Plaque Bellringers 1914-18 St. Nicholas

Cathedral Church of St. Nicholas. St. Nicholas Square. St. Nicholas Street / Mosley Street.

On a pillar at west end of nave.

1914-18

Unveiled April 1923 by Canon E. Williams, Vicar of Bamburgh.

Dedicated by the Vicar of Newcastle.

Brass

Designed by W.H. Wood, Newcastle;
made by E.H. Thew, Newcastle.

To the glory of God
and in honoured memory
of the members whom we bless
for their unselfish sacrifice
in giving their lives in the Great War
this tablet was erected by the
Durham and Newcastle Diocesan
Association of Change Ringers.

Grant them eternal rest, O Lord.

Plaque 37 inches high x 24 inches wide (95cms x 61cms).

Around the edge is a wide border featuring bells at regular intervals.

In the two upper corners are the badges of two dioceses (Newcastle and Hexham) enamelled in full colour with a cross between.

At bottom left and right corners is a scenario of a bell tower with three ringers seen through an arched door.

The names and the churches from which the people come are listed in two columns, all lettering is in sans serif capitals for the names and elaborate capitals for the dedication at the top and exhortation at the bottom.

1. A plaque in the Bellringers’ Room reads
“As a solemn tribute to the memory of the
Fallen heroes of the Great War, a Muffled Peal of Stedman Cinques
was rung in this tower on Monday, Jan.
3rd 1916 in 3 hours 57 minutes”.
This was reported in the Newcastle Daily Chronicle 04/01/1916.

2. A Roll of Honour to Bellringers from all over the UK was placed in St. Paul’s Cathedral. An analysis of the people who came from the North East of England has been supplied by Alan Regin and is attached to this file.

3. A memorial service was held in St. John’s Church, Westgate Road, on 14th April 1919, for bellringers who had lost their lives in the war. Muffled peals of bells were rung at intervals for three hours before the service. A list of names was read out of those who had fallen: St. Andrew’s, Bishop Auckland: Driver J. Peverall, 10th Yorks; Lce-Cpl. Fred. Peverall, 9th Yorks. St. Aidan’s, North Hartlepool: Lce.Cpl. W. Gilmore, R.E. All Saints’, Stranton, West Hartlepool: Bomb. J.W. Jobling, 265th Siege Battery, R.G.A.; Carpenter F. Mcarthy, H.M.S. Iolaire; Pte. W. R. Webster, 9th Cheshires.

4. A commemorative peal of bells was rung on Armistice Day and Peace day. Two oak boards were placed in the belfry and unveiled by Sir Arthur Sutherland on 27th January 1921.

5. One newspaper report describes this as “a latten brass” which is “a kind of brass hammered into thin sheets, formerly used for making church utensils . .”

6. Canon Williams, who unveiled the memorial, was the vicar of Bamburgh, whose church lost 6 of their bell ringers out of 8.

7   In 2018 Bells all over the country rang to remember the centenary of Armistice Day.  The local north-east files contain the details of their individual events.

Nation’s bells to ring out to mark Armistice Centenary

Photos: Janet Brown; Phil Thirkell

Alnwick & County Gazette
14/04/1923 reports unveiling.

Illustrated Chronicle
14/04/1919 reports service held in St. John’s;
28/01/1921 reports placing of two boards re the peals of bells;
09/04/1923 has photo of bellringers’ memorial plaque

Newcastle Weekly Chronicle
29/01/1921 reports bellringing in Note 4 above;
14/04/1923 reports unveiling of memorial plaque.

Northern Echo
14/04/1919 reports service in St. John’s with names in Note 2 above.

Source of quotation:
“Grant them eternal rest, O Lord” Mass for the Dead

Philip Thirkell;
Janet Brown;
Rev. Alan Bill;
Alan Regin;
Dorothy Hall

If you are researching this memorial please contact 2014@newmp.org.uk