Memorial Details

Pavilion etc. 1914-18 Percy Park Rugby Football Club

N34.45

NORTH SHIELDS

NZ 355692

Percy Park Rugby Football Club, Preston Avenue. Lower plaque of two.

1914-18

The pavilion was officially opened and the plaque dedicated on 10th September 1921 by Sir George Renwick, M.P., a former President of the Club.

Spectator stand and pavilion.
Plaque, rectangular. In both top corners is a laurel wreath in black. Up each side from the bottom is a Union flag. Below the heading of “European War” is a rugby football, with the dates “1914” and “1918” on either side. The dedication is below this. The names are listed in two columns. All lettering and designs are in black and red.

Brass plaque

European War / 1914-1918 / Percy Park Rugby Football Club / Roll of Honour / To perpetuate the memory of / those who laid down their lives / for / King and Country / in the / Great War. / (Names). /
No Greater love.

"No more than £750"

Compensation from Military for use of ground.

Plaque made by E.H. Thew & Son, Team Valley, Gateshead on Tyne.

1. “In June 1920 the club, having received compensation from the military for the use of their ground, started planning for a stand to seat 500 spectators and for a pavilion, both to be achieved for not more than £750. A stand was built and a wooden pavilion was bought from the Army. The pavilion was in use by February 1921 and in September 1921 was officially opened as the Club War Memorial by Sir George Renwick, M.P. who unveiled a brass tablet bearing the names of 21 Percy Park members who had given their lives in the recent war”.

2. In Tyne & Wear Archives is a paper headed “Percy Park Prospects” dated 3rd September 1920, it is stated that the Government had paid a substantial sum for the use of the ground during the war. The ground had been restored. A new stand 25.6m (84 feet) long was under construction. An Army hut 21.94m (72 feet) long had been erected to serve as a Committee Room and for serving teas, and the dressing rooms were soon to be equipped with hot water baths. “It is hoped that the ‘Hut’ be made a Club War Memorial and towards its cost a sum of £45 had already been subscribed”.

3. The unveiling was performed before match between Percy Park and Hartlepool Rovers. Both teams were present at the ceremony,each wearing their club colours, The two captains, H.C. Catcheside and W. Hill, deposited wreaths, and there were floral tributes from Tynedale and Rockcliff Clubs and Mrs. Westwick.

4. Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail 12/09/1921 reports:- The pavilion will be a great acquisition to the club as a large army hut has been converted to meet all the requirements of visiting teams, there being dressing rooms, baths, a general room, a committee room and so forth.

Photos: R.W. Gould

Newcastle Daily Journal 16/02/1920 reports a fund raising match

Illustrated Chronicle 12/09/1921 reports unveiling with photos.

Shields Daily News 12/02/1921 reports unveiling, but omits the name of W. Purdy in the report.

South Shields Gazette 01/09/1920 reports proposed unveiling on 10th September; 12/09/1921 reports unveiling.

Whitley Bay Observer 16/09/1921 reports unveiling.

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail 12/09/1921 reports unveiling. (Available on The British Newspaper Archive)

Percy Park Rugby Football Club: a history 1872-1972 Anon; North Shields, Percy Park RFC, 1972

Tyne and Wear Archives

Source of quotation
“No greater love”: Presumably based on “Greater love hath no man than this . . .” St.John 15 v 13

The late R.W. Gould; J. Brown; Tony Harding; James Pasby; Dorothy Hall; Michael Mulhern.

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

 

NORTH SHIELDS, Percy Park Rugby Football Club.

   European War

   1914           1918

   Percy Park Rugby Football Club

   Roll of Honour.

   To perpetuate the memory of

   those who laid down their lives

   for

   King and Country

  in the

   Great War.

   Blacklock, B.     Irvin, T.W.

   Burns, A.C.       Mather, N.E.

   Carruthers, J.    Melrose, T.N.

   Chambers, O.      Nixon, E.

   Coats, W.         Purdy, W.

   Duncan, J.H.      Raynes, R.

   Hogg, J.H.        Scott, J.E.

   Hogg, R.          Spencer, H.J.

   Hollis, B.        Wallace, D.S.

   Howe, R.          Wallace, H.

         Wilkinson, A.W.

   No Greater Love.

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

The Shields Gazette gives the following:

   J.B. Duncan instead of J.H. Duncan

   R. Hawie instead of R. Howe

   T.W. Irwin instead of T.W. Irvin

   W. Purdy is omitted altogether.

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

The Whitley Bay Observer gives the following:

   J.B. Duncan instead of J.H. Duncan

   R. Howie instead of R. Howe

   T.W. Irwin instead of T.W. Irvin

NamesN34.45

Notes for this Parish

Individual stories for this Parish