Memorial

Plaque 1939-45 Police HQ

Ponteland

Memorial Name: Plaque 1939-45 Police HQ (P12.02)

NEWMP Ref No.: P12.02

Parish: Ponteland

Original Location:

On lawn in front of Police Headquarters at the Kylins, Morpeth. Northumberland Police Headquarters, on green outside Chief Constable’s office.

Present Location:

Northumbria Police Force HQ. Middle Engine Lane, Wallsend, NE28 9NT.

Which War:

1939-45

Dedication, Creation or Publication date:

Unveiled 15th September 1948 by Rt. Hon. Sir Charles Trevelyan, Bart., Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland.
Dedicated by Canon F. Baker, Rector of Morpeth.

Materials Used:

Granite from Midgeholme Quarry, on the Cumbrian/Northumberland Border.

Present Condition: Excellent

Inscription:

1939 – 1945
To the memory of the fallen.

Memorial Description:

Rough granite block.

On the front, a panel has been smoothed and polished to carry the inscription.

At the top centre is featured the badge of the Northumberland County Constabulary, with the dates “1939” and “1945” on either side.

The names are listed in a single column.

All lettering is carved into the granite and painted gold, using Roman capitals.

Names:

8 names listed, including rank and regiment.
See transcript.

Notes:

Removed to Ponteland location when the HQ was moved from Morpeth in 1970s. Taken to Wallsend in 2015.

The Ponteland Cottage Homes were opened in 1903 to take workhouse children from the Newcastle Workhouse. They closed in 1960.
The premises were used as a Teacher Training College until they left.
The buildings became the HQ of Northumbria Police. In 2015 they have built themselves another HQ and have moved out, but not entirely, and the site has been sold for housing.