Memorial Details

Cross 1914-18 Preston Colliery Cemetery

P17.04

PRESTON

NZ 342691

Billy Mill, at junction of Queen Alexandra Road and Billy Mill Lane, North Shields. Moved in 1964.

Tynemouth (Preston) Cemetery, Walton Avenue. At south west corner, Section L.

1914-18

Unveiled Sunday 15th June 1924 by Mr. U.A. Ritson, Colliery Chairman; dedicated by Rev. R.E. Holmes.

Obelisk, 10 feet (3.04m) high, slender, gently tapering, octagonal. At the top is a bronze sword. The cross rests on an octagonal pedestal, which in turn rests on a stepped octagonal base. Total height 16 feet (4.87m). The inscription is on the pedestal. The letters are of lead which have been attached to stand proud, using sans serif capitals throughout.

Silver-grey granite.

To our Glorious Dead / 1914-18 / Preston Colliery.

Colliery owners, G.A. Ritson and Sons.

Some of the letters have gone, partly due to vandalism.

Designed and made by Mr. Denis William Foster of North Shields, whose monumental workshop used to be at Hawkey's Lane / Queen Alexandra Road Junction.
Masonry work by Messrs. Lant of Newcastle.

At the unveiling ceremony, the monument was formally handed over and the site on which it stands to the Mayor and Corporation of Tynemouth for safe custody.

1. The original site had a curved wall behind with wood seats, built to shield the east side of the monument and to collect the afternoon sun for those who wished to sit there. The stone for the seat came from Billy Mill Quarry.

2. It is noted in one report that the memorial is "very substantially constructed, the inscription block of granite being two and a half tons weight". The names are “inscribed in imperishable lead lettering”.

3. When war broke out, 900 men were employed at the Preston Colliery. Of these, 392 joined up, and 65 were killed.

4. The documents in Tyne and Wear Archives give the original location as the junction of Queen Alexandra Road and Regent Terrace. The original intention was to move the memorial 15 yards to Queen Alexandra Road West.

5. For comparison of names with the Roll of Honour, see P17.02.

6. “The background stonework, done by Messrs. Lant of Newcastle, is of Billy Mill stone with flagging of Yorkshire flags and granite kerbs.”

7. The Colliery owners gave a “Welcome Home” to the colliery workers who served at Hawkey’s Lane Football ground. About 350 returned men and relatives of the fallen attended, and received medals as souvenirs. “The firm had found employment for every man who returned, and had always paid the trade union rate of wages. From 1916 to 1919 every workman and official at the colliery contributed to a fund to help the dependents of those away on service, over £2,000 being raised, and, when it came to organizing the welcome home, the firm said they would double whatever the men of the colliery gave.”

Photos: J. Brown; Tony Harding

Shields Daily News 13/03/1924 has drawing and details; 12/06/1924 carries notice of unveiling ceremony; 14/06/1924 sketch of memorial; 16/06/1924 report of the unveiling ceremony.

Tyne and Wear Archives file 1934 T15/950

Illustrated Chronicle 16/06/1924 has photo of unveiling.

Northern Echo 14/03/1924 reports proposed memorial

Newcastle Weekly Chronicle 21/06/1924 reports unveiling.

South Shields Gazette 16/06/1924 reports unveiling.

Newcastle Daily Chronicle 12/07/1920 reports Welcome Home in Note 7 above.

Northern Echo 1924 03 14 Fri

Kevin Bradley; R.C. Simpson; the late R.W. Gould; Mr. Smurthwaite, (82 year old retired nurseryman and local historian); Tony Harding; Dorothy Hall; James Pasby; Michael Mulhern

If you are researching this memorial please contact 2014@newmp.org.uk

 

PRESTON Cemetery.

First panel

   To Our Glorious Dead

   1914-18

   Preston Colliery

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

2nd panel.       3rd Panel        4th Panel      5th panel      6th panel

  Antwiss, R.      Graham, R.H.     Main J.        Smith, J.E.    Jones. M.

  Armstrong, J.    Gleinster, J.    McCabe, J.     Thompson, G.

  Ashton, T.       Handyside, J.E.  McCabe, T.     Taylor, J.F.

  Bainbridge, W.   Hull, T.         O'Neil, J.     Tinwell, H.A.

  Bilton, J.W.     Hepple, P.       O'Connor, G.   Todd, J.

  Cole, D.         Hepple, T.W.     Pooley, E.     Talbot, W.

  Cranson, G.      Hunt, J.         Paton, T.      Taylor, W.

  Clough, J.       Hart, D.         Robson, H.     Thornton, J.

  Chapman, G.      Hetherington, R. Richardson,    Ward, D.

  Charlton, R.     Kell, G.         Rooke, E.F.    Wile, R.

  Donohoe, D.      Lisle, J.S.      Robson, E.     Wile, G.R.

  Dowson, W.       Lowes, W.        Robertson, C.  Wanless, G.A.

  Davison, W.J.    Lawless, _ _     Russell, A.E.  Ward, P.

  Forster, J.      Lauder, J.S.     Stelling, J.   Weir, A.

  Glaister, J.     Lowther, W.      Shelton, J.    Yeaman, P.

  Grindle, T.      Metcalf, J.J.    Snowdon, R.    Jones, P.

  Some letters are missing

NamesP17.04

Notes for this Parish

Individual stories for this Parish