North East War Memorials Project -

Statue 1914-18 1939-45 Cemetery

B111.01

BLAYDON

NZ 188630

Blaydon Cemetery, to the left of the Cemetery Gates.

a. 1914-18
b. 1939-45

a. Unveiled 7th April 1923 by Miss Cowen; dedicated by Rev. E.V. Simpkinson, M.A., Rector of Stella St.Cuthbert�s.

Statue of soldier in greatcoat, resting on a reversed rifle, total height 17 feet. He stands on a square stone pedestal which is on a pedestal, which in turn stands on three shallow steps inside a small area with kerb and solid iron fence. On the front face is a laurel wreath in half relief, below which is the dedication.
The names from 1914-18 are in two columns on all four faces of the pedestal. The dedication for 1939-45 is on the front of the pedestal, and the names are incised in four columns on each of the remaining four sides. Lettering is in sans serif capitals.

Granite

a. To the glory of God / and in memory of those of Blaydon / and District who fell in the Great War / 1914-1918
b. Also those of Blaydon / who died at home and abroad
Their name liveth forever
1939-1945

a. 201 full names.
b. 47 in the Army; 11 Royal Navy; 5 Merchant Navy; 1 NAAFI; 6 civilians.
See transcript.

War Memorial Committee

Approx. �1,000

Miss Jane Cowen and her brother Col. Joseph Cowen of Stella Hall each gave �200, starting the public subscription fund, and they also made up the deficit at the end.

Very good

Designed and made by Robert Warrack Morrison of Aberdeen.

At the unveiling, the memorial was formally handed over to the Blaydon Burial Board to be kept for the inhabitants for all time.

1. After the unveiling ceremony, Miss Cowen was presented with a silver statuette of a soldier in full equipment on an ebony plate with the inscription "Presented to Miss Jane Cowen of Stella Hall on the occasion of the unveiling of the Blaydon War Memorial 7th April 1923".

2. It was reported that over 1,500 men from the town had joined the colours, of whom over 300 fell.

3. In At the Going Down of the Sun, mention is made of a Memorial Booklet which lists 306 names. Copies of these were given to the nearest relatives of the fallen, the cost being borne by Miss Cowen.

4. It was suggested that the memorial be for the whole area rather than individual ones for the wards. One was already in hand for Winlaton and another for Spen. One suggestion was that Parkhead Hall, Winlaton, should be made into a hospital.

Photos: Ken Marsden; J. Brown; Old postcards: Dorothy Hall; Tony Harding

Illustrated Chronicle 27/03/1923 carries photo of memorial; 04/04/1923 gives details of forthcoming unveiling;

Northern Echo 28/08/1922 reports proposed unveiling; 09/04/1923 reports unveiling; 12/11/1923 reports giving booklets to relatives

Newcastle Weekly Chronicle 31/03/1923 reports unveiling. 07/04/1923 reports unveiling; 14/04/1923 reports unveiling

Newcastle Daily Chronicle 17/09/1921 reports proposals for fund raising; 04/11/1921 reports raising of 14,099 shillings towards the proposed target of 20,000 shillings; 17/02/1922 reports agreement on the site being in the cemetery.

Blaydon Courier 15/02/1919 reports discussion in Note 4 above; 02/04/1921 carries a letter discussing whether donations should be anonymous or not; 05/11/1921 lists subscribers to the shilling fund; 26/08/1922 carries list of names for the memorial; 17/03/1923 reports proposed unveiling; 31/03/1923 carries a drawing of the memorial

Tyne & Wear Archives Dept Joseph Cowen Papers, Acc.634, Catalogue Vol.I, p.229 shows that Nos. D529 to D533 relate to this memorial, including album of photographs taken at the unveiling, a booklet about the memorial and a draft of Jane Cowen's speech at the unveiling.

Gateshead Library Local Studies Dept. copies of the material in Tyne & Wear Archives Dept. on fiche with reader and copier. Also Programme of the Unveiling Ceremony.

At the Going Down of the Sun Derek Boorman.

Gateshead Borough Council List showing Grade II Listing.

Newcastle City Library has copy of the unveiling programme.

Leopard- The Magazine for North East Scotland August 2005 carries an article about Robert Warrack Morrison who sculpted the statue.

Source of quotation
�Their name liveth for ever� Apocrypha, Ecclesiasticus 44

Historic England Listing

Durham at War

Blaydon and Winlaton Virtual War Memorial

Northern Echo 1922 08 28 Wed

Northern Echo 1923 04 09 Mon

Northern Echo 1923 11 12 Mon

Unveiling programme pages 1-10

Unveiling Programme pages 11-17

The late R.W. Gould; Ken Marston; Tony Harding; Janet Brown; Nan Smith; James Pasby; Dorothy Hall

Winlaton Local History Society are researching the names on this memorial Contact:- Contact: winlatonhistorysociety@yahoo.com

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.

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