Memorial
Clock Tower 1914-18 1939-45 Village
Easington Lane
Memorial Name: Clock Tower 1914-18 1939-45 Village (E71.01)
NEWMP Ref No.: E71.01
Parish: Easington Lane
In village centre.
a. 1914-18
b. 1939-45
a. Unveiled 27th August 1921 by Lord Joicey, Chairman of Lambton & Hetton Collieries Ltd.
b. Unveiled 9th November 1952 by Cllr. J. Hudson, rededicated by Rev. R.A. Beddoes, address by Mr N.D. Dodds RBL
Sandstone and marble.
War Memorial Committee
Total cost of tower, bells and clock, £2,000
Site given by H. F. Bowes-Lyon;
Lambton & Hetton Co. built the tower;
The cost of the clock, panel & inscriptions was paid for by public contributions.
Tower designed by Jonathan Coxon, chief architect to Lambton and Hetton Colliery Co. who also supervised its building.
Clock made by Messrs. Lister of Newcastle;
Bells made by Gillett & Johnston Bell Foundry
In memory of
the fallen
and in honour of
the returned members of all
H.M. Forces
of Easington Lane
who served in the
Two World Wars
(Names)
Clock tower, square, 55 feet high (16.8m), 12 feet square (3.7m) at base, of six stages.
It has an ogee -shaped leaded dome and weathervane.
The clock is in the second stage from the top.
There are several plaques in the walls at ground level bearing different inscriptions.
In each wall is an arched recess containing a panel of polished marble bearing the names in two columns using sans serif capitals.
a. 155 surnames and initials.
b. 29 surnames and initials.
See transcript.
1. The stone was taken from Hetton Hall which had been demolished.
2. The original front plaque read: “In memory of the fallen and in honour of the returned sailors and soldiers of Easington Lane and Elemore Colliery who fought in the Great War 1914-1919”
3. The dedication after 1939-45 read “In memory of / the fallen / and in honour of / the returned members of all / H.M. Forces / of Easington Lane / who served in / the Second World War 1939-1945 (Names)” but this must have been changed subsequently.
4. The memorial is depicted on a banner which is now in the North of England Open Air Museum, Beamish.
5. After the foundation stone laying ceremony, a public tea was held to raise funds for the memorial.
6. The foundation stones were laid as follows:
Right front corner stone: This / stone was laid by / Austin Kirkup, Esq., / of Manor House, Penshaw. (Mr. Kirkup was Chief Agent of the Lambton and Hetton Collieries);
Right rear corner stone: This / stone was laid by / Thomas Hopper Esq./ ?? (Thomas Hopper of Easington Lane, was a Councillor; one report says he was a Canon; he was Chair of the War Memorial Committee);
Left front corner stone: This / stone was laid by / J.G. Joicey, Esq., / Newcastle upon Tyne;
Left rear corner stone: This / stone was laid by / James Robson / Durham (James Robson, President of the Durham Miners’ Association)
7. The memorial was rededicated on 28th August 2023, the centenary of its unveiling.
8. The name “Collidge” should be “Colledge”. Attempts by the family to have it changed have not succeeded.
9. Alan Buswell (2024) has sent details of the Bells:-
#197; Bell 1; 16 inches dia; 3qrs 11lbs in C.
#198; Bell 2; 17 inches dia; 1cwt 0qrs 0lbs in A#.
#199; Bell 3; 19 inches dia; 1cwt 1qrs 12lbs in G#.
#200; Bell 4; 24 inches dia; 2cwt 1qrs 25lbs in D#.
#200. Hour; 27 inches dia; 3cwt 2qrs 12lbs in C#.
All cast in August 1920. Presumably a Westminster Chime.
Photos: C. Sanders; Simon Raine; Dorothy Hall
Auckland and County Chronicle
02/09/1920 reports laying of foundation stones;
01/09/1921 reports unveiling.
.Durham Chronicle
03/09/1920 reports laying of foundation stones;
01/09/1921 reports unveiling.
Durham County Advertiser
02/09/1921 reports unveiling.
Illustrated Chronicle
29/08/1921 reports unveiling
Newcastle Daily Chronicle
29/08/1921 reports unveiling.
Newcastle Weekly Chronicle
03/09/1921 reports unveiling.
Northern Echo
27/08/1921 reports proposed opening this afternoon.
Stanley News
01/09/1921 reports unveiling;
Sunderland Echo
27/08/1921 page 3; 29/08/1921 page 3
28/08/2021 reports centenary rededication.
The Journal
28/08/2021 reports ceremony to mark the centenary
The Story Durham (formerly Durham County Record Office)
Ref: EP/EL.SM 2/45 Order of service for the unveiling ceremony and re-dedication service of the clock war memorial, 9 November 1952 (1 booklet, printed
Source of quotation
“Lest we forget” Recessional Rudyard Kipling
Additional Research Documents
E71.01 Order of Service 1952
Fitzhugh Collection, Middleton in Teesdale;
C. Sanders;
Ralph A. Gould;
James Pasby;
Dorothy Hall;
George Nairn;
Yorkshire Regiment Remembrance
If you are researching this memorial please contact 2014@newmp.org.uk
If you know more about this memorial, please send the details to NEWMP.
EASINGTON LANE In village centre.
Front Upper Stone:
This
memorial unveiled by
Lord Joicey
August 27th 1921.
—————————————-
Stone Centre Front (Lower)
Lest We Forget
August 28th 1920
—————————————-
Front plaque
In memory of
the fallen
and in honour of
the returned members of all
H.M. Forces
of Easington Lane
who served in the
Two World Wars
1939-1945
Adams J. Jones G.
Atkinson J. Kelly J.M.
Brown A. Kent J.
Bryce M.H. Lowes J.
Cook R.W. Milner F.
Coxon J. Morgan F.A.
Dawson C. D.F.M. Myers D.
Dorn W. Oswald J.H.
Eggleston, E. Richards T.
Foster G. Rippon J.
Girven L. Ritchie J.H.
Heslop T. Rose R.
Hutchinson F. Roxby R.
Johnson M.G. Shaw C.B.
Wharton R.
—————————————-
Left Plaque
1914-1918
Anderson T.F.G. Fife W.
Appleby G. Fishburn J.
Bagley F. Forster J.
Ball T. Gallagher M.
Barlow Jno. Gardner R.W.W.
Barnfather A. Gibbon W.
Barnfather J. Gibson T.
Bell R.L. Gibson Wilf.
Bell Geo. Grayson W.
Bennett N. Green G.
Bolton T. Hall J.W.
Booth T.W. Hall R.B.
Bourne A.E. Hall T.
Bourne A.J. Handslip J.
Bowen M. Hardy Wm.
Bradley H. Harker J.T.
Brummell T. Harrison Jas.
Bunt J.H. Hepple T.B.
Burn J.E. Heslop J.M.
Calvert D.H. Higgins J.
Carter C.F. Hingley Fr.
Carter W.C. Hingley L.
Charlton J.W. Hopper A.E.
Coils C. Hudson J.
Collidge W. Hunter A.
Connor Jno. Jackson J.E.
Cook Jno. Jobey A.M.
Cradduck R. Johnson E.
Cradduck T.H. Johnson F.
Cummins S. Johnson W.
Dixon J. Kay H.
Dodds J. Kent J.
Dolphin Geo. Knapper Jos.
Elliott J. Knowles Jno.
Ellis J.F. Larmer W.
Errington A. Laverick S.
Evans J. Lawson R.
Fawcett W.I. Lawson W.
Ferguson C.M. Liddle M.H.
—————————————-
Right plaque
1914-1918
Lydon A. Scott T.
Lyons R. Sharr Wm.
Mackie Jno. T. Short R.
Mallam J. Slack R.
Main Alex. Snowdon T.
Marshall C.P. Speed R.W.
Mason J.G. Spence T.
Mather Wm. Stanley T.A.
McCullock Wm. Stobbart Geo.
Meek H. Storey I.B.
Middleton J. Strachan L.
Middleton T. Swan S.
Milburn E. Tattersdale B.
Morrison A.E. Taylor J.H.
Murphy E. Taylor Wm.
Nairn J.J. Teasdale M.
Nattrass J.W. Thomas T.E.
Nelson T.H. Thompson F.
Newsome N. Thompson G.T.
Nicholson W. Thompson T.C.
Oldham N. Thompson W.C.
Parker J.W. Tilley M.
Phillips J.W. Walker T.T.
Price J. Walls G.
Pringle E. Wardle P.
Purvis J. Welsh M.
Raine J. West H.
Ramshaw G. Whittle T.
Ramshaw W. Whitton G.
Reay J. Wile J.G.
Richards T.H. Wills P.
Richardson G. Wilson A.
Richardson T.L. Wilson G.
Richardson W.S. Wilson H.
Riddle J. Wilson J.
Robson T. Wilson J.
Robson W. Wiseman E.
Rossiter H. Wright W.
Rushworth H. Young L.
Scott B. Young J.G.
NamesE71.01
War Memorial Indexes
County Durham Index
Newcastle Index
Northumberland Index
Over The Tees Index
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