Memorial Details

2019
Photo: James Pasby

Memorial

Statue 1914-18 1939-55 Roadside

Reference

S122.02

Place

SHILDON

Map ref

NZ 228264

Original Location

At the entrance to St. John’s Churchyard.

Which war

a. 1914-18
b. 1939-45

Dedication, Creation or Publication date

a. Unveiled Saturday 13/10/1923 by Major Gen. F.A. Dudgeon, C.B., G.C.C. 50th Northumbrian Division. Dedicated by Rev. H.B. Watts, B.A. Vicar of Shildon.
b. Unveiled by Major. Gen. JMK Spurling, Dedicated by the Bishop of Durham 02/06/1957.

Memorial Description

Statue of a soldier crouching, rifle at the ready. On the front of the pedestal at the top is a bronze wreath, with the exhortation in a sunken panel below.
The dedication is placed below this. The names for 1914-18 are carried in a panel on each side, listed in three columns, all the lettering for 1914-18 in raised Roman capitals.
The names for 1939-55 are on a similar panel on the back, 5 feet 6 inches high x 2 feet 6 inches wide, with decorative screwheads, the names listed in two columns using sans serif capitals.

Materials used

Granite base, bronze figure and panels.

Inscription

a. See ye to it / that these / have not died in vain.
In / grateful remembrance / of / Shildon’s Glorious Dead / 1914-1918 Greater love / hath no man than this / that a man / lay down his life / for his friends.
b. 1939-1945

Names

Who commissioned

War Memorial Committee (Chairman: Mr. Ralph Morton)

Cost

£675

How money was raised

Public subscription

Sculptor, Artist or Designer

Designed by W.A. Kellett, Esq. of Messrs. Kellett and Clayton, architects, Bishop Auckland; made by Messrs. Humphries, Jackson & Ambler, Ltd., Manchester. Erected by J. Moore & Sons, Shildon.

Ownership and maintenance

“R. Morton, Esq., Chairman of the War Memorial Committee, will invite the Chairman of the Shildon Urban District Council to accept on behalf of the Town the memorial to be kept for the inhabitants for all time”.

Notes

1. The original idea was to erect a ‘rest house’ and aviary in the park, estimated cost £1,356 10s 1d. Later, this was left in abeyance for a year “during which time the price of labour and materials should have come down”. This scheme was finally abandoned.

2. The War Memorial Committee requested the UDC to pay £64 for oak gates at the church entrance. The memorial itself was paid for. The bronze plaques needed to be placed on it and this would cost between £70-£80. If the UDC would pay for the gates, a public meeting would be called to see how the rest of the money would be raised. The UDC made a grant of £30.

3. The bronze plaques were not in place at the time of the unveiling.

4. “If the collection that day realized £100, they would be out of debt”.

5. The die of the pedestal was quarried at Wolsingham Park.

Newspaper cuttings, photos or archival material

Photos: C. Sanders; Simon Raine; Tony Harding; James Pasby; 1957 photo: Beamish Museum; old postcard: George Nairn

Durham County Advertiser 19/10/1923 reports unveiling;17/10/2002 reports proposed change of site

Auckland and County Chronicle 30/10/1919 and 27/11/1919 reports proposals; 04/03/1920 contains photo of proposed rest house; 01/07/1920 reports proposed rest house; 12/10/1922 reports division of opinion; 19/10/1922 reports abandonment of rest house; 22/03/1923 reports progress; 18/10/1923 reports unveiling.

Darlington and Stockton Times (South) 28/02/1920 reports proposal for rest house in the park;19/02/1921 report proposal to leave things in abeyance.

Darlington and Stockton Times (North) 27/01/1923 reports acceptance of tender.

Illustrated Chronicle 15/10/1923 reports unveiling with photos.

Northern Echo 21/11/1919 reports proposal for a rest house; 15/10/1923 reports unveiling; 21/11/1923 reports request for financial help from UDC.

Newcastle Weekly Chronicle 20/10/1923 reports unveiling.

Durham County Council Ref 505/7/11/15

Sources of quotations
“See ye to it that . . .” On certificate signed by King George V and sent to bereaved families;
“Greater love hath no man . . .” St.John 15 v 13

External web link

Links to Source Material :

Research acknowledgements

Fitzhugh Collection, Middleton in Teesdale; C. Sanders; Durham County Council; John and Mavis Dixon; Harry Jenkins; Dorothy Hall; Beamish Museum

Research In Progress

Annfield Plain Family History Society have research the names on this memorial. Copies of the research are available from www.annfieldplain-fhs.co.uk see link above.

Statue 1914-18 1939-55 Roadside (S122.02)

 
SHILDON      At the entrance to St. John’s Churchyard.
  
  
Front face
   See ye to it 
   that these 
   have not died in vain.
  
   In 
   grateful remembrance 
   of 
   Shildon’s Glorious Dead 
   1914-1918

    
   1939-1955
  
   Greater love 
   hath no man than this 
   that a man 
   lay down his life 
   for his friends.
----------------------------------------------------
First Side panel

    
   Akers Albert E.     Clark Charles        Grundy Robert 
   Alderson Gerald F.  Claxton Fred         Guy Harold 
   Alderson Joseph H.  Claxton George H.    Hague Charles A. 
   Alderson Thomas     Cletheroe Albert     Hall Fred 
   Allison Joseph      Coates, Frederick H. Hall George 
   Anderson Alfred     Coates Joseph        Hancock Wilfred 
   Applegarth John     Coates Matthew       Hancock W. 
   Armitage  David     Coates Thomas        Harbron Walter 
   Atkinson Joseph     Cockfield George     Hardy Arthur 
   Atkinson Walter     Cockfield James      Hardy Henry 
   Bainbridge Ralph    Coley Harold         Harrison Henry 
   Banham John A.      Colling W.R.         Hartley Amos 
   Barlow Fred         Collinson George     Harwood Harold 
   Bell Edwin A.       Couper Alfred H.     Harwood George 
   Bell John R.M.      Crack Percy          Henderson Edward 
   Bellwood Thomas     Crawford George      Hepples F. 
   Best Zebedee        Cree John            Hind William P. 
   Blanchard Arthur    Crooks Norman E.     Hird James 
   Bland Braithwaite   Cullen Lawrence      Hodgson Albert W. 
   Bolland R.W.        Davies Charles       Hodgson Ben 
   Bowdon, John        Davies Ernest        Hodgson F.F.    
   Bowe Albert H.      Dennison Thomas      Hodgson J.D. 
   Bowes J.            Dixon Jonah          Hopps Arthur 
   Bowran John J.      Dobson Robert        Hopps, John S.
   Bowser Arthur       Dodds Alfred         Howe George B.
   Brown James         Doran Sidney         Hughes John E.
   Brown Joseph        Dowson William       Hutchinson Edward
   Brown Matthias      Eddy E.              Ibbetson T.
   Brown George W.     Elliott George R.    Ingledew Thomas
   Brown Bert          Elliott Joseph R.    Ireland Arthur
   Bryant Fred         Emmerson Thomas E.   Jary G.W.
   Bundy H.            Ewbank William       Jefferson Percival
   Burton E.R.         Fairbrass George     Jenkins H.
   Burton J H.         Firbank Thomas W.    Jenkinson Edward
   Butcher L.          Fitzgerald J.        Johnson Walter
   Carter Herbert O.B. Fletcher Thomas      Johnston Walter  
   Carter Otto         Fletcher Wigan       Kavanagh Lionel
   Caygill Edward      Foster H.            Kavanagh Matthew
   Caygill Thomas      Foster James         Kell Matthew
   Chapman George W.   Gallagher E.         Kell Samuel H.
   Chapman John O.     Gibbon John C.       Kitching James
   Charlton Thomas     Goldsborough J.      Kitching Harry
   Chester Joseph      Graham Alfred        Kitching Walter
                       Greener Harry R.   
----------------------------------------------------
Second side panel

    
   Laidlaw J.          Peacock John S.      Spensley. Harry 
   Lawson Walter       Peaker Robert        Stanwix Arthur 
   Liddle G.H.         Pears Wm.            Stanwix Harry N.
   Longstaffe Samuel   Pearson George       Stephenson Chris. 
   Longthorne Edward   Pearson H.           Stephenson Harry 
   Lumley Harold R.    Pearson John         Stewart Wm.
   MacDowell Alfred    Pearson Joseph       Stonehouse Thomas D
   Magor G.            Place Arthur         Stonehouse Leonard
   Major E.            Porter W.N.          Storey Harold J. 
   Malcolm Joseph W.   Pounder Thomas       Strophair F.W.S.
   Marsden N.          Pratt J.W.           Stout J. 
   Martindale Stanley  Preston Thomas       Summerson T. 
   Matthews J.         Pybus R.             Summers R.W.
   Matthews Patrick    Raine Mark           Sunter Albert 
   Maughan E.          Rammage Wm.          Sykes George 
   Mawson J.R. Laidlaw Reeve Sam L.         Tarn James C. 
   McKay Sydney Foster Richardson M.        Taylor J.G.
   McNaughton Albert   Rickaby George       Taylor, Richard R.
   Metcalfe Albert     Riley Charles        Taylor W.
   Metcalfe Joseph W.  Robinson Alfred      Thompson Ernest N.
   Metcalfe Thomas     Robinson Arthur      Thirlaway Joseph
   Middlemass T.C.     Robinson Ernest      Todd Joseph
   Milburn E.          Robinson Henry       Trussler Herbert
   Milburn John T.     Robinson John J.     Trussler Sidney
   Mills Fred          Robinson J.T.        Tully Lancelot
   Moody Kenneth       Robinson, P.         Tyreman George W.  
   Morland, Matthew    Robinson, R.	    Vasey Albert	 
   Mudd Tom            Robinson R. Henry    Vasey Thomas
   Murphy J.           Robson Ernest A.     Wade George H.
   Murton R.           Robson John          Warrett John W.
   Neal George         Robson Thomas W.     Warne Percy
   Neesam G.W.         Rowntree Christopher Watson Jacob W.
   Newby J.            Sambrooke A.E.       Watson Joseph M.	 
   Nixon J.G.          Sayer T. Edwin       Watson John H.
   Noddings Isaac      Shafto T. Edward     Watters Luke
   Offord William      Smeddle G.R.G.       Welburn Thomas
   Palmer T.A.         Smedley J.           Wheatley Ernest  
   Parker Thomas       Smith, David J.      Whitehead J. 
   Parkin Arthur       Smith Wm. M.         Wick Thomas W.
   Parkinson William   Smith Cresswell      Williamson James
   Parsley Norman      Smith G.             Wilson Joseph
   Pattinson, R.       Smurthwaite B.B.     Wilson W.R.
   Pawson Walter       Snowden Wilfred      Woodward Robert H.
   Peacock Arthur      Solomon Edwin        Young James C.
   Peacock George      Sowerby T.           Young John W.
----------------------------------------------------.                                                                                                 
Rear

    
   1939-1955
  
   Aisbitt, Thomas J.        Lawton, Harry 
   Allinson, David Dowson    Lishman, Stanley 
   Anderson, Harold          Lowther, Maurice William 
   Appleby, Thomas           Martin, Joseph 
   Arnold, Fred              McGuire, Richard 
   Ayre, James               Metcalfe, John Robert   
   Baines, John William      Million, Peter 
   Barnett, Ronald R.        Mitford, Algernon Montague 
   Barratt, Richard          Moody, Thomas Walton 
   Beddingfield, William     Moore, Fred Charles 
   Bell, Percy               Morris, John 
   Bellis, Robert            Murphy, John P. 
   Bennett, Thomas Wilfred   Nicholson, Esmond 
   Bennett, William          Owens, Vivien 
   Blackett, George          Parker, Frank Ernest 
   Blake, Alan               Pearce, Harold Edgar 
   Bowden, Thomas            Pearson, William 
   Bowron, John William      Pilson, Ronald 
   Brown, Frank Colin        Pooley, Derek 
   Brown, William            Pounder, William 
   Buck, Arthur              Priestley, Robert 
   Buckman, Charles          Raine, George 
   Burdon, John              Raisbeck, Kenneth 
   Burnside, Alfred          Reece, Leonard
   Calland, Jack             Ridley, John Esmond 
   Calvert, Wilfred          Riley, Walter Print 
   Cheesbrough, John         Robinson, Cyril 
   Chetwynd, Samuel E.       Robinson, Ralph 
   Clarke, Edward            Robinson, Stanley 
   Clarkson, George William  Robson, Joseph 
   Close, Sidney             Robson, Robert W.
   Coates, James Arthur      Rodgers, Sidney
   Coates, Joseph Chester    Saunders, James 
   Cocksey, John H.          Scott, James Walter 
   Collinson, Reuben         Shields, Joseph A.
   Cottingham, Ronald        Smith, Sidney
   Cutchie, John William     Smith, Thomas Edward
   Dawson, John James        Sowerby, Derek 
   Daykin, John Edward       Spowart, Edward 
   Deaton, Ernest            Stabler, Jim
   Dixon, John               Stephenson, John David 
   Dodds, G. Roger           Stobart, James Albert
   Dowson, Norman            Stoddart, William Stanley 
   Dunnington, Albert        Stubbs, Robert William
   Elders, Arthur            Sunter, Arnold 
   Elgey, Ralph              Tarn, George 
   Entwistle, Robert         Tarn, Thomas 
   Foote, Norman             Topham, Thomas Walter 
   Forster, William          Wade, Thomas 
   Foster, Laurence          Walker, Arnold
   Furness, Frederick        Walker, Arthur
   Goodburn, George          Walker, Arthur 
   Graham, Frank             Walsh, Harold 
   Gregg, John Henry         Ward, Lewis 
   Hatfield, Dorothy         Ware, Robert P. 
   Hebden, Len               Watcham, Eric 
   Henderson, Robert William Watson, John Thomas 
   Highfield, Edward         Weatherell, Harry S. 
   Holme, Charles Arthur     White, Dennis 
   Holmes, Anthony           White, Norman
   Hordon, Ernest            White, William 
   Huck, Leslie              Wilkinson, Dennis 
   Huntington, John Edward   Williams, Joseph 
   Jackson, William James    Wilson, Arthur 
   Jeffery, Thomas           Wilson, John Edward 
   Kirby, Peter              Wood, Esmond
   Lack, Robert Henry        Wykes, Clifford
   Langford, Harry           Young, James Cameron.
  
Added later
   Holmes, Thomas
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The 1914-18 Memorial Unveiling Programme lists the names as follows:
  

    
   Akers, Albert Edwin    Coates, Joseph         Haig, Charles
   Alderson, Francis      Coates, Matthew        Hall, Fred.
   Alderson, Joseph Henry Coates, Thomas         Hall, George
   Alderson, Thomas       Cockfield, George      Hancock, Wilfred
   Allison, Joseph        Cockfield, James       Hancock, W.
   Anderson, Alfred       Coley, Harold          Harbron, Walter
   Applegarth, John       Colling, Wm.R.         Hardy, Arthur
   Armitage, David        Collinson, George      Hardy, Henry
   Atkinson, Joseph       Cooper, Alfred Henry   Harrison, Henry
   Atkinson, Walter       Crack, Percy           Hartley, Amos
                          Crawford, George       Harwood, Harold
                          Cree, John             Harwood, George
                          Crooks, Norman Ernest  Henderson, Edward
   Bainbridge, Ralph      Cullen, Lawrence       Hepples, F.
   Banham, John A.                               Hind, Wm. P.
   Barlow, Fred.                                 Hird, James
   Bell, Edwin A.                                Hodgson, Albert W.
   Bell, John Robt.M.     Davies, Charles        Hodgson, Ben.
   Bellwood, Thomas       Davies, Ernest         Hodgson, F.F.
   Best, Zebedee          Dennison, Thomas       Hodgson, J.D.
   Blanchard, Arthur      Dixon, Jonah           Hopps, Arthur
   Bland, Braithwaite     Dobson, Robert         Hopps, Jas. Samuel
   Bolland, R.W.          Dodds, Alfred          Howe, George B.
   Bowe, Albert Henry     Doran, Sidney          Hughes, John E.
   Bowes, J.              Dowson, William        Hutchinson, Edward
   Bowran, John James
   Bowser, Arthur
   Brown, James
   Brown, Joseph          Eddy, E.
   Brown, Matthias        Elliott, Geo. Robert   Ibbetson, T.
   Brown, Geo. Wm.        Elliott, Joseph Robert Ingledew, Thomas
   Brown, Bert            Emmerson, Thos. Edward Ireland, Arthur
   Bryant, Fred.          Ewbank, William
   Bundy, H.
   Burton, E.R.
   Burton, J.H.
   Butcher, L.            Fairbrass, George      Jary, G,W.
                          Firbank, Thos.Wm.      Jenkins, H.
                          Fitzgerald, J.         Jenkinson, Edward
                          Fletcher, Thomas       Johnson, Walter
   Carter, Herbert, O.B.  Fletcher, Wigan        Johnson, Walter
   Carter, Otto           Foster, H.
   Caygill, Thomas
   Chapman, Geo. Wm
   Champman, James O.
   Charlton, Thomas       Gallagher, E.          Kavanagh, Lionel
   Chester, Joseph        Gibbon, John C.        Kavanagh, Matthew
   Clark, Charles         Goldsborough J.        Kell, Matthew
   Claxton, Fred          Graham, Alfred         Kell, Samuel H.
   Claxton, Geo. Henry    Greener, Harry R.      Kitching, James
   Cletheroe, Albert      Grundy, Robert         Kitching, Harry
   Coates, Fredk. Herbert Guy, Harold            Kitching, Walter
   
   Laidlaw, J.            Peacock, Arthur        Stanwix, Harry N.
   Lawson, Walter         Peacock, George        Stephenson, Chris.
   Liddle, G.H.           Peacock, John S.       Stephenson, Harry
   Longstaffe, Samuel     Peaker, Robert         Stewart, Wm.
   Longthorne, Edward     Pears, Wm.             Stonehouse, Thos. D.
   Lumley, Harold Robt.   Pearson, George        Stonehouse, Leonard
                          Pearson, H.            Storey, Harold J.
                          Pearson, John          Strophair, F.W.S.
                          Pearson, Joseph        Stout, J.
   MacDowell, Alfred      Place, Arthur          Summerson, T.
   Magor, G.              Porter, W.N.           Summers, R.W.
   Major, E.              Pounder, Thos.         Sunter, Albert
   Malcolm, Joseph Wm.    Pratt, J.W.            Sykes, Geo.
   Marsden, N.            Preston, Thos.
   Martindale, Stanley    Pybus, R.
   Matthews, J.
   Matthews, Patrick
   Maughan, E.                                   Tarn, James C.
   Mawson, J.R. Laidlaw                          Taylor, J.G.
   McKay, Foster          Raine, Mark            Taylor, Richard R.
   McNaughton, Albert     Rammage, Wm.           Thompson, Ernest N.
   Metcalfe, Arthur       Reeve, Sam. L.         Thirlaway, Joseph
   Metcalfe, Joseph Wm.   Richardson, M.         Todd, Joseph
   Metcalfe, Thomas       Rickaby, George        Trussler, Herbert
   Middlemass, T.C.       Riley, Charles         Trussler, Sidney
   Milburn, E.            Robinson, Alfred       Tully, Lancelot
   Milburn, John Thos.    Robinson, Arthur       Tyreman, George W.
   Mills, Fred.           Robinson, Ernest
   Moody, Kenneth         Robinson, Henry
   Morland, Matthew       Robinson, J.T.
   Mudd, Tom.             Robinson, P.
   Murphy, J.             Robinson, R.           Vasey, Albert
   Murton, R.             Robinson, Rd. Henry    Vasey, Thomas
                          Robson, Ernest A.
                          Robson, John
                          Robson, Thos. W.
                          Rowntree, Christopher
   Neal, George                                  Wappett, John Wm.
   Neesam, C.W.                                  Warne, Percy
   Newby, J.                                     Watson, Jacob W.
   Nixon, J.G.                                   Watson, Joseph Matt.
   Noddings, Isaac        Sambrooke, A.E.        Watson, John Harold
                          Sayer, Thos. Edward    Watters, Luke
                          Shafto, Thos. Edward   Welburn, Thos.
                          Smeddle, G.R.G.        Wheatley, Ernest
                          Smedley, J.            Whitehead, J.
   Offord, William        Smith, David J.        Wick, Thos. Wm
                          Smith, W.M.            Williamson, James
                          Smith, Cresswell       Wilson, Joseph
                          Smith, G.              Wilson, W.P.
   Palmer, T.A.           Smurthwaite, B.B.      Woodward, Robt. Hy.
   Parker, Thomas.        Snowden, Wilfred.
   Parkin, Arthur         Solomon, Edwin
   Parsley, Norman        Sowerby, T.
   Pattinson, Robt.       Spensley, Harry        Young, James C.
   Pawson, Walter         Stanwix, Arthur        Young, John Wm.
NamesS122.02 

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Parish Notes

Every Name A Story