Memorial Details
Memorial
Triptych 1914-18 Holy Trinity Church
Reference
N34.16
Place
NORTH SHIELDS
Map ref
NZ 353567
Original Location
Holy Trinity Church (demolished)
Present Location
The west porch of Christ Church, North Shields.
Which war
1914-18
Dedication, Creation or Publication date
March 1917
Memorial Description
Triptych with pedimented top containing the words “For God, King and Country” in gilded shadowed letters.
At centre back is a brass cross covering the whole back. The quotation is above the arms. Below each arm is an oval shape containing the names of those who fell. The words “The Heroic Dead” are below this is in cursive lower case, gilded and shadowed.
The names are continued on two inside doors, below the words “Roll of Honour”, the lettering hand painted using san serif capitals.
A card has been affixed at the bottom bearing the legend “Holy Trinity Church / Coach Lane, North Shields”.
Below this is a brass plaque bearing more names of the fallen from 1914-18 listed in two columns. This looks as though it has been added later.
Below this, a shelf pierced to carry flower pots.
At centre back is a brass cross covering the whole back. The quotation is above the arms. Below each arm is an oval shape containing the names of those who fell. The words “The Heroic Dead” are below this is in cursive lower case, gilded and shadowed.
The names are continued on two inside doors, below the words “Roll of Honour”, the lettering hand painted using san serif capitals.
A card has been affixed at the bottom bearing the legend “Holy Trinity Church / Coach Lane, North Shields”.
Below this is a brass plaque bearing more names of the fallen from 1914-18 listed in two columns. This looks as though it has been added later.
Below this, a shelf pierced to carry flower pots.
Materials used
Oak, brass, from H.M.S. “Britannia”.
Inscription
For God, King and Country.
Greater love hath no man than this.
The Heroic Dead.
Greater love hath no man than this.
The Heroic Dead.
Names
Present condition
Restored 2012
Notes
1. The shrine is one of several made from timbers from H.M.S. Britannia which was broken up in the Hughes Bolckow shipyard at Blyth.
2. In a booklet presented by Hughes Bolckow to their staff when the firm was taken over in 1961, there is a long piece about the break-up of the "Britannia". The salvaged material went to making up all kinds of things. A sentence reads "Folding chairs on offer were designed with wounded soldiers in mind ('their high back is very restful, but does not interfere with the hat when seated'); tea trolleys were advertised ('in hospitals and nursing homes they ease the extra work brought by the war'); and there were three patterns of memorial shrine with space for names of up to 150 dead; the names could be added 'in black at a halfpenny a letter, or in gold at a penny a letter'".
3. Morpeth Herald 30/03/1917 reports:- A war shrine made out of wood of the battleship Britannia which is being broken up at Blyth, has been placed in Holy Trinity to the memory of parishioners who have fallen in the war. The wood is the gift of Messrs Bolckow Hughes and Co and the carving and lettering has been done by the local branch of C.E.M.S.
4. Holy Trinity Church closed in 1982 and was demolished.
5. The pierced shelf to hold vases or flower pots on the memorial was been removed as part of the restoration as it appeared to be a later addition and obstructed the view of the lower plaque which was also added at a later date.
6. A Faculty 1244 dated 19/12/1933 grants permission “To furnish the north aisle of the said Church as a memorial chapel.” and “To place on the north wall of the proposed chapel the two brass tablets erected as a war memorial in St.Peter’s Church (Tynemouth) . .”
2. In a booklet presented by Hughes Bolckow to their staff when the firm was taken over in 1961, there is a long piece about the break-up of the "Britannia". The salvaged material went to making up all kinds of things. A sentence reads "Folding chairs on offer were designed with wounded soldiers in mind ('their high back is very restful, but does not interfere with the hat when seated'); tea trolleys were advertised ('in hospitals and nursing homes they ease the extra work brought by the war'); and there were three patterns of memorial shrine with space for names of up to 150 dead; the names could be added 'in black at a halfpenny a letter, or in gold at a penny a letter'".
3. Morpeth Herald 30/03/1917 reports:- A war shrine made out of wood of the battleship Britannia which is being broken up at Blyth, has been placed in Holy Trinity to the memory of parishioners who have fallen in the war. The wood is the gift of Messrs Bolckow Hughes and Co and the carving and lettering has been done by the local branch of C.E.M.S.
4. Holy Trinity Church closed in 1982 and was demolished.
5. The pierced shelf to hold vases or flower pots on the memorial was been removed as part of the restoration as it appeared to be a later addition and obstructed the view of the lower plaque which was also added at a later date.
6. A Faculty 1244 dated 19/12/1933 grants permission “To furnish the north aisle of the said Church as a memorial chapel.” and “To place on the north wall of the proposed chapel the two brass tablets erected as a war memorial in St.Peter’s Church (Tynemouth) . .”
Newspaper cuttings, photos or archival material
Photos: J. Brown; photo of restored memorial: Michael Scott
Morpeth Herald 30/03/1917 reports detail in Note 3. (Available on The British Newspaper Archive)
Newcastle Daily Journal 10/04/1920 reports that a faculty had been applied for.
Diocese of Newcastle Faculty No.672, (no date on index card).
Morpeth Herald 30/03/1917 reports detail in Note 3. (Available on The British Newspaper Archive)
Newcastle Daily Journal 10/04/1920 reports that a faculty had been applied for.
Diocese of Newcastle Faculty No.672, (no date on index card).
Research acknowledgements
Sally Bird; Michael Newrick; Eric Hollerton; Janet Brown; James Pasby; Michael Scott (Christ Church)
Research In Progress
The names on the North Shields memorials are being researched by the Tynemouth WW1 group.
Contact info@tynemouthworldwarone.org
Triptych 1914-18 Holy Trinity Church (N34.16)
NORTH SHIELDS Holy Trinity Church, Coach Lane.
Centre panel
For
God,
King and Country
Greater Love Hath
No Man Than This.
A.Hall
Wm. G. Hallcrow Jos. Hunter
Fredk. Hanson Chas Johnson
Wm. Harbron Thos. Johnson
Robt. Hardwick Geo. King
John Wm. Hart Valentine Laverick
Robt. Wm. Haw Harold Liddell
Geo. Hislop Thos. H. Love
Harry D. Hogg Stanley Love
Thos. Hogg John G. McPhail
Wm. Hopper E.G. Mann
Geo. T. Horne Alf. Martin
Ralph Hudspeth Jas. Mather
Walter Hume Wm. Mather
John L. Hunter Jas. Mavin
The Heroic Dead.
------------------------------------------------------
Left panel Right panel
Roll of Honour Roll of Honour
John H. Adey Robt. Morrison
Fredk. Allerton Thos. Mortimer
J.C. Angus Robt. Mundy
N. Atkinson Fred. W. McKay
John Balam Geo. Newman
Albert Ballantine Robt. Newsom
Fredk. Baxter Sidney Nixon
Alfred Beattie Geo. Parker
John Bewick Frank Patterson
Robt. N. Briggs John Patterson
James Broderick W.T. Perry
W.R. Brookbanks Irven Reed
Edwin Brown Jas. H. Robson
John Brown Frank Rodman
Richd. T. Brown Bertrm. Rumney
Daniel Cale Wm. Chatt Sadler
Edwd. Calverley Ernest Scott
Harry Carling David B. Scott
Wm. Carmichael Gordon Scurr
Wm. Clark Harry Scurr
Thos. Crammin John J. Sharp
Matthew Cranston Robt. Skipsey
James Crozier Chas. Spendiff
James Crowe Geo. Stephenson
John Crozier J.S. Stephenson
Thos. Cummings Alex. Stephenson
Ralph C. Coulter Wm. J. Stewart
Henry Corner Thos. H. Svenseen
J.J. Digman Jas. Spinks
John G. Dixon Thos. Tate
Jos. Dodds T.S. Taws
John Dryden David Taws
Robt. T. Elsdon Robt. Thompson
W. Elsdon Geo. Todd
Jas. Errington Wm. Vickers
John H. Fatherley Louis Warwick
Thos. Forrest Chas. P. Watson
W. Frazer Geo. Watts
Andrew Garrity R. Weatherstone
Wm. H. Grant H. Weatherstone
Thos. Gray Geo. A. West
Jas. Gray Geo. Wile
Wm. F. Gunn Geo. Windlay
Geo. Hall Robt. Wright
Robt. Hall Robt. Wight
------------------------------------------------------
On lower plaque
Albert Colvin M.M. Lawrence Petersen
Andrew Blake Dodds Norman Wilfred Lawson
Donald Fraser Anderson Thomas Mercer Lidster
James Lowe Thomas Randal Agnew
James Murray William Albert Ward Sparham
NamesN34.16
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