Sailor Statue 1914-18 1939-45 Roadside

On the side of the main road through the village beside the Red Lion Public House, facing north.

a. 1914-18
b. 1939-45

a. Unveiled December 21st 1924 by Lieut.Col. Sir Alexander Leith, Bart.;
dedicated by the Vicar, Rev. Ed. Arkless.

Stone and granite

Earsdon War Memorial Fund Committee (Chairman Mr. T.B. Leonard; Secretary Mr. T. Bertram)

Public subscriptions, donations, a series of fund-raising dances, whist drives, etc.

Monument erected by Mr. Taylor of Earsdon.
Sculptor was Mr. Stewart of Aberdeen.

a.
This monument is erected
to the glorious memory of
the men who gave their lives
in the Great War
1914-1918
At the going down of the sun
and in the morning we will
remember them.

b.
1939-1945

Statue of Royal Navy Marine with reversed rifle barrel resting on the left toe cap.

There is a three stepped stone base surmounted by two deeper graduated blocks, on which rests a large granite block which bears the inscriptions.

The base is 5 feet square (1.5m), with one rail iron bar surround.

The whole is surrounded by a low hawthorn hedge, open for one yard for entrance.

It is inscribed on the north and east sides, on faces which have been sunken and dressed for the purpose.

The names are listed in two columns, the lettering is elongated sans serif capitals.

1. It was intended to place the memorial in front of the Post Office, but this land was no longer available through new road regulations.

2. It had been intended, according to the Morpeth Herald, to unveil the memorial on Armistice Day, 11th November 1924.

3. From the village, 101 people went to fight, of whom 24 died.

4. Earsdon was one of the first places to be occupied by the 4th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. They had been billeted in the White House, which had been the home of Col. Ritter, founder of the old Volunteers in 1850.

5. This memorial is unique in that it features a lone sailor. Usually a soldier is shown unless all three spheres of service are represented. The man who posed is said to have been pleased to receive 6d  per sitting.

6. One Military Cross and three Military Medals had been won.

Historic England Listing

Photos: J. Brown; old postcard: Tony Harding; old photo: James Pasby

.Blyth News
12/9/1924 reports fund raising whist drive;
22/12/1924 reports unveiling.

Illustrated Chronicle
22/12/1924 reports unveiling with photos.

Morpeth Herald
20/07/1923 reports fund raising;
14/09/1923 reports fundraising;
26/12/1924 reports unveiling.

Newcastle Daily Chronicle and North Mail
16/07/1923 reports sale of work to raise funds;
10/09/1923 reports garden fete.

Newcastle Weekly Chronicle
27/12/1924 reports unveiling.

Shields Daily News
passim reports fund raising efforts;
04/06/1924 reports on proposed site

Tyne and Wear Specialist Conservation Team Annual Report 2005-6

The Glorious Dead. Figurative Sculpture of British First World War Memorials. Geoff Archer, Frontier Publishing; 2009. ISBN 978 1 872914 38 1

Source of quotation
“At the going down of the sun . . .” For the Fallen Lawrence Binyon.

T.A. Allan, Seaton Delaval Local History Society;
R.W. Gould;
J. Brown;
N. Tyneside Council;
James Pasby;
Tony Harding;
Dorothy Hall

Research on this memorial is being done by Colin Bray.

Contact: colin380@sky.com