Memorial

Pavilion etc. 1914-18 Percy Park Rugby Football Club

North Shields

Memorial Name: Pavilion etc. 1914-18 Percy Park Rugby Football Club (N34.45)

NEWMP Ref No.: N34.45

Parish: North Shields

Original Location:

Percy Park Rugby Football Club, Preston Avenue.

Lower plaque of two.

Which War:

1914-18

Dedication, Creation or Publication date:

The pavilion was officially opened and the plaque dedicated on 10th September 1921 by Sir George Renwick, M.P., a former President of the Club.

Materials Used:

Brass plaque

Cost:

No more than £750

How Money was Raised:

Compensation from Military for use of ground.

Sculptor, Artist or Designer:

Plaque made by E.H. Thew & Son, Team Valley, Gateshead on Tyne.

Inscription:

European War
1914-1918
Percy Park Rugby Football Club
Roll of Honour
To perpetuate the memory of
those who laid down their lives
for
King and Country
in the
Great War.
(Names).
No Greater love.

Memorial Description:

Spectator stand and pavilion.

Plaque, rectangular. In both top corners is a laurel wreath in black.

Up each side from the bottom is a Union flag.

Below the heading of “European War” is a rugby football, with the dates “1914” and “1918” on either side.

The dedication is below this.

The names are listed in two columns.

All lettering and designs are in black and red.

Names:

21 surnames and initials.
See transcript.

Notes:

1. “In June 1920 the club, having received compensation from the military for the use of their ground, started planning for a stand to seat 500 spectators and for a pavilion, both to be achieved for not more than £750. A stand was built and a wooden pavilion was bought from the Army. The pavilion was in use by February 1921 and in September 1921 was officially opened as the Club War Memorial by Sir George Renwick, M.P. who unveiled a brass tablet bearing the names of 21 Percy Park members who had given their lives in the recent war”.

2. In Tyne & Wear Archives is a paper headed “Percy Park Prospects” dated 3rd September 1920, it is stated that the Government had paid a substantial sum for the use of the ground during the war. The ground had been restored. A new stand 84 feet long (25.6m) was under construction. An Army hut 72 feet long (21.94m)  had been erected to serve as a Committee Room and for serving teas, and the dressing rooms were soon to be equipped with hot water baths. “It is hoped that the ‘Hut’ be made a Club War Memorial and towards its cost a sum of £45 had already been subscribed”.

3. The unveiling was performed before match between Percy Park and Hartlepool Rovers. Both teams were present at the ceremony, each wearing their club colours, The two captains, H.C. Catcheside and W. Hill, deposited wreaths, and there were floral tributes from Tynedale and Rockcliff Clubs and Mrs. Westwick.

4. Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail 12/09/1921 reports:- The pavilion will be a great acquisition to the club as a large army hut has been converted to meet all the requirements of visiting teams, there being dressing rooms, baths, a general room, a committee room and so forth.

Sources:

Photos: R.W. Gould

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail
12/09/1921 reports unveiling.
(Available on The British Newspaper Archive)

Illustrated Chronicle
12/09/1921 reports unveiling with photos.

Newcastle Daily Journal
16/02/1920 reports a fund raising match

Shields Daily News
12/02/1921 reports unveiling, but omits the name of W. Purdy in the report.

South Shields Gazette
01/09/1920 reports proposed unveiling on 10th September;
12/09/1921 reports unveiling.

Whitley Bay Observer
16/09/1921 reports unveiling.

Percy Park Rugby Football Club: a history 1872-1972 Anon; North Shields, Percy Park RFC, 1972 Tyne and Wear Archives

Source of quotation
“No greater love”: Presumably based on “Greater love hath no man than this . . .” St. John 15 v 13

Research Acknowledgements:

Ralph W. Gould;
J. Brown;
Tony Harding;
James Pasby;
Dorothy Hall;
Michael Mulhern.

Research In Progress:

The names on the North Shields memorials are being researched by the Tynemouth WW1 group.

Contact info@tynemouthworldwarone.org

If you know more about this memorial, please send the details to NEWMP.

Names Documents:

NORTH SHIELDS, Percy Park Rugby Football Club.

 

  European War

 

  1914           1918

  Percy Park Rugby Football Club

  Roll of Honour.

  To perpetuate the memory of

  those who laid down their lives

  for

  King and Country

 in the

  Great War.

 

  Blacklock, B.     Irvin, T.W.

  Burns, A.C.       Mather, N.E.

  Carruthers, J.    Melrose, T.N.

  Chambers, O.      Nixon, E.

  Coats, W.         Purdy, W.

  Duncan, J.H.      Raynes, R.

  Hogg, J.H.        Scott, J.E.

  Hogg, R.          Spencer, H.J.

  Hollis, B.        Wallace, D.S.

  Howe, R.          Wallace, H.

        Wilkinson, A.W.

 

  No Greater Love.

———————————————-

The Shields Gazette gives the following:

  J.B. Duncan instead of J.H. Duncan

  R. Hawie instead of R. Howe

  T.W. Irwin instead of T.W. Irvin

  W. Purdy is omitted altogether.

———————————————-

The Whitley Bay Observer gives the following:

  J.B. Duncan instead of J.H. Duncan

  R. Howie instead of R. Howe

  T.W. Irwin instead of T.W. Irvin

NamesN34.45

War Memorial Indexes

County Durham Index

Newcastle Index

Northumberland Index

Over The Tees Index

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