Memorial Details

Cross Selby Bros. 1914 and 1915 Mindrum Station

M10.01

MINDRUM STATION

NT 885339

Beside the former chapel at Mindrum Station

Moved to Kirknewton St.Gregory Churchyard December 2003.

1914-18

Consecrated Sunday 27th August 1916 by Vicar of Mindrum, The Rev. A.P. Barker. Address given by The Rev. H.S. Holland of St. Luke’s Church, Newcastle, a friend of Capt. Selby.

Cross of Celtic type on stone base, rather stumpy style, the whole 6 feet 6 inches high, weighing 7.5 tons. The cross rests on a squat tapering pedestal which bears the dedication. At the top is the family crest carved in half relief, with the words “Pro Patria” at the top and “Fort et Loyal” (“Strong and true”) underneath. The lettering is lead placed onto the stone. The whole rests on a stone platform about 5 feet square x 1 foot high. The words “Sons of B.P. Selby of Pawston” are placed on the front of this platform, half hidden by grass and weeds.

Red Cumberland Sandstone

See above

Beauchamp Prideaux Selby Esq. of Pawston, father.

Selby family, who also partly paid for the resiting, helped by a grant from the Sir James Knott Trust.

Excellent since resiting. The family are keeping this in hand.

Mr. John Paterson of Branksome.

1. The memorial was originally placed beside the former chapel at Mindrum because the family worshipped there, it being nearer to their home at Pawston. When the chapel was deconsecrated, “many years ago”, the carved wooden reredos, which was given in memory of Captain William Henry Collingwood Selby, R.N., the uncle of the two boys, who was murdered by natives in Albania in 1882, was moved by the Selby Family to Kirknewton Parish Church in 1978.

2. A small plaque telling the story of the removal was placed on the back of the memorial. It reads “This memorial was moved from the former Chapel at Mindrum in 2002”.

3. The move of the memorial was carried out by Geoff Mallaburn, stone mason from Alnwick.

4. The Northumberland Gazette reports a “local group” as the organisers of the move. The move was organised by Major Oliver Howard, a descendant of the Selbys, with assistance from Charles Baker-Cresswell, Esq., O.B.E., D.L., a Director of the James Knott Trust, and the College Valley Estate.

5. It had been hoped that the memorial would be rededicated at its new site on December 24th 2002, but the vicar was unable to make the date.

6. "Both of these men were sons of the local landowner Mr. Beauchamp Prideaux Selby of Pawston, Northumberland, who died in 1918, and I enclose Commonwealth War Graves Commission printouts for both of them. In the case of Captain Selby the printout shows he was a member of the 1st Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers, not the 5th as stated on the stone. Certainly the British Army order of battle for August 1914 shows no 5th battalion. This battalion was undoubtedly a territorial force and the territorials did not come into action until October 1914. The official history of the Great War - Military Operations France and Belgium 1914 refer to the 5th Fusiliers being in action on the date of Captain Selby’s death and I suspect that this will refer to the 5th regiment of foot as the Northumberland Fusiliers had been known as previously.

7. Captain B.H. Selby is remembered in a Every Name A Story entry.

8. Private P.J. Selby is remembered in a Every Name a Story entry.

Photos of the memorial in its old site: J. Brown; photos of the memorial in its old and new sites: Major Oliver Howard

Berwick Advertiser 08/09/1916 carries details of the dedication; 02/01/2003 carries short article and photo of the memorial in its new position.

de Ruvigny's Roll of Honour, 1914-18, part one, page 322 and part two, page 272 give the details in Notes 7 & 8 above.

Faculty Diocese of Newcastle 12/11/2002, amended 16/01/2003 approves the siting in St.Gregory’s Churchyard.

Northumberland Gazette 02/01/2003 carries short article and photo of the memorial in its new position.

Janet Brown; William Murray; Major Oliver Howard; Tony Harding

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

 

Notes for this Parish

Individual stories for this Parish