Memorial

Monument 1914-18 1939-45 Roadside

Belford

Memorial Name: Monument 1914-18 1939-45 Roadside (B16.01)

NEWMP Ref No.: B16.01

Parish: Belford

Original Location:

West Street, in front of Belford Community Centre.

Which War:

a. 1914-18
b. 1939-45

Dedication, Creation or Publication date:

a. Unveiled March 26th 1922 by Dr. James McDonald, M.D.
Dedicated by Rev. F. Goodburn Buffey.

b. Restored memorial rededicated October 2005 by Rev. Adrian Hughes.

Materials Used:

Local freestone.

Cost:

b. Restoration cost approx. £4,000

How Money was Raised:

Public subscription

Sculptor, Artist or Designer:

Mr. Tully of Belford.
Designed by G.H. Lawson, of Lawson & Simpson, Newcastle.

Ownership and Maintenance: Formally accepted by the Belford Parish Council following the sale of the Memorial Hall. Three Parish Councillors were appointed as "Trustees

Inscription:

a. 1914-18
b. 1939-45

Memorial Description:

Monument 48 inches high x 120 inches wide (121cms x 304cms) made of sandstone blocks, to which another course of blocks has been added later.

Flanking panels of sandstone curve forward in front to give a frontage about 14 feet (4.26m) wide, which is paved with square red tile bricks, and has a wrought iron fence in front.

On the main sandstone wall are four tall, narrow bronze plaques, each 21 inches high x 12¼ inches wide, (53cms x 31cms) bearing the names from 1914-18 in a single column on each.

On the upper course is another plaque, 12 inches high x 36 inches wide, (30cms x 91cms) laid at right angles to the four below, and this bears the names from 1939-1945, listed in three columns divided by a vertical line.

The lettering throughout is in raised elongated Roman capitals.

Names:

a. 56 names and ranks
b. 21 names and ranks.
See transcript.

Notes:

1. The Memorial Hall and Memorial are featured on the Belford 2000 tapestry, which was displayed in the ‘Unique Northumberland’ exhibition at Alnwick Castle in June 2000.

2. The War Memorials Trust donated £1,000 towards the cost of restoration. Belford Development Trust led the fund-raising.

3. Children from Belford Middle School laid a wreath at the rededication service.

4. Two further names from 1914-18 and another two from 1939-45 were added in October 2005.

5. “Belford is to erect a hall and institute as its war memorial. On the walls, in letters of gold, will be the names of the fallen from the district; in letters of silver the names of all wounded; and thirdly, names of local men who fought in the world’s war.” Illustrated Chronicle 24/01/1919, page 6”

6. According to St. George’s Gazette:
“The wall facing West Street has been renovated, and a piece about 12 feet long taken out of the centre of it. Here has been erected of red sandstone a miniature cenotaph flanked by pilasters and carved wings of the same material. The monument stands back about six feet from the line of the wall, and the intervening space is tiled. Four bronze tablets inserted into the front of the monument commemorate the names of the fallen. Above the tablet, and cut out of sandstone, are the dates 1914-18, and below, the words ‘Their name liveth for evermore’. A foot from the ground a narrow ledge runs the whole length of the monument, and this is intended for flowers.”

7. The bronze plaques have recently been cleaned, at the same time as the four additional names were added.

External Links:

Historic England Listing

Sources:

Photos: J. Brown; Rev. W.S. Nicholson, Belford Local History Society; P. Thirkell; tapestry photos: J. Brown; photos showing new names added: Valerie Glass; old postcard: Tony Harding;

Alnwick & County Gazette
25/02/1922 reports discussions re unveiling;
01/04/1922 reports unveiling.

Alnwick Gazette
Almanack 1916 carries portrait of Pte. J. Clark, killed in action

Berwick Advertiser
13/02/1930 reports children playing round the war memorial. Proposals to put rails round the memorial were rejected in favour of explanation to the children concerned. A letter would be written to the school.

Illustrated Chronicle
27/03/1922 carries photos of the unveiling.

Morpeth Herald
31/03/1922 reports the unveiling.

Newcastle Weekly Chronicle
01/04/1922 reports unveiling.

Northumberland Gazette
17/11/2005 carries reports of the rededication with photos.

St. George’s Gazette
Vol. XL (1922) reports information in Note 6 above.

Northumberland Record Office
letters circulated by Belford Development Trust appealing for funds (ANLHS War Memorials Project)

War Memorials Trust
Newsletter No. 28 Winter 2005/6 carries photo of memorial and award of grant.

Further Aspects of Belford; Belford Local History Society. This contains a very well researched chapter on the Great War. It is available from the Community Shop, Belford Newsagents, Sunnyhills Farmshop, price £12.

Additional Research Documents

B16.01 Unveiling Programme 1922

Download

B16.01 Illustrated Chronicle photos of unveiling 1922

Download

Research Acknowledgements:

George Rogerson, Belford Local History Society;
Valerie Glass, Belford Local History Society;
Jane Bowen, Belford Local History Society;
Philippa Craig, Belford Local History Society;
Kerry Noble, Captain (Retd)., Belford Parish Council
Janet Brown;
Berwick upon Tweed Town Council;
Philip Thirkell;
Tony Harding;
Dorothy Hall;
Patrick Easen;