Memorial Details
Memorial
Cross 1914-18 1939-45 Roadside
Reference
S7.03
Place
SEATON DELAVAL
Map ref
NZ 305752
Original Location
On minor road leading to New Hartley
Present Location
Moved 1930s to Memorial Park; moved in 1965 to Elsdon Avenue.
Which war
a. 1914-18
b. 1939-45
b. 1939-45
Dedication, Creation or Publication date
a. Unveiled 2nd September 1922 by Mr. John Charlton, Headmaster of Schools in Seaton Delaval. Dedicated by Dr. Wild, Bishop of Newcastle. Blessed by Canon W.E. Jackson.
b. Unveiled 10th October 1999 at 3 p.m. by Cllr. Margaret A. Parker, Mayor of
b. Unveiled 10th October 1999 at 3 p.m. by Cllr. Margaret A. Parker, Mayor of
Memorial Description
Cross of Latin type on tapering column supported by side buttresses, capped with a small ornament, total height 20 feet. At the base of the column on each side is a wreath carved in half relief, and beneath is a moulded capital, surmounting the pedestal on which the inscriptions are placed in lead letters. The dedication is on the front, and the names in a single column on the other three sides. Below the pedestal are two bases and two steps leading up to the memorial. Around the whole is a railing. Lettering is incised and painted black.
The names for those who died in 1939-45 were added in 1999 on two columns on each of the four faces of the pedestal.
The names for those who died in 1939-45 were added in 1999 on two columns on each of the four faces of the pedestal.
Materials used
Creetown granite (silver granite)
Inscription
For the Motherland. / 1914-1918.
These men of ours, at the / call of King and Country, / left all that was dear to / them. Endured hardness, / faced danger and finally / passed out of the sight of / men, by the path of duty / and self-sacrifice; giv- / ing up their own lives / that others might live in / freedom. / Let those who come after / see to it that their names / are not forgotten.
These men of ours, at the / call of King and Country, / left all that was dear to / them. Endured hardness, / faced danger and finally / passed out of the sight of / men, by the path of duty / and self-sacrifice; giv- / ing up their own lives / that others might live in / freedom. / Let those who come after / see to it that their names / are not forgotten.
Names
Who commissioned
War Memorial Committee
How money was raised
Site provided by Seaton Delaval Coal Company. Public subscription.
Sculptor, Artist or Designer
Obelisk made by D.W. Forster, Sculptor, Queen Alexandra Road, North Shields. Railing made by Horsley Bros, Iron Founders, North Shields.
Ownership and maintenance
Memorial was formally handed over to the Seaton Delaval District Council at the 1914-18 unveiling ceremony.
Notes
1914-1918
1. The original proposal for Aged Miners' Homes was rejected in favour of a Nurse's Home, costing £900-£1,000. However, after 3 years, only £547 had been raised, of which £250 had come from the Seaton Delaval Coal Co. The final decision was to raise the cross.
2. Lord Hastings objected in principle with a memorial which was of use to the living, but would concur with the majority.
3. “The directors of Seaton Delaval Coal Company have offered a free site for the laying out of a miniature pleasure ground as a permanent war memorial”. Newcastle Weekly Chronicle
4. An early suggestion for a memorial was new Council offices near the Avenue Head crossing, with plaques inside and a lintel stone saying that it was a war memorial.
5. John Charlton, who unveiled the memorial, had two sons killed in the war.
6. The original site was “a stone’s throw from the railway station where the lads entrained for the various theatres of war; it faces the school where they were taught, also the Post Office where their field cards were addressed and the parcels were sent from, and finally it looks down the road where they walked to and from their work at the colliery”.
7. The name "W.C. Charlton" should be "W.G. Charlton.
1939-45 Memorial
1. At the reception in the village hall afterwards, there was an exhibition on the memorial and its three locations and photographs of some of the men involved
2. The unveiling of the 1939-45 names was followed immediately by the opening of a Millennium Garden which surrounds the cross. It consists of five flower beds forming a circle round the memorial, each one donated by the different schools in the area Astley Community High School, Whytrig County Middle School, Seaton Delaval First School, Holywell First School and Seaton Terrace Nursery School
3. At the reception in the village hall afterwards, there was an exhibition on the memorial and its three locations and photographs of some of the men involved.
4. The unveiling of the 1939-45 names was followed immediately by the opening of a Millennium Garden which surrounds the cross. It consists of five flower beds forming a circle round the memorial, each one donated by the different schools in the area: Astley Community High School, Whytrig County Middle School, Seaton Delaval First School, Holywell First School and Seaton Terrace Nursery School.
1. The original proposal for Aged Miners' Homes was rejected in favour of a Nurse's Home, costing £900-£1,000. However, after 3 years, only £547 had been raised, of which £250 had come from the Seaton Delaval Coal Co. The final decision was to raise the cross.
2. Lord Hastings objected in principle with a memorial which was of use to the living, but would concur with the majority.
3. “The directors of Seaton Delaval Coal Company have offered a free site for the laying out of a miniature pleasure ground as a permanent war memorial”. Newcastle Weekly Chronicle
4. An early suggestion for a memorial was new Council offices near the Avenue Head crossing, with plaques inside and a lintel stone saying that it was a war memorial.
5. John Charlton, who unveiled the memorial, had two sons killed in the war.
6. The original site was “a stone’s throw from the railway station where the lads entrained for the various theatres of war; it faces the school where they were taught, also the Post Office where their field cards were addressed and the parcels were sent from, and finally it looks down the road where they walked to and from their work at the colliery”.
7. The name "W.C. Charlton" should be "W.G. Charlton.
1939-45 Memorial
1. At the reception in the village hall afterwards, there was an exhibition on the memorial and its three locations and photographs of some of the men involved
2. The unveiling of the 1939-45 names was followed immediately by the opening of a Millennium Garden which surrounds the cross. It consists of five flower beds forming a circle round the memorial, each one donated by the different schools in the area Astley Community High School, Whytrig County Middle School, Seaton Delaval First School, Holywell First School and Seaton Terrace Nursery School
3. At the reception in the village hall afterwards, there was an exhibition on the memorial and its three locations and photographs of some of the men involved.
4. The unveiling of the 1939-45 names was followed immediately by the opening of a Millennium Garden which surrounds the cross. It consists of five flower beds forming a circle round the memorial, each one donated by the different schools in the area: Astley Community High School, Whytrig County Middle School, Seaton Delaval First School, Holywell First School and Seaton Terrace Nursery School.
Newspaper cuttings, photos or archival material
Photos: T.Allan; photos of the 1999 unveiling of names from 1939-45: J. Brown; old photos: T. Allan
Shields Daily News 04/09/1922 reports the unveiling ceremony and tells of the makers of the railings
Northumberland Record Office Council Meeting Minutes
Morpeth Herald 14/03/1919 reports proposal for new Council Offices; 23/09/1921 reports on the failure to raise funds, to forget a big memorial and to settle for the cenotaph; 30/09/1921 reports on the “frigid manner” in which people have supported the scheme; 25/08/1922 reports proposed unveiling; 08/09/1922 reports unveiling.
Alnwick & County Gazette 24/9/1921 reports public meeting giving details in Note 1 above; 26/8/1922 reports proposed unveiling
Illustrated Chronicle 2/9/1922 reports proposed unveiling this afternoon; 4/9/1922 reports unveiling
Northern Echo 4/9/1922 reports unveiling.
Newcastle Weekly Chronicle 29/3/1919 reports offer of land in Note 3 above.
Whitley Bay Observer 8/9/1922 reports unveiling with photos.
Newcastle Daily Chronicle 24/7/1919 reports decisions and appeals for help with donations.
News Post Leader 18/11/1999 reports the adding of more names from the plaque in St. Mary’s Church in Holywell
Source of quotation:
"These men of ours . . ." Quoted from a certificate sent to all bereaved families under the cypher of King George V
Shields Daily News 04/09/1922 reports the unveiling ceremony and tells of the makers of the railings
Northumberland Record Office Council Meeting Minutes
Morpeth Herald 14/03/1919 reports proposal for new Council Offices; 23/09/1921 reports on the failure to raise funds, to forget a big memorial and to settle for the cenotaph; 30/09/1921 reports on the “frigid manner” in which people have supported the scheme; 25/08/1922 reports proposed unveiling; 08/09/1922 reports unveiling.
Alnwick & County Gazette 24/9/1921 reports public meeting giving details in Note 1 above; 26/8/1922 reports proposed unveiling
Illustrated Chronicle 2/9/1922 reports proposed unveiling this afternoon; 4/9/1922 reports unveiling
Northern Echo 4/9/1922 reports unveiling.
Newcastle Weekly Chronicle 29/3/1919 reports offer of land in Note 3 above.
Whitley Bay Observer 8/9/1922 reports unveiling with photos.
Newcastle Daily Chronicle 24/7/1919 reports decisions and appeals for help with donations.
News Post Leader 18/11/1999 reports the adding of more names from the plaque in St. Mary’s Church in Holywell
Source of quotation:
"These men of ours . . ." Quoted from a certificate sent to all bereaved families under the cypher of King George V
External web link
Links to Source Material :
Additional Research documents (click to download)
Research acknowledgements
Seaton Delaval and District Local History Society; P. Thirkell; the late R.W. Gould; J. Brown, Mrs. I. Edmonds; Reg. Hornsby; Dorothy Hall
Research In Progress
If you are researching this memorial please contact 2014@newmp.org.uk
Cross 1914-18 1939-45 Roadside (S7.03)
SEATON DELAVAL, Elsdon Avenue.
Front : Side 1
For the Motherland Wm. Amour
1914 -1918 John R. Armstrong
These men of ours, at the J. Thos. Armstrong
call of King and Country, Wm. Armstrong
left all that was dear to Jno. Bailey
them. Endured hardness, Wm. Bainbridge
faced danger and finally Hy. Barnes
passed out of the sight of Wm. F. Bell
men, by the path of duty Wm. Bewick
and self-sacrifice; giv- Thos. Bowman
ing up their own lives Jas. H. Brown
that others might live in Robt. Bruce
freedom. Jno. C. Buddle
Let those who come after Geo. F.H. Charlton
see to it that their names Wm.C. Charlton
are not forgotten. Thos. Charlton
Wm. Charlton
Geo. Chrisp
Mark Cockburn
James Collier
Edw. Crosby
Geo. Dixon
C. Jas. Dunn
Matt. Bell
-------------------------------------------------------
On top of second step:
To those who made the supreme sacrifice
1939 - 1945
-------------------------------------------------------
On riser at front : On riser, side 1:
Norman Allan Ralph Bell Edna Crawford William Gray
Thomas Armstrong William Browell Christopher Crosby Edward Hartshorne
Edward Baxter Alexander Cairns Norman Ellison Raymond Hunter
William Baxter Joseph Charlton James Grainger Arthur Middlemas
-----------------------------------------------------------
Side 2 : Back :
Thos. Wm. Cormely Jos. Milet
J.Wm. Dunn Jno. A. Moody
Wm. English Thos. Moore
Wm. Forbes Mich. Mullarkey
Thos. Freeman Alf. Neil
Thos. Graham Jas. Neil
Frank Hall Thos. Ogle
Ar. Harrison Sam. Patterson
Wm. Harrison Jno. Pattison
Jno. Hedley Wm. Pattison
Jas. Hill Fr. Robe
Albt.E. Johnson Chas. E. Robertson
Jno. E.W. Johnstone Rt. Rutherford
Den. Kelly Edw. Sidney
Law.H. Kennedy Ern. Slinn
Geo. Lawson Thos. R. Sprott
Hy. Lawson Wm. E. Stephenson
Wm. Lawson Hy. W. Thompson
Edw. Leader Thos. Varley
Jas. W. Leathen Jos. Wake
Jac. Leighton Thos. A. Walker
Ar. Malton Thos. Watson
Jas. Mason Wm. Younger
Jas. McKean Eliz. Cleghorn
Wm. McCarrigle
----------------------------------------------------
On riser side 2: On riser, back
Angus Taylor James Walker John Money Phillip Snowdon
Ronald Taylor Joseph Ward Robert Newton Cecil Stobbs
Albert Todd Gladstone Williamson William Potts John Swanson
Percy Turnbull John Young John Simpson William Symington
NamesS7.03
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