Memorial Details
Memorial
Plaque 1914-1918 Shire Hall Old Elvet
Reference
D47.141
Place
DURHAM CITY
Map ref
NZ
Which war
1914-18
Dedication, Creation or Publication date
Unveiled 27th July 1921 by Cllr. Peter Lee.
Memorial Description
Plaque. In the top left and right corners is a County Shield with the dedication in gilt lettering between. The names are on six panels below, the top two being horizontal, with a motif of a sword with wreath at centre , and the names in two columns on either side.
The other four panels are vertical, below, with the two outer ones being longer than the two inner ones. The names are on a single column on each.
The other four panels are vertical, below, with the two outer ones being longer than the two inner ones. The names are on a single column on each.
Materials used
Light oak
Inscription
In Memory of / the members of the staff of the / Durham County Council / who fell in the Great War 1914 to 1918
Names
Present condition
Replaced by D47.052 to include 1939-45.
Notes
1. From the Durham County Council, 1,455 employees, including 421 police, joined the colours, and of these, 178 fell, including 52 police.
2. The idea of a war memorial commemorating the County Council staff who had died in the Great War appears to have come from the Durham County Local Government Officers’ Association.
3. In October 1919 the Association asked the Finance Committee to consider the provision of a memorial, and the matter was referred to a sub-committee. The sub-committee took a year to consider the question and in October 1920 agreed that a brass tablet should be placed in Shire Hall (the County Council’s headquarters in Old Elvet) recording those who had died and that a memorial book should be produced, listing the names of all the members of the Council’s staff who had served in the war.
4. In February 1921 the Finance Committee considered the tenders for the tablet and accepted that submitted by Messrs. Hart, Son, Peard and Co. of London, for £230. By July the County Surveyor reported that the tablets had been fixed in the ante-chamber to the Council Chamber, and asked for the Finance Committee’s instructions as to the unveiling, which took place on 27 July 1921.
5. At the ceremony the Chairman of the County Council explained that 1,134 members of staff had joined-up and 126 had died. Peter Lee delivered ‘an impressive oration’, in which he said that the men who fought were not the cause of the war. They had simply answered their country’s call and ‘like millions more fought for what they believed was a worthy object, viz. their home land’. He described as a ‘terrible percentage’ the fact that one in eleven of those who joined-up had died.
6. In October 1922 the Clerk reported that he had arranged for photographs of the memorial to be sent to the relatives of each man named. Durham County Record Office holds 40 letters of thanks from the relatives, but unfortunately there is no surviving record of the book which listed all those who had served during the war. Although the newspaper reports of the unveiling refer to 126 names, photographs of the memorial only show 122, and the present memorial only has 122 Great War names.
2. The idea of a war memorial commemorating the County Council staff who had died in the Great War appears to have come from the Durham County Local Government Officers’ Association.
3. In October 1919 the Association asked the Finance Committee to consider the provision of a memorial, and the matter was referred to a sub-committee. The sub-committee took a year to consider the question and in October 1920 agreed that a brass tablet should be placed in Shire Hall (the County Council’s headquarters in Old Elvet) recording those who had died and that a memorial book should be produced, listing the names of all the members of the Council’s staff who had served in the war.
4. In February 1921 the Finance Committee considered the tenders for the tablet and accepted that submitted by Messrs. Hart, Son, Peard and Co. of London, for £230. By July the County Surveyor reported that the tablets had been fixed in the ante-chamber to the Council Chamber, and asked for the Finance Committee’s instructions as to the unveiling, which took place on 27 July 1921.
5. At the ceremony the Chairman of the County Council explained that 1,134 members of staff had joined-up and 126 had died. Peter Lee delivered ‘an impressive oration’, in which he said that the men who fought were not the cause of the war. They had simply answered their country’s call and ‘like millions more fought for what they believed was a worthy object, viz. their home land’. He described as a ‘terrible percentage’ the fact that one in eleven of those who joined-up had died.
6. In October 1922 the Clerk reported that he had arranged for photographs of the memorial to be sent to the relatives of each man named. Durham County Record Office holds 40 letters of thanks from the relatives, but unfortunately there is no surviving record of the book which listed all those who had served during the war. Although the newspaper reports of the unveiling refer to 126 names, photographs of the memorial only show 122, and the present memorial only has 122 Great War names.
Newspaper cuttings, photos or archival material
Durham County Advertiser 29/7/1921 reports unveiling
Northern Daily Mail 28/7/1921 reports unveiling
Illustrated Chronicle 28/7/1921 reports unveiling.
Seaham Weekly News 29/7/1921 reports unveiling.
Newcastle Daily Chronicle 28/7/1921 reports unveiling.
Northern Daily Mail 28/7/1921 reports unveiling
Illustrated Chronicle 28/7/1921 reports unveiling.
Seaham Weekly News 29/7/1921 reports unveiling.
Newcastle Daily Chronicle 28/7/1921 reports unveiling.
External web link
Links to Source Material :
Research acknowledgements
Fitzhugh Collection, Middleton in Teesdale; Dorothy Hall; Durham County Council
Research In Progress
If you are researching this memorial please contact 2014@newmp.org.uk
Plaque 1914-1918 Shire Hall Old Elvet (D47.141)
In Memory of
the members of the staff of the
Durham County Council
who fell in the Great War 1914 to 1918
----------------------------------------------
Top left hand panel
Francis Allen Alf. J. Axtell
Jos. Armstrong John W. Barr
William Arnett John Barclay
Jos. H. Atkinson John Barton
Oswald C. Ash William Bates
Jas. F.G. Ashworth Willm. H. Bayles
----------------------------------------------
Top right hand panel
N. Beardmore Thos. Brown
Thomas H. Bell W.L.G. Brown
Gordon Bower Willm. T. Brown
W.H. Bradley H.A. Buffham
Alfred L. Brock N.W. Chambers
Christphr. Brown Hny. Chipchase
----------------------------------------------
Lower panel 1 Lower panel 2
Arthr. Chester T.R.S. Harrison
Percy Clark Waltr. S. Hedger
John G. Clark John G. Heslop
James E. Cook Willm. Heslop
Percy Cook A. Hetherington
Arthur Coon John W. Hogan
Saml. S. Collin Robert Hogg
Richd. Corker John Hook
Arthr. H. Corner Willm. D. Hoole
A.B. Cosgrove John H. Horne
Jacob Crabb John W. Huggins
Geo. Crawford Richd. Jameson
Ralph Deighton Robert Jones
Hy. Drummond Henry King
John Duke Jas. H. Lawson
John O. Elliott K. MacDonald
Ingrm. T. Elsdon Geo. McPherson
Edwd. Fairless Alex. J. Metcalfe
Tho. Ferguson G.E. Middlemass
J.C. Flavell Thos. Minks
Basil Ford
Robt. W. Forster
Wilson Forrest
I.T.T. Francis
J.B. Frankton
M. Fullerton
Matt. Gibson
Robt. L. Groves
Joseph Guy
----------------------------------------------
Lower panel 3 Lower panel 4
Willm. R. Moody John F. Rowell
Harry Moore Hugh Rowell
Gilbert Noon Michl. W. Rudd
A.E.L. Parker Jas. J. Sanderson
E.F. Pattinson Fred. Seed
H.T. Peadon Stan. Shepherd
Thos. S. Pratt L. Shortridge
Thos. P. Prudham John H. Sinclair
Thos. B. Pyburn Thos. H. Smith
Robert Pybus Artr. E. Smith
A.L. Richardson Richd. R. Soulsby
W.E. Richardson T.W. Stanfield
Olvr. Richmond Harry Stobbs
Tyson Rigg W.H. Stockdale
Geo. S. Rivers Edwin Taylor
A.W. Robertson Thos. H. Tiffin
T.N. Robinson W.H. Turnbull
John W. Robson Artr. Turner
Robert Robson A.D.L. Vickers
Robt. R. Robson Josh. P. Wake
W.G.B. Walker
Josh. M. Watson
Sydy. Watson
Ernst. H. Waud
Hawey S. Werry
Edwd. R. Wilson
Josh. K.C. Wood
William Wood
Chas. Yearman
NamesD47.141
You are looking at all the information and the best images we have so far on this memorial. If you can supply more information or better images please get in touch by sending an email to enquiries@newmp.org.uk.
Parish Notes
Every Name A Story
The British Library is preserving this site for the future in the UK Web Archive at www.webarchive.org.uk
Copyright 2013, North East War Memorials Project. Registered Charity No. 1113088
Another Effective Group Website