Memorial
Plaque 1914-18 St. John Ambulance
Gateshead
Memorial Name: Plaque 1914-18 St. John Ambulance (G39.030)
NEWMP Ref No.: G39.030
Parish: Gateshead
St. John’s Ambulance HQ, Hunters Terrace, Chilton, Ferryhill,
See Note 1 below.
1914-18
Unveiled in St.Thomas Church, Newcastle, on 2nd December 1922 by Major-Gen. Sir Geoffrey Feilding.
Vellum behind glass in old English oak frame.
St. John Ambulance Brigade
Designed by Alfred Lambert, London;
frame and carving were done by Elliott E. Brooks, Great Chapel Street, London.
To the glory of God and in memory of those Members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade in No.VI Northern District
who gave their lives for their Country in the Great War of 1914-1919.
Pro Fide Pro Utilitate Hominum
Plaque 45inches high x 75 inches wide set in an oak frame with ornamented top.
Along the top are the badges of the four Counties represented (Durham, Northumberland, North Riding of Yorks, and East Riding of Yorks) with the badge of the St. John Order at centre.
In each of the four corners is a painting depicting top left St. John; top right the Virgin Mary; bottom left a nurse and bottom right a male nurse. These are all shown standing in front of the St. John Ambulance HQ at St. John’s Gate, Clerkenwell, London.
Half way down the right and left outer edge is the Maltese Cross.
The central body of the plaque is divided into three panels.
The dedication runs along the top of all three panels, in Old English illuminated script.
Each panel bears a list of names in three columns listed according to the division represented, the names being in black Roman capitals and the division in gold lower case Roman.
The Brigade Motto is carried in Old English along the bottom frame.
237 names listed by division.
See transcript.
1. The Brigade has moved to new premises, and the memorial was placed in storage at Durham County Headquarters, St. John’s Road, Meadowfield Industrial Estate. Plans to move it to the Shotley Bridge Hospital Chapel fell through, and the memorial was kept at the St.John’s Ambulance HQ, Hunters Terrace, Chilton, Ferryhill, Co. Durham. In 2011 it was taken to Trimdon Community Centre, through the good offices of manager Derek Bradley, where it is in a storeroom, still in store in 2012.
2. At the unveiling ceremony, service medals were presented to Corpl. J. Elliott; Pte. W. Hindshaw and Pte J. Hamm (Felling Colliery Division). The long service medal was presented to Divisional Superintendent T. McNeil. Alex McBean, tram conductor, was decorated with a bronze medal for saving the life of a child from being run over by a car at Wallsend on 7th October.
3. No. 6 Division covered the area between the Humber and the Tweed and was comprised of Northumberland, Durham, and East and West Yorkshire
4. Following the unveiling, the plaque was taken to the Brigade HQ at 2 Osborne Terrace where it would be installed permanently
5. The origin of the badge of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem could be traced back to 1120, when Raymond de Puy, Grand Master, ordained that members should wear the eight-pointed cross to remind wearers that they always bore the Cross of Jesus Christ in their hearts. The cross should be white to represent purity, the four arms represent the four cardinal virtues of prudence, temperance, justice and fortitude, and the eight points represent the eight beatitudes – spiritual tranquillity, life without malice, contrition, patience, love of justice, mercy, sincerity and endurance under persecution
6. The Latin Motto “Pro Fide Pro Utilitate Hominum” translates as “For the Faith and in the Service of Humanity”
7. Restored 2018 with funding from the County Priority Groups of the Order of St. John in the North-East. Following restoration, the memorial was placed on view in the south transept of Durham Cathedral for a short while in 2019.
Photos: W.M. Gray
Durham Advertiser
06/06/2019 tells the story of the plaque and contains a request for information on the people named on the memorial.
Illustrated Chronicle
01/12/1922 shows photo of memorial;
01/12/1922 reports proposed unveiling ceremony;
04/12/1922 reports unveiling ceremony
Newcastle Daily Journal
12/04/1920 reports Col. Sir Thomas Oliver addressed massed units and saying that steps should be taken to erect memorials to those killed in action
Northern Echo
04/12/1922 reports unveiling.
Ashington Collieries Magazine
January 1923 Gives a description of the memorial.
Janet Brown;
Winifred M. Gray, M.B.E.;
Dorothy Hall;
Keith Griffin;
Stan Gray;
Edward Nicholl
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To the glory of God and in memory of those Members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade in No. VI Northern District
who gave their lives for their Country in the Great War of 1914-1919.
———————————————————————————
Left hand panel
District Staff Blackhall Colliery Div. Choppington Divn.
Scott, A.W. Dr. Copeland W. Calvert H.
Armstrong Whitworth Corps Graham R. Donald W.
Foster C. Blaydon on Tyne Divn. Gibson H.
Gilbert G. Bell H.S. Johnson J.
Ashington Coal Co. Corps Blaydon Burn Colliery Craghead Divn.
Barr H. & District Divn. Ellison R.
Bell R. Bell J.A. Greener H.
Carr E. Dixon J. Mather H.
Clark E. Blucher Colliery Divn. Snow J.
Collins T. Sanders W.H. Watson J.
Cookson T. Boldon Colliery Divn. Cramlington Divn.
Cosser E. Brown T.C. Lawson W.
Duncan R.H. Toogood W.E. Darlington Divn.
Dyball N. Brandon Colliery Divn. Warrilow H.
Johnson G. Hutchinson T. Dawdon Colliery Divn.
Mawson G.W. Bridlington Bell S.
Ord H. Y.M.C.A. Divn. Harley W.
Park W. Barnett T. Kavanagh W.
Robinson J.E. Bootland W.B. Percy H.
Scott J. Buddon F. Dean & Chapter Divn.
Simpson T. Fewster A. Hodgson J.
Tucker J.E. Gowland W. Jones R.
Turnbull A. Newsome N. Lowther J.
Waine C.A. Pidd E. Richardson R.D.
Wilkins, W. Platts A.V. Derwent Valley Corps
Birtley Iron Co. Corps. Cambois Divn. Armstrong R.
Avery W. Hopper C. Clement V.
Riley W. Silverton C.S. Hart J.
Wilson R. Charlaw & Sacriston Divn. Kelly M.T.
Barrington Divn. Ayre G. McNeill J.
Montgomery W. Rutter T.R. Ridley S.
Bates Divn. Turner R. Ridshaw G.
Leighton J. Chester le Street Divn. Scott J.
Beverley Divn. Davidson T. Smith W.
Smith J. Sommerville J.
———————————————————————————
Middle panel
Dudley Colliery & Dist. Divn. Horden Divn. Middlesbrough
Smiles J.A. Enright J.V. Central Divn.
Dunston on Tyne Divn. Turnbull T. Harbron T.
Lowery R. Houghton Le Spring Divn. Murton Colliery Divn.
Quick E. Gould H. Elliott N.L.
Ree T.E.B. King J. High T.
Rollo J. Oxley W. Jennings R.W.
Scott F.E. Rippon R. Newcastle upon Tyne Corps
Swindle M. Hull Corps. Bradley W.H.
Durham City Divn. Amyes, W. Chapman C.F.
Elliott W. Atkin C.T. Costello W.
Felling & Dist. Corps. Copeland A.E. Edgar R.
Davidson D. Green A. Embleton F.
Devine T. Hudson R. Gray J.W.
Pace W. Jones A. Jacques G.S.H.
Sheffer J.B.S. Proctor H.V. Johnson W.
Gateshead Borough Divn. Runton Gladys McConway I.
Hamilton R.K. Skinner A.W. McGrievy P.
Gateshead Fell Divn. Southern T.W. Middlemas G.E.
Lumley T. Tinker W. Ogg Kate
Gateshead Wood C.P. Stephenson Sylvia
Nursing Divn. Littletown & Newcastle Transport Divn.
Bulkeley L.A.H. Dr. Sherburn Divn. Kerrigan P.
Grosmont Divn. Kellett T. Pickering F.
Wood G. Scott John New Hartley Divn.
Harton Colliery Divn. Scott J. Falconer A.
Aitchison N.W. Lumley Divn. Robe R.A.
Chapman W. Watkins G. New Seaham Colliery Divn.
Inskip R. Mainsforth Divn. Gallilee J.
Lees J.W. Curwen T. Stark J.A.
Simpson R. Malton & Norton Divn. North Ferriby Divn.
Hebburn Nursing Divn. Brough J.W. Jackson R.
Duffy J.V. Dr. Kendal P.F. North Seaton Divn.
Hetton le Hole Divn. Perryman A.H. Seely A.
Cowley N. Shaw B. Rowell J.
Henderson J.J. Wright W.C.
Southgate F.G.
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Right hand panel
North Tyneside Corps Shotton Colliery Divn. Sunderland Nursing Divn.
Carr G. Brewer S.E. Bennett Hannah
Charlesworth T.S. Lloyd W. Crichton Dorothy
Crawford A.L. Taylor M. Victoria Garesfield Divn.
Goodson Lilian Silksworth Colliery Divn. Robinson R.
Grey J.W. Fenwick T. Young C.
Irving J.G. Sleekburn Divn. Walker Divn.
Margaretich L. Carruthers R. Smith J.
Muckle W.J.S. South Moor Divn. Weardale Corps
North Walbottle Jeans J. Elliott J.C.
Colliery Divn. Jacob B.W. Lacey N.
French T. Mumford J.T. Scales J.
Meechan T. South Shields Police Divn. Wearmouth Colliery Divn.
Peases West Divn. Bloom T.E. Atkinson W.
Adamson H.A. South Shields V.L.B. Divn. Cowie J.
Gaddas A.E. Dockwray T.P. Grieveson J.
Lummas F. Hogg J.T. Huntley W.
Wilson T.G. South Shields Nursing Divn. Kirton E.
Pelton Colliery Divn. Chapman Marian D. Scott A.
Bird J. Walker Jennie West Hartlepool Divn.
Clasper J. Springwell Colliery Divn. Dalton J.W.
Moffatt R.H. Lindsay D.P. Dolphin W.
Stephenson W. Stakeford&West Sleekburn Divn Hodgson J.W.
Welsh T. Gray T. Whickham Divn.
Scarborough Reid W. Hogg E.
Y.M.C.A. Divn. St.Hilda Colliery Divn. Whitby Divn.
Atkinson R. McQuade T.M. Cooper T.
Calvert F. Stella Coal Co. Corps. Frank C.
Fowler W.L. Clark W. Harrison W.
Larkin C.V. Hogg A. Palframan A.M.
Nelson F.C. Hogg R. Richardson G.
Scarborough Keenan W. Whitby Nursing Divn.
Nursing Divn. Richardson J. Bulmer Rosa L.
McLaughlin Mary Welch J.G. Smales Florence E.
Shildon Lodge Divn. Wilkinson T. Felling & District Corps.
Henderson E. Sunderland Eastern Divn. Owens F.
McLachlan W. McKie D.
Pro Fide Pro Utilitate Hominum
NamesG39.30
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