Memorial Details

Hospital Ward and Memorial 1914-18 Hawkey's Lane

N34.01

NORTH SHIELDS

NZ 348685

Hawkey's Lane.

a. 1914-18

a. Unveiled 28th April 1923 by the Duke of Northumberland. War Memorial Extension formally opened 28th March 1925 by the Mayor of Tynemouth, Cllr. Alfred E. Hill.

1. Extension to Tynemouth Victoria Jubilee Infirmary, including Pavilion, Nurses' Home, administrative block and monument.
In the entrance hall is a plaque 4 feet 6 inches high x 2 feet 6 inches wide (1.37m x 762mm) which bears details of the opening. It has a raised wavy border design in brown. At the top is a half-relief carving of a physician in the centre with a child on the left holding a vase containing ?pens. On the right is another child holding the physician's hand. On the extreme left is a fluted column on which sits a cock bird, and on the extreme left is another column with the Hippocras symbol on the top. The lettering is in gilded Roman capitals throughout with a dot between each word.

2. Outside the Infirmary is a semi-circular wall with monument which features a central bronze plaque in relief depicting The Angel of Healing and Peace bringing solace to the world, and containing at the head a frieze indicative of the various branches of service in which the fallen figured. The dates of "1914" and "1918" are in relief in the bronze frieze on either side of the angel. The dates "1939" and "1945" are incised into the stones on either side below. The dedications are incised into the curved walls above the seats, using large Roman capitals throughout.

1. Brick building with plaque
2. Monument of Portland stone with bronze plaques.

To left of figure on monument : This monument
and the Infirmary extension
were erected as the Town's War Memorial
in honour of those
who died that we might live.
To right of figure on monument:
To the memory of
those who fell in the Great Wars.
Their names are recorded
in the Book of Honour
treasured in the Public Library.

On plaque :
Borough of
Tynemouth
War Memorial
1914-1918
opened.by
His Worship
The Mayor of
Tynemouth
Councillor
A.E.Hill J.P.
28th March 1925

None.
For Book of Remembrance see Tynemouth T36.14.

Borough of Tynemouth.

Estimated at £60,000. The monument itself cost £2,500.

Public subscription.

The monument was cleaned and repaired in July 1990, following complaints from local residents about its deteriorating condition.

See Note 12 below

War Memorial and Roll handed over to Tynemouth Borough Council at the unveiling ceremony in 1923. The land on which the Infirmary stands was also handed over to the Corporation.

1. The original idea was to have a cloister in the hospital linking the buildings, which would be lined with plaques containing the names of the dead, but this was abandoned because it would take too long to build. It was agreed that the present monument be erected instead.

2. 1,740 men from the Borough were killed during the course of the war.

3. On the opening of the extension 28/03/1925 the Mayoress planted a commemorative tree just inside the main gates.

4. At the same service, the Mayor was given a silver casket and the Mayoress a platinum and diamond brooch.

5. A peal of bells of 5,000 changes called Bristol Surprise Major was also rung from Christ Church to celebrate the opening of the extension.

6. The 50th annual report of the Infirmary states that since the opening of the extension, the work of the hospital "had so increased that it was found necessary to appoint two house surgeons"; also that the amount still outstanding on the debt was £3,000.

7. The hospital was demolished 2000. It was proposed that the outdoor memorial be placed as a focal point in Northumberland Square, North Shields. The North Tyneside Council say there is no public demand for its removal. They have also ignored requests to have the indoor plaque replaced somewhere on the building.

8. In December 2006 it was reported that there were proposals to turn the building into an Ambulance Station.

9. The opening coincided with the 50th anniversary of the birth of the Tynemouth Infirmary. “It started merely as a Flower Mission, and grew into a benevolent movement for the provision of medical requisites to poor people. In nine years the first beds for patients were provided and since then the work has grown steadily and surely”.

10. At the opening ceremony, Mr. Robert Hastie, trawler owner, handed over a cheque for £400.

11. Mr. J. Appleby, on behalf of the Fish Quay Sports Club, presented a cheque for £200, which was the final contribution from the club towards the endowment of a cot. But although the club had already donated £1,000, it was not proposed that this should stop.

12. Designed by Messrs. Cackett and Burns Dick & McKellar, FF.R.I.B.A. of Newcastle upon Tyne.
The Cenotaph was modelled by Mr. John Reed, Professor of Sculpture at Armstrong College of Art; cenotaph and Hospital Extension were built by Mr. Gilbert Park, Jr., Contractor, Tynemouth Road, North Shields.

Photos: P. Thirkell; Norman Cole; J.Scott; old postcards: Tony Harding collection; John Grainger; old photo: Beamish Photographic Archive

Smith's Dock Monthly June 1920 reports £200 raised by the Workers' Effort

Shields Daily News
1921: 15/03/1921 and 23/03/1921 re the proposals for the extension to the Hospital and the difficulties in putting up the monument; 16/12/1921 regarding the delay in giving Tynemouth a proper monument; 09/03/1921 & 16/04/1921 give details of fund-raising by Athletics' Clubs, including reference to War Memorial Shield Competition;
1922: 18/08/1922 has protest at the location of Tynemouth War Memorial at North Shields and editorial reply; 24/11/1922 photocopy of sketch and explanation; 21/04/1923 inc. drawing of monument and reports unveiling tomorrow;
1923: 23/04/1923 reports forthcoming unveiling ceremony of extension; 28/04/1923 carries full report of the unveiling; 23/07/1923 has letter protesting that the dates of the Great War are not included in the plan; 18/06/1923 has complaint to remove old wreaths and the proposal that the Parks Dept. lay fresh flowers regularly; 14/05/1923 reports regarding the delay in starting the actual Hospital extension, although the memorial was unveiled "a fortnight ago". This has been a good thing, as the Committee can now go ahead with a sensible scheme which they can afford, rather than if they had rushed ahead. Although £22,000 had been raised, a further £12,000 would be required;
1925 27/03/1925 describes the new buildings in some details; 30/03/1925 describes the opening of the extension. In various copies of the newspaper for 1922 & 1923 there are letters showing the dispute and discontent over the location of the memorial; 08/04/1925 includes information in Note 12 above; 25/07/1925 reports vandalism, some letters having been broken off, although already having been repaired; 28/09/1925 reports proposal to erect a railing to prevent vandalism;
1926: 22/03/1926 reports 50th Annual Report of the Infirmary.

Alnwick & County Gazette 05/05/1923 reports unveiling.

Illustrated Chronicle 20/05/1922 reports acceptance of design; 30/03/1925 reports unveiling of hospital extension with photos; 30/04/1923 reports unveiling of memorial with photos; 31/01/1925 has photos prior to opening; 30/03/1925 reports unveiling of hospital extension with photos.

Northern Echo 30/04/1923 reports unveiling of monument.

Newcastle Weekly Chronicle 27/05/1922 reports approval of designs; 05/05/1923 reports unveiling of memorial; 31/01/1925 reports proposed ceremony; 04/04/1925 reports opening of extension.

Whitley Bay Observer 21/11/1919 reports money raising.

A Guide to the Public Monuments and Sculpture of Tyne and Wear (Ayris, Jubb, Palmer, Usherwood, Specialist Conservation Team Publication, Newcastle City Council, 1996 ISBN 1 85795 042 9)

Evening Chronicle 09/07/1990 reports on cleaning and repair.

Tyne-Wear Archives Dept. List of War Casualty Records 1939- 45 (1913/43-44)

The Glorious Dead. Figurative Sculpture of British First World War Memorials. Geoff Archer, Frontier Publishing; 2009. ISBN 978 1 872914 38 1

The Journal 30/12/2006 reports proposal to turn the building into an ambulance station.

North Shields: The Bombing of a Town, Ron Curran, 2009, Summerhill Books, ISBN 9 781906 721213, is written “In Honour of all who fought: The Service Men and Women and Civilians 1939-1945.

Northern Echo 1923 04 30 Mon

Kevin Bradley; R.C. Simpson; the late R.W. Gould; North Tyneside Local Studies Library; P. Thirkell; Mr. J. Finlay, North Tyneside Council; Ian McCaffrey; Tony Harding; Dorothy Hall

The names on the North Shields memorials are being researched by the Tynemouth WW1 group. Contact info@tynemouthworldwarone.org

 

Notes for this Parish

Individual stories for this Parish