to having them co-opted as members of the same.”
2. “The Memorial Hall, built after the First World War, was erected by Mr. Luke Thornton. He was especially proud of the building because his eldest son, another Luke Thornton, was killed by enemy action on almost the last day of the war.”
3. It was often said that the roof was of better timber than the dance floor!
4. The original project was to include a Reading Room, Library, Billiard Room and Hall, but funds only allowed limited construction.
5. The Lanchester and Malton Institutes agreed at an AGM in 1919 “That we gave the Lanchester War Memorial Scheme every support and that we appoint two representatives of the Institute for the purpose of submitting their names to the Memorial Committee with a view to having them co-opted as members of the same.”
Newspaper cuttings, photos or archival material
Durham County Advertiser 16/2/1923; 5/12/1924
Newcastle Weekly Chronicle 17/2/1923 reports opening; 6/12/1924 reports opening of extension.
Shields Daily News 15/2/1923
Consett Guardian 5/12/1924 reports opening of extension.
Illustrated Chronicle 1/12/1924 reports opening with photos.
Northern Echo 12/2/1923 reports official opening.
Consett and Stanley Gazette 9/2/1923 reports opening; 16/2/1923 carries photos;
Stanley and Chester-le-Street Chronicle 15/2/1923 reports opening.
Blaydon Courier 8/2/1919 reports proposals from Institutes in Note 5 above; 21/2/1920 reports fund raising fancy dress ball.
Newcastle Daily Chronicle 24/12/1920 reports fund raising fancy-dress pageant and ball; 17/4/1922 reports start of building
Lanchester Remembers - Project Poppy Remembering our Fallen 1918-2018 booklet
Newcastle Weekly Chronicle 17/2/1923 reports opening; 6/12/1924 reports opening of extension.
Shields Daily News 15/2/1923
Consett Guardian 5/12/1924 reports opening of extension.
Illustrated Chronicle 1/12/1924 reports opening with photos.
Northern Echo 12/2/1923 reports official opening.
Consett and Stanley Gazette 9/2/1923 reports opening; 16/2/1923 carries photos;
Stanley and Chester-le-Street Chronicle 15/2/1923 reports opening.
Blaydon Courier 8/2/1919 reports proposals from Institutes in Note 5 above; 21/2/1920 reports fund raising fancy dress ball.
Newcastle Daily Chronicle 24/12/1920 reports fund raising fancy-dress pageant and ball; 17/4/1922 reports start of building
Lanchester Remembers - Project Poppy Remembering our Fallen 1918-2018 booklet
External web link
Links to Source Material :
Research acknowledgements
Fitzhugh Collection, Middleton in Teesdale; Dorothy Hall
Research In Progress
The names on this memorial are being researched by Ian Murray. Contact: iwmurray63@gmail.com
Memorial Hall 1914-18 Front Street (L62.05)
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Parish Notes
Every Name A Story
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