Memorial

Cross 1914-18 Christ Church grounds

Sunderland

Memorial Name: Cross 1914-18 Christ Church grounds (S140.005)

NEWMP Ref No.: S140.005

Parish: Sunderland

Original Location:

Christ Church, Ryhope Road / The Cloisters,
Bishopwearmouth. In Church grounds.

Which War:

1914-18

Dedication, Creation or Publication date:

Unveiled 26th June 1921 by Ald. W.F. Vint, J.P., Deputy Mayor

Materials Used:

Portland stone

Sculptor, Artist or Designer:

Mr. John Hall, F.R.I.B.A. of Sunderland architect.
Work was undertaken by Messrs Borrowdale.

Inscription:

To the Glory of God and in grateful and reverent memory of the men of the parish and congregation of Christ Church who gave their lives for their country in the Great War 1914-1918
They were a wall unto us both by night and day. 1 Sam.XXV xv

Memorial Description:

Cross on octagonal base resting on three steps.

Total height 24 foot high (7.3m) weighing 25 tons.

Steps 7 feet across (2.1m).

There is an inscription at the base of the pillar carved to stand proud using very elaborate lettering.

The alternate faces of the base have been extended outwards to give a cruciform shape horizontally.

The names are on seven faces of the pedestal, the lettering being in sans serif capitals.

Names:

67 names, ranks and regiments.
See transcript.

Notes:

1. Christ Church closed May 1st 1998 and the memorial is chained off in a car park.

2. The church is now a Sikh Community Centre /Temple.

3. The Memorial has been restored and cleaned September 2017.

Sources:

Photos: C. Sanders; Dorothy Hall

Illustrated Chronicle
17/12/1919 shows drawing of proposed memorial;
25/06/1921 reports unveiling tomorrow with photo.

Northern Echo 27/06/1921 reports briefly on unveiling.

Shields Daily News
27/06/1921;
25/06/1925 page.3;
27/06/1927 page 3

Sunderland Echo
27/06/1921 reports unveiling with list of names. (Available on The British Newspaper Archive);
12/ 09/2017 reports restoration by the Sikh Community

The Story Durham (formerly Durham County Record Office:
Ref. EP/Bi.CC 280 Statement of receipts and expenditure of the Memorial Cross Fund, 20 September 1921 (1 paper)
Ref: EP/Bi.CC 285 Pass book of Lloyds Bank, for the War Memorial Fund, 31 January 1917 – 28 July 1921 (1 booklet)

Christ Church 1863-1964 Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland

Source of quotation
“The men were kind to us . . .” 1 Samuel 25 v 15-16

Research Acknowledgements:

C. Sanders;
Dorothy Hall;
Fitzhugh Collection, Middleton in Teesdale;
David Sloan;
Michael Mulhern

Research In Progress:

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.

Names Documents:

SUNDERLAND: In Christ Church grounds

 

Around base of Cross in two lines

    To the Glory of God and in grateful and reverent memory of the

    men of the parish and congregation of Christ Church who gave

    their lives for their country in the Great War 1914-1918

  

Panel 1

  

    They were a wall unto us

    both by night and day. 1 Sam. XXV xv

—————————————————

Panel 2

 

    James Adamson            Capt.         R.F.A

    Charles Airey            Sergt.        7th D.L.I.

    Archibald C. Amundsen    Corpl.        N.F.

    George S. Armstrong      —           Cycle Corps

    Charles W.T. Barker M.C. Capt.         15th D.L.I.

    Harold F. Barker         Major         R.F.A.

    Arnold S. Barker         2nd Lieut.    7th D.L.I.

    James W. Beattie, M.D.   Capt.         R.A.M.C.

    John Black               Corpl.        W. Yorks

—————————————————-

Panel 3

   

    Murray Blumer            Pte.          16th Middlesex

    John Blumer              2nd Lieut.    R.F.A.

    John Briggs              Pte.          Loyal N. Lancs

    Thomas B.L. Bubb         L.Corp.       Lond. Reg.

    Henry A. Carney          Intell. Depart. 15th Corps.

    John H. Chilvers         Pte.          R.A.S.C.

    John Churchill           2nd Lt.       R.A.F.

    Joseph Cowey             Bombardier    R.G.A.

    Robert H. Craig          Pte.          K.O.Y.L.I.

    Edmund Dixon             Bombardier    R.G.A.

————————————————–

Panel 4

  

    Joseph M.S. Crichton     —           Austral CGT.

    Benjamin Dawson                        Master Mariner

    Clifford M.F. Dewdney    Capt.         14th Glos. Reg.

    Joseph M. Day            Pte.          R.A.S.C

    John Dickinson, M.C.     Lieut.        R.F.A.

    Arnold Dunning           Pte.          87th Can. In.

    John M. Foster           2nd Lieut.    Gordon Highlands

    Gilbert F. Haddock       Pte.          7th D.L.I.

    George E. Harker         Lieut.        R.F.A.

————————————————–

Panel 5 – 2014 virtually unreadable

  

    Reynold C.H. Hauff                     Merchant Serv.

    John H. Hedley           2nd Lieut.    5th Middlex Regt.

    Henry F.T. Hogben        Lieut.        10th Middlex Reg.

    Thomas H. Hogg, M.C.     Lieut.        R.F.A.

    Innis Eldon Irwin        L.Corpl.      K.L.R.

    John Jameson             —           Can. Contgt.

    Sydney Jameson           —           Can. Contgt.

    Robert W. Johnson        Pte.          R.F.A.

    Hugh O. Kayll            Lieut.        R.N.V.R.

    Frank R. Kirkley, M.C.   Lieut.        R.F.A.

    Charles L. Lee           Corpl.        11th N.F.

    Ralph Robinson           Pte.          Lond. Scottish

———————————————————-

Panel 6

  

    Reginald J. McIntyre     Lieut         1st H.L.I.

    Thomas E. Mickels                      HMS Hawke

    George W.S. Pickering    Pte.          20th D.L.I.

    Gordon Piper             Pte.          M. Gun Corps

    Gilbert Rennison         L.Corpl.      Berks Yeo.

    Arthur S. Ritson         2nd Lieut.    5th D.L.I.

    Francis Ritson           Capt.         5th Dorset Regt

    Henry B. Sheel                         Merchant Serv.

    William Sheel                          Merchant Serv.

———————————————————-

Panel 7

  

    Norman R. Shepherd       Capt.         7th D.L.I.

    James R. Shiells         L.Corpl.      K.O.Y.L.I.

    Arthur W.S. Stockdale    Lieut.        7th D.L.I.

    John S. Storey           Corpl.        N.H.I.Yeo.

    Edgar F. Squance         Pte.          7th D.L.I.

    Francis E. Thomas        Pte.          R.A.M.C.

    Charles M. Thompson      2nd Lieut.    3rd N.F.

    Charles A. Todd          Pte.          7th D.L.I.

    Eric G. Trewhitt         2nd Lieut.    Hon.H.C.

———————————————-

Panel 8

  

    Ralph Tully              Gunner        R.F.A.

    Fred M. Wawn             Capt.         7th D.L.I.

    Henry M. Westcott                      Master Mariner

    Frank Wilkinson          Capt.         R.F.A.

    Henry Wilkinson          L.Corp.       8th Lond. Regt.

    William W. Wilson        L.Sergt.      18th D.L.I.

    Samuel W. Wilson                       Merchant Serv.

    Keith S. Yeaman          Major         R.F.A.

    Denis J. Yeaman          2nd Lieut     K.R.R.C.

  

The Sunderland Echo 25/06/1921 gives the following details: –    

    Archibald Charles Amundsen

    George Stanley Armstrong

    Charles William Tone Barker

    Harold Frederick Barker

    Arnold Septimus Barker

    Jas. Walker Beattie, M.D.   

    Thomas Barry Lawson Bubb

    Henry Allison Carney

    John Henry Chilvers

    Robert Hodgson Craig

    Joseph Michael Smith Crichton

    Clifford Mostyn French Dewdney

    Joseph Michael Day

    John M.(sic) Foster

    Gilbert Foster Haddock

    George Ernest Harker.

    John Hunt Hedley

    Henry Francis Thomas Hogben

    Thomas Henry Hogg, M.C.

    Robert William Johnson

    Hugh Oswald Kayll

    Frank Robson Kirkley, M.C.

    Charles Lambert Lee

    Reginald John McIntyre

    Thomas Edward Mickels

    George William Sanson Pickering

    Arthur Stewart Ritson

    Henry Berthold Sheel

    Norman Robinson Shepherd

    James Randolph Shiells

    Arthur William Sinclair Stockdale

    John Sidney Storey

    Edgar Frederick Squance

    Francis Edmond Thomas

    Charles Milburn Thompson

    Charles Adolphus Todd

    Eric Gerald Trewhitt

    Fred Middlemost Wawn   

    Henry Moore Westcott

    William Worthington Wilson

    Samuel Worthington Wilson

    Keith Sanger Yeaman

    Denis John Yeaman  

   

    The following names which are all out of sequence on the memorial

    are not listed: –

    Edmund Dixon             

    Reynold C.H. Hauff       

    Ralph Robinson          

NamesS140.05

War Memorial Indexes

County Durham Index

Newcastle Index

Northumberland Index

Over The Tees Index

This is a work in progress. Interested in helping, contact 2014@newmp.org.uk 

Exploring the North East’s History
Your Search Is Underway!

Please bear with us while we retrieve the information you're searching for. With access to over 1 million records, your search results will include Memorials and Names of individuals within the Counties, Districts, and Parishes of the North East of England. We've also provided filter options to help you narrow down your search. This may take a few moments, and we appreciate your patience!

NEWMP is a non profit organisation and we rely on donations to help us to keep the site running and updated. If you would like to donate you can do so by clicking here. Your help is greatly appreciated.