Memorial
Memorial Hall 1914-18 1939-45 Swan Hunter Wigham
Wallsend
Memorial Name: Memorial Hall 1914-18 1939-45 Swan Hunter Wigham (W7.03)
NEWMP Ref No.: W7.03
Parish: Wallsend
Wallsend Cafe and Memorial Hall, 39 Station Road / Frank Street
a. 1914-18
b. 1939-45
a. Unveiled 15th August 1925 by Lieut-Gen. Sir G.H. Harington, G.B.E., K.C.B., D.S.O.
Dedicated by Rev. A.C.E. Jarvin, C.M.G., M.C., Chaplain to H.M. Forces.
Stone building; bronze plaques. “Principal elevation carried out entirely in cast concrete”.
Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson
£25,000
The building was designed by Messrs. Frank Caws, Steel and Caws, Sunderland.
The area containing the plaques was designed by R. Hedley.
The plaques were cast by Singer Foundry.
a.
This hall is erected to the memory
of members of the staff & workmen of
Swan Hunter & Whigham Richardson Ltd.
who fell in the Great War 1914-1918.
b. 1939-1945
Winter Garden and Memorial Hall to commemorate the men of Swan Hunter and Whigham Richardson Ltd. who died in 1914-18, to which a plaque has been added bearing the names from 1939-45.
An arched recess in the wall contains two life-sized figures of a sailor and a soldier on either side, each resting on reversed arms with head bowed, and a cast relief of a ship at sea above.
In the centre is a cast relief of men working in a foundry.
Above this is a bronze rectangular plaque bearing the names from 1939-45.
Below it is a another bronze rectangular plaque, and on either side are two long bronze plaques, all three bearing the names from 1914-18.
All the plaques are cast, with the letters raised, using sans serif capitals throughout.
The inscription telling of the dedication is incised in the stone underneath all these, using Roman capitals.
It was described thus: “The interior of the main hall, or garden, is flanked with columns crowned with bold entablature running the full length of the hall, which measures 108 feet by 58 feet (33m x 18m) and will accommodate an audience of 1,200 or 400 dancers.
A special floor is being laid for the latter.
At the western end a large stage or platform is provided, with retiring rooms which will render the hall suitable for various purposes.
The entrances are at the eastern end of the building and here there is to be an adequate cloak room and sanitary accommodation, while a large kitchen, with service lift, together with a cinema box and equipment, are also to be installed.”
The new panels carry the names from 1914-18 in two columns on each of two long panels to the sides.
The names from 1939-45 are in the two centre panels, with the names on the top panel being in three columns and the bottom one bearing the names in two columns.
All are in sans serif raised capitals.
a. 242 names and regiments
b. 61 names and regiments.
See transcript.
1. News cutting April 19th 1989, indicates that the present owner of the Cafe was seeking memories of activities in order to put on an exhibition. Mrs Young, Wallsend Cafe and Memorial Hall, 39 Station Road, Wallsend.
2. One of the original ideas for the town memorial was a hospital.
3. Sir G.B. Hunter offered to give the Hall and 17 acres of land behind the Fever Hospital as a Winter Garden for the town’s memorial. The cash would be raised from local employers and public subscription. However, the suggestion was only received luke-warmly by the town, and after waiting, Sir G. Hunter withdrew his offer, but said that the Winter Garden would go ahead as memorial for those from the firm who had died.
4. Bronze figures are dated 1923.
5. The hall was originally to have been unveiled on 4th July 1925 by General Plummer, but the work was not ready. General Plummer was unable to attend at the later date.
6. Proposed improvements in 1926 included two halls provided on the ground floor beneath the big hall on the first floor, the smaller of which was to be used as a badminton court and for general purposes. The second was to be equipped for recreation and rest hall for employees on payment of a small fee. There would be a refreshment buffet, billiards tables, tables for reading, concerts, etc. There would be separate entrances from each hall from the street. The plans for the improvements were drawn up by Messrs. Caws and Caws of Sunderland.
7. The hall was upgraded and refurbished in the 1990s and is now in use as a Community Hall.
8. “The directors of Messrs. Swan, Hunter, and Wigham Richardson Ltd. at the last annual meeting of shareholders, had carried a generous contribution to the Wallsend War Memorial, but otherwise the scheme appears to be doing little. The apathy is due to the industrial conditions of the time. No doubt, when work becomes brisk again the people as a whole will display a readiness to help forward the proposal before the town”.
9. “Although every care was taken to obtain all the names entitled to be placed on the war memorial erected at Wallsend . . .the Committee regret that some have been omitted and relatives of men whose names are missing are asked to communicate with Mr. J. Harvey, secretary of the War Memorial Committee, Wallsend Shipyard. It is proposed to add another tablet to the memorial.”
10. The Directors of Messrs. Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson were presented with an illuminated scroll from the workmen of all departments as recognition of the way in which they had looked after dependents of the workmen who were serving in the war. 1,300 men from the works has enlisted, and the firm had expended over £28,000 in allowances to dependents.
11. The memorial was vandalised in 2008 when the bronze plaques were stolen. The plaques were replaced with money from insurance. When the new plaques were recast, more names were added.
Photos: R.W. Gould; Philip Thirkell; Tony Harding;
photo of unveiling: P.R.B. Brooks
Alnwick & County Gazette
09/10/1920 reports meeting to discuss Winter Garden, and cottage hospital proposal.
Newcastle Daily Chronicle
02/04/1919 reports G. Hunter’s offer;
05/04/1919 carries a letter suggesting a library;
30/05/1919 reports acceptance of G.B. Hunter’s offer;
11/12/1919 reports presentation of illuminated scroll to the directors;
02/10/1920 discusses merits of social club against hospital.
Newcastle Weekly Chronicle
05/04/1919 reports proposals;
19/01/1924 reports proposals;
15/11/1924 reports progress;
22/08/1925 reports opening of hall and unveiling of bronze memorial
Northern Echo
03/04/1919 reports Sir George Hunter’s offer of a memorial to Wallsend;
04/10/1920 reports debate;
06/10/1923 reports invitation to tender.
North Mail
02/10/1920 reports offer.
Shields Daily News
passim reports on proposals for the Memorial;
28/01/1921 reports on possibility of a hospital as a memorial;
04/05/1923 reports the offer and rejection of the site;
22/05/1925 reports the same information, that the project is almost complete but the town’s monument was slow, due to unemployment;
03/07/1925 reports delay in unveiling;
28/07/1925 reports proposed unveiling;
17/08/1925 reports unveiling;
28/08/1925 reports regrets that, despite all care, some names had been omitted. Another plaque would be added to remedy the situation.
23/4/1926 reports proposed improvements
South Shields Gazette
19/05/1922 reports lack of progress quoted in Note 8 above;
28/07/1925 reports proposed opening with detailed description of the building;
26/08/1925 reports additional names in Note 9 above.
Additional Research Documents
W7.03 Memorial Hall Plans
Philip Thirkell;
Ralph W. Gould;
Janet Brown;
North Tyneside Council;
Tony Harding;
James Pasby;
Dorothy Hall;
Philip R.B. Brooks Collection;
Michael Mulhern
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.
WALLSEND, Memorial Hall.
At base :
This Hall is erected to the memory
of members of the staff & workmen of
Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd.
who fell in the Great War 1914-1918
————————————————
Left hand panel (new)
Royal Navy
Atkinson A. Reid J.
Broomfield J. Robson R.
Campbell C. Scott A.
Casey A. Thompson T.D.
Cooper A. Tucker G.
Fisackerly T. Turner R.C.C.
Hunter E. Turns S.L.
Kyle A. Shaw J.H.
Langlands E.W. Simmons J.
Lister A.B. Wilson J.W.
Poole R. Wynn J.
Mercantile Marine Service
Fleck W.G. Foote C.G.
Royal Field Artillery
Dyason R.G. Mooney H.
Hanson G. Rowbotham J.
Hanson J.W.
Royal Garrison Artillery
West G.A.
Royal Engineers
Armstrong T.A. Doods J.S.
Carmichael R. McKinnin M.
Corbett J.A. Todd, W.
Coldstream Guards
Spoors C. Walters R.
Northumberland Fusiliers
Allan G. Gilbert G.
Allen D. Graham J.
Allen W. Graham J.
Allcock J. Grant J.G.
Bainbridge J.L. Grey T.T.
Ball G.T. Groves N.
Barrie J.R. Guthrie J.
Beck J. Guyner J.G.
Beck T. Hardy J.
Bell W.R. Hardy R.
Blackbird G. Haul C.M.
Bowman J.R. Harrison R.
Bradley J.R. Harvey G.H.
Brierley H.H. Heads F.
Brotherton R. Hellens R.
Brown W. Heslop R.
Brown W. Hewitt J.M.
Brodie M.M. (M.C.) Hickleton A.
Bryce M. Hodgson N.G.
Buchanan A. Hodgson T.
Burnip W. Horsley H.E.
Burnip S. Hughes T.
Carpenter C. Hudspeth R.
Christie J. Irwin T.
Courtney J.M. Jobling C.N.
Cowan E.G. Justice G.
Cox J.W. Kelly D.
Crawford J. Knox J.
Cuddahee J. Langley J.
Dane P. Larsen J.L.
Deagle J. Lawson E.
Delvin J. Lynch C.
Digby T. Lynch H.
Doran D. Marshall E.
Duggan A. Martin
Duncan W. Maskell W.E.
Dunwiddie F. Mavin G.T.
Elliott M. McCae F.
Elliott R. McDoid H.
Everington A. McGee J.
Fairland G. McGrevy H.
Fittharris P. McLachlan R.
Frazer W. McLauchlin J.
Gallon P. Miller V.
Gater C. Murray M.
Gibson H. Napier F.
————————————————
Right hand panel (new)
Napier S. Smith H.
Nichol B. Smith H.
O’Hare J. Smith C.
Oliver F. Smith T.K.
Pallace W. Souter N.
Palmer H. Stephenson R.B. (M.C.)
Pernie P. Stephenson T.
Pickering F. Tait R.
Pickett J. Taylor A.
Purcell J. Toller J.
Rae F. Toy W.E.
Rae T. Tucker D.
Randell F. Turner S.
Robertson A. Wait J.
Robinson J.H. Wallace J.
Rowe R. Wallace W.
Rowntree J. Wallis K.L.B.
Sandilands G. Ward F.
Savage A. Wilson H.
Savage R. Young J.
Sherman W.C. Young J.
Sinton I.W. Young R.
West Yorkshire Regt.
Brown A.B. McGregor D.
Fletcher R.A. McGeavy A.
Galloway F.R. McKee J.
Grey R. McKinnon C.
Jones W.A. Marshall J.
Grey R. McKinnon C.
Jones W.A. Marshall J.
Keith A. Muir W.
Little J.J. Smith P.R.
East Yorkshire Regt.
Brown T.S. McGeary A.
Gardener T.N.B. Rowe J.
McCue F. Wilkinson, J.
Yorkshire Regt.
Caldwell T. O’Boyle J.
McGee T. Smith J.
Lancashire Fusiliers
Devine T. Ions A.E.
Jackson A.
King’s Own Scottish Bdrs.
Douglas G. Watson J.D.
Worcestershire Regt.
Morley T.
West Riding Regt.
Gibson J.W. Wardle O.
Border Regt.
Goodall F. Summerville R.
North Staffordshire Regt.
Tate L.
South Staffordshire Regt.
Breen L. Humble L.
King’s Own Yorks L.I. York & Lancaster Regt.
Fergus G. McLean G.
Durham Light Infantry
Dodds G. Kelly W.
Edgar J.J. King J.
Ferguson J. King A.H.
Holmes G. Lawlor J.
Houston L. Shankland C.P.
Hunter J.D. Walter C.
Kelly W. Weighill J.L.
Seaforth Hdrs. Gordon Hdrs.
Telford G. Anderson P.D.
Royal Irish A & S. Hdrs.
Miskimmion H. Savage R.
Dublin Fusiliers Machine Gun Corps
Docherty G. Simpson J.
Royal Army Medical Corps
Laws W. Wake E.C.
Williams J.
Field Ambulance
Galloway D.W.
Royal Army Service Corps
Christie R. (M.C.)
————————————————
Centre plaque (top, new)
1939-1945
Royal Navy R.A.F. R.A.C.
Baldwin B. Davidson J.S. Patterson G.
Broom G.W. England C.A. W. Yorks
Clark W. Hall J. Blakey W.
Dalton J. Mewburn H. R.E.M.E.
Duffy J.A. O’Connor G. Allison C.E.
Flynn J. Probert C. K.O.S.B.
Glendinning J.W. Ramsey H. Bayles R.
Graham R. Ramsbotham E. Richardson H.
Hawthorne C. Sibbald C.M. Royal Marines
Mathison S. Wells C.R. Butcher L.
White H. R.E. D.L.I.
Wilson R. Blakey J. Burrell G.
Q.(Own) R. Regt. Kelly J. Gordon Hlds.
McDonald J. Nicholson M. Pow D.
N. Hussars Coldstream Gds. R.A.S.C.
Poynter J. Campion J. Brunton G.
R.A. R.N.F. G.S.C.
Birtly J. Milligan J. Dixon R.A.
Saunders E.C. Reed J. Unit Unknown
Stewart T.H. McConville H.
Flowers W. Templeton N.
Stoddard N.
————————————————
Centre plaque (bottom, new)
1939-1945
Merchant Navy
Atkinson C. Martin J.
Bradley F. McGrevy W.
Cameron D. McKay J.
Dodds J.W. McPake A.
Dodsworth H. Moffit T.
Everitt A.C. Montgomery W.
Greener H. Thorneycroft G.
================================================
Former plaques:
Stolen Plaque 1 1914-18:
Royal Navy
Atkinson, A. Poole, R.
Broomfield, J. Robson, R.
Casey, A. Scott, A.
Fisackerly, T. Tucker, C.
Hunter, E. Turns, S.L.
Kyle, A. Shaw, J.H.
Langlands, E.W. Simmons, J.
Litster, A.B. Wilson, J.W.
Mercantile Marine Service.
Fleck, W.G. Foote, C.G.
Royal Field Artillery
Dyason, R.C. Mooney, H.
Hanson, C. Rowbotham, J.
Royal Garrison Artillery
West G.A.
Royal Engineers
Carmichael, R. Dodds, J.S.
Corbett, J.A McKinnon, M.
Todd, W.
Coldstream Guards
Spoors, G. Walters, R.
Northumberland Fusiliers
Allan, G. Grant, J.G.
Allen, D. Grey, T.T.
Allen, W. Groves, N.
Allock, J. Guthrie, J.
Bainbridge, J.L. Hardy, J.
Ball, G.T. Hardy, R.
Barrie, J.R. Hall, C.M.
Beck, J. Harrison, R.
Beck, T. Harvey, G.H.
Bell, W.R. Heads, F.
Bowman, J.R. Hellens, R.
Brierly, H.H. Heslop, R.
Brown, W. Hodgson, N.G.
Brown, W. Hodgson, T.
Brodie, M.M.(M.C.) Horsley, H.E.
Bryce, M. Hughes, T.
Buchanan, A. Hudspeth, R.
Burnip, W. Irwin, T.
Burnip, S. Jobling, C.N.
Carpenter, G. Justice, G.
Christie, J. Kelly, D.
Courtney, J.M. Knox, J.
Cox, J.W. Larsen, J.L.
Crawford, J. Lawson, E.
Cuddahee, J. Lynch, C.
Dane, P. Lynch, H.
Delvin, J. Marshall, E.
Digby, T. Martin
Doran, D. Mavin, G.T.
Duggan, A. McCae, F.
Dunwiddie, F. McDoid, H.
Elliott, M. McGee, J.
Elliott, R. McGrevy, H.
Everington, A. McLauchlin, J.
Fairland, G. Miller, V.
Fittharriss, P. Murray, M.
Frazer, W. Napier, S.
Gallon, P. Nichol, B.
Gibson, H. Oliver, F.
Gilbert, G. Pallace, W.
Graham, J. Palmer, H.
Graham, J. Pickering, F.
———————————————————–
Stolen Plaque 2 1914-18:
Pickett, J. Souter, N.
Purcell, J. Stephenson, R.B.(M.C.)
Rae, F. Stephenson, T.
Rae, T. Tait, R.
Randell, F. Taylor, A.
Robertson, A. Toller, J.
Robinson, J.H. Toy, W.E.
Rowe, R. Tucker, D.
Sandilands, C. Turner, S.
Savage, A. Wait, J.
Savage, R. Wallace, J.
Sherman, W.C. Wallace, W.
Sinton, I.W. Wallis, K.L.B.
Smith, H. Wilson, H.
Smith, H. Young, J.
Smith, C. Young, J.
Smith, T.K. Young, R.
West Yorkshire Regt.
Brown, A.B. Little, J.J.
Fletcher, R.A. McGregor, D.
Galloway, F.R. McGeavy, A.
Grey, R. McKee, J.
Jones, W.A. McKinnon, G.
Keith, A. Marshall, J.
Muir, W.
East Yorkshire Regt.
Brown, T.S. Rowe, J.
Gardener, T.N.B. Wilkinson, J.
Yorkshire Regt.
Caldwell, T. O’Boyle, J.
McGee, T. Smith, J.
Lancashire Fusiliers
Devine, T. Ions, A.E.
Jackson, A.
Kings Own Scottish Bdrs
Douglas, G. Watson, J.D.
Worcestershire Regt
Morley, T.
West Riding Regt.
Gibson, J.W. Wardle, O.
Border Regt
Goodall, F. Sommerville, R.
South Staffordshire Regt
Breen, L. Humble, L.
Kings Own Yorks.L.I. York & Lancashire Rt.
Ferguson, C. McLean, G.
Durham Light Infantry
Dodds, G. Kelly, W.
Edgar, J.J. King, J.
Ferguson, J. King, A.H.
Holmes, G. Lawlor, J.
Houston, I. Shankland, C.R.
Hunter, J.D. Walter, C.
Kelly, W. Weighill, W.
Seaforth Hdrs. Gordon Hdrs.
Telford, G. Anderson, P.D.
Royal Irish A. & S. Hdrs.
Miskimmion, H. Savage, R.
Dublin Fusiliers Machine Gun Corps
Dockerty, G. Simpson, J.
Royal Army Medical Corps
Laws, W. Wake, E.C.
Williams, J.
Field Ambulance
Galloway, D.W.
Royal Army Service Corps
Christie, R. (M.C.)
———————————————————–
Stolen Plaque 3 1914-18
Royal Navy
Cooper, A. Reid, J. Turner, R.G.C.
Campbell, C. Thompson, T.D. Wynn, J.
R.F. Artillery R. Engineers
Hanson, J.W. Armstrong, T.A.
Northumberland Fusiliers
Blackbird, G. Duncan, W. McLachlan, H.
Bradley, J.R. Guyner, J.G. Napier, F.
Brotherton, R. Hewitt, J.M. Pernie, P.
Coe, J.W. Hickleton, A. Rowntree, J.
Deagle, J. Maskell, W.E. Ward, F.
W. Yorks E. Yorks N. Staff.
Smith, P.R. McCue, F. Tate, L.
McGeary, A.
———————————————————–
Stolen Plaque 4
1939-1945
Royal Navy R.A.F. W. Yorks.
Baldwin B. Davison, J.S. Blakey, W.
Broom, G.W. England, C.A. R.E.M.E.
Clark, W. Hall, J. Allison, C.E.
Dalton, J. Mewburn, H. K.O.S.B.
Duffy, J.A. O’Connor, G. Bayles, R.
Flynn, J. Probert, C. Richardson, H.
Glendinning, J.W. Ramsey, H. Royal Marines
Graham, H. Ramsbotham, E. Butcher, L.
Hawthorne, C. Sibbald, C.M. D.L.I.
Mathison, S. Wells, C.R. Burrell, G.
White, H. R.E. Gordon H’Lds.
Wilson, R. Blakey, J. Pow, D.
Q.(Own) R. Reg’t.Kelly, J. R.A.S.C.
McDonald, J. Nicholson, M. Brunton, G.
N. Hussars Coldstream Gds. C.S.C.
Poynter, J. Campion, J. Dixon, R.A.
R.A. R.N.F. Unit Unknown
Birtley, J. Milligan, J. McConville, H.
Saunders, E.C. Reed, J. Templeton, N.
Stewart, T.H.
Flowers, W. R.A.C.O.
Stoddard, N. Patterson, G.
———————————————————–
NamesW7.03
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
