Memorial Details

Plaque Cree 1917 N.E.R. Offices

S122.13

SHILDON

NZ

Carriage and Wagons Accountant's office or the Locomotive Accountant's office.

A member of the Cree family.

1914-18

Unveiled November 1921 by ex-servicemen who were members of the office staff.

Plaque 13¼ inches high x 18 inches wide (336 mm x 453 mm) with dome at centre top. There is a single line border. At centre top is the Regimental badge of the Royal Fusiliers in colour. Lettering is in Roman and san serif capitals.

?Brass

See above.

Carriage and Wagons Accountant's office or the Locomotive Accountant's office.

Excellent, following a careful cleaning and restoration by Mr Tony Dargue.

1. The plaque was found by Mr Peter Dargue, of the Sports and Social Club, in a box of rubbish which was about to be discarded.

2. Private Cree is remembered on two other Shildon Memorials, S122.02 and S122.03 and that, together with the information mentioned below, confirms that he was a Shildon lad.

3. In an article by Mr Mike Amos in the Northern Echo of Wednesday 1st March, the finding of the plaque was reported and a plea made for information. Ms Lynn Wilson, local Walks Co-ordinator alerted John Dixon to the article. After a conversation with Northern Echo Editorial StaffJohn spoke to Mr Amos, who very kindly put him in touch with Mr Dargue later that day, and arrangements were immediately made to document and photograph the plaque. Mr Peter Dargue had already made research enquiries via the British Legion, who had confirmed Private Cree’s details from the CWGC Website, and from the CD-ROM “Soldiers Died”, as well as via research into local Census data. The publicity resulted in a member of the family contacting Mike Amos and the plaque is now with John Cree's family.

4. John Cree’s funeral was on 20th January 1917 at Shildon Primitive Methodist Church where he was a member of the Church and choir, which suggests that this plaque was originally in the church which has since been demolished.

5. The assumption that this plaque was originally in the N.E.R. Offices is simply that a record was made of the unveiling there but, so far, (see additional notes below) there is no mention of one anywhere else. That he worked at the N.E.R. is reinforced by a representative from that firm laying a wreath at his funeral.

Photos: John and Mavis Dixon

Auckland and County Chronicle 25/01/1917 reports Pte. Cree’s funeral.

Northern Echo 12/11/1921 reports unveiling of brass plaques to Ptes. Cree and Bamlett.

NER Railway Magazine 1921, page 232. Source of additional information.

Source of quotation
“They are the world’s truest and noblest sons ..." Not ascertained

Northern Echo 1921 11 12 Sat

a. The two plaques were unveiled on a Armistice Remembrance Day, silently performed by two former ex-service comrades Messrs. T. Ellwood and A. Myers. The plaques were situated in either the Carriage and Wagons Accountant's office or the Locomotive Accountant's office, (one in each). The office staff of the above departments had placed the plaques in the respective offices.
The description of the tablets was given as "very beautifully engraved and are of the same type and high quality as seen on the walls of churches and cathedrals".

b. The other plaque mentioned was for William Bamlett see S122.26 which is missing.

Messrs Peter and Tony Dargue; Mike Amos of the Northern Echo; Ms Lynn Wilson of Wear Valley District Council; John and Mavis Dixon; Dorothy Hall; James Pasby

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

 

Notes for this Parish

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