Memorial Details
Memorial
Obelisk 1914-18 The Avenue
Reference
G54.01
Place
GREENCROFT
Map ref
NZ 162511
Original Location
The Avenue, in the centre of a grassed roundabout in a quiet cul-de-sac.
Which war
1914-18
Dedication, Creation or Publication date
Unveiled 22nd May 1920 by Mr. Utrick Ritson.
Memorial Description
Obelisk, approx. 15 feet high, with an ornate three-tiered pedestal with gadrooned cornice. Each panel has an outer border and at the pinnacle to each side of the obelisk is an engraved pattern similar to a “fleur de lys”. The dedication is on the front face, the names are on the two sides of the base of the pedestal. The quotation is carried on the front face of the top step. All of the lettering is incised and gilded using sans serif capitals.
Materials used
Polished grey granite
Inscription
Front Main Panel
Erected / by the owners / officials and workmen / of South Pontop Colliery / in memory of / our village comrades / who fell in / the Great War / 1914 – 1918. Front Base:
“The blood of heroes / is the seed of freedom”.
Erected / by the owners / officials and workmen / of South Pontop Colliery / in memory of / our village comrades / who fell in / the Great War / 1914 – 1918. Front Base:
“The blood of heroes / is the seed of freedom”.
Names
Sculptor, Artist or Designer
W. Ayton & Sons, Blackhill.
Notes
1. “This war memorial is situated in New Greencroft about one hundred and fifty yards south west of the site of South Pontop Colliery. It takes the form of an obelisk of white granite standing on an ornamental square base in the centre of a low circular grass mound with surrounds of stone kerbing on which was originally iron palisading with a privet hedge inside.”
2. The site was “in the centre of the proposed garden city building site at South Pontop”.
3. Mr. Ritson was thanked by Cllr. J. Watt, a former serviceman, for treating the men fairly and giving them their jobs back on the return. He spoke on behalf of the Discharged and Demobilised Soldiers and Sailors.
4. Mrs. Ritson handed out to every colliery employee an illuminated book containing the details of men who had signed up from the firm’s Burnhope, Preston and South Pontop Collieries.
5. Ten of the 17 men on the memorial are listed in the Ritson's Roll of Honour. The other 7 lived in the village but worked elsewhere.
6. All seventeen names are on the Annfield Plain cenotaph A.38.01
2. The site was “in the centre of the proposed garden city building site at South Pontop”.
3. Mr. Ritson was thanked by Cllr. J. Watt, a former serviceman, for treating the men fairly and giving them their jobs back on the return. He spoke on behalf of the Discharged and Demobilised Soldiers and Sailors.
4. Mrs. Ritson handed out to every colliery employee an illuminated book containing the details of men who had signed up from the firm’s Burnhope, Preston and South Pontop Collieries.
5. Ten of the 17 men on the memorial are listed in the Ritson's Roll of Honour. The other 7 lived in the village but worked elsewhere.
6. All seventeen names are on the Annfield Plain cenotaph A.38.01
Newspaper cuttings, photos or archival material
Photos: Simon Raine; John and Mavis Dixon; Dorothy Hall; C. Sanders
Illustrated Chronicle 24/05/1920 reports unveiling.
Consett Guardian 28/05/1920 reports unveiling.
Durham County Advertiser 20/05/1920 reports unveiling.
Chester-le-Chronicle 27/05/1920 reports unveiling.
Durham County Council ref 505/1/11/8
The Story of Annfield Plain and District by F J Wade contains the passage quoted in Note 1 above.
Source of quotation:
“The blood of heroes . . .” : Thomas Campbell 1777-1844. “The patriot's blood is the seed of freedom's tree”.
Illustrated Chronicle 24/05/1920 reports unveiling.
Consett Guardian 28/05/1920 reports unveiling.
Durham County Advertiser 20/05/1920 reports unveiling.
Chester-le-Chronicle 27/05/1920 reports unveiling.
Durham County Council ref 505/1/11/8
The Story of Annfield Plain and District by F J Wade contains the passage quoted in Note 1 above.
Source of quotation:
“The blood of heroes . . .” : Thomas Campbell 1777-1844. “The patriot's blood is the seed of freedom's tree”.
External web link
Links to Source Material :
Additional Notes
Alan and Dorothy Hall visited May 27th 2018 and re photographed the memorial.
Research acknowledgements
Errol Broomfield; Ron Carson; Fitzhugh Collection, Middleton in Teesdale; John and Mavis Dixon; Durham County Council; Jennifer Britton; Dorothy Hall; C. Sanders; Pauline Priano
Research In Progress
All the names on this WW1 memorial have been researched. See Greencroft Every Name a Story entries.
Obelisk 1914-18 The Avenue (G54.01)
GREENCROFT The Avenue
Erected
by the owners
officials and workmen
of South Pontop Colliery
in memory of
our village comrades
who fell in
the Great War
1914 – 1918
---------------------------
Front base
“The blood of heroes
is the seed of freedom”
---------------------------
Left hand panel Right hand panel
Samuel Hurry Robert Smiles
Robert Harrison Roger Stobbart
John Jackson John Heslop
Thomas Murray Harold Short
Henry Pendleton Thomas Taylor
Robert Farclough William Carr
Arthur Beckham Michael Gould
Ralph Thompson James Chorley
John Elliott
NamesG54.01
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Parish Notes
Every Name A Story
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