Memorial Details

2016
Photo: Dorothy Hall

Memorial

Memorial Park 1914-18 1939-45 Korea 1951

Reference

S129.01

Place

SOUTH MOOR

Map ref

190514

Which war

a. 1914-18
b. 1939-45
c. Korea

Dedication, Creation or Publication date

a. Park opened 10/07/1920 by R.W. Cooper, Managing Director of South Moor Colliery Co. Ltd. Plaques unveiled July 1921.
b. Unveiled 17/09/1950 by Lord Lawson of Beamish, memorial rededicated by Vicar of South Moor Rev. Harold Chisholm

Memorial Description

Memorial Park.
There are two ornamental wrought iron gates painted black with gold painted tops. Over the gates a wrought iron arch bears the words “Memorial Park 1919”. The park has a bowling green, various games pitches, and in 2005 also had a path beside a stream under a bridge for a valley walk.
On the gates are set two oval plaques, each set into an oval frame having a scroll in each corner. One carries the dedication, the other carries the details of the donation of the park. In both cases the lettering is in raised sans serif elongated capital letters.
Set onto the fence on either side of the gates are two plaques with slightly arched tops, moulded edge and sunken panels. These carry the names in three columns, each column boxed by a single line border, lettering incised and gilded using sans serif capitals throughout. Both of these plaques have additional names in the bottom frame, incised and gilded.
Two further square plaques with moulded raised edges bear the names for 1939-45 and Korea in sans serif block capitals.

Materials used

Wrought iron gates; marble panels.

Inscription

First plaque
In memory of / (names) / who died serving their country / 1914-1919

Left hand plaque
This memorial tablet / was erected by / the South Moor Colliery Co. Ltd. / in memory of their employees / who fell in the Great War / 1914-1919

Right hand plaque
This park was presented to / Stanley Urban District Council / as a war memorial by / the South Moor Colliery Co. Ltd. / Opened July 10th 1920 by / R.W. Cooper, Esq.

Names

Sculptor, Artist or Designer

Gates manufactured by Bayliss and Co. Ltd., Wolverhampton.

Ownership and maintenance

Formally handed over to Stanley Urban Council at the opening ceremony.

Notes

1. “South Moor Park was opened on 10th July 1920. It was originally a memorial to the employees of South Moor Colliery Company who died in the First World War. Their names are inscribed on two stone tablets on either side of the gates. Two smaller tablets have since been added to commemorate the residents of South Moor who lost their lives in the Second World War”. Stanley in Old Picture Postcards.

2. “At Stanley Urban District Council, yesterday, a latter was read from Mr. T. Greener, agent for the South Moor Colliery Company, stating that the Company would give the whole of the land required for a public park at South Moor, and would be prepared to bear the cost of laying-out the same to an amount not exceeding £3,500. It was agreed to tender the thanks of the Council for the generous gift; the Council further expressing the opinion that on completion the park would present a fitting memorial to the many brave men from the district who sacrificed their lives in the war”.

3. At a later meeting, the deed for the park and recreation area was handed over to Stanley UDC. The park covers 16½ acres, includes a large pavilion and bandstand, bowling green and three tennis courts. The cost of laying out had been about £4,600. The owners of South Moor Colliery would seek permission to erect a tablet in the park bearing the names of colliery workmen who had been killed.

4. The name of John Shields on this memorial should be John Shield. The name below this that of Robert V. Shield, is correct. The two were brothers. (Lisa Seaward).

Newspaper cuttings, photos or archival material

Photos: Simon Raine; C. Sanders; Ian Finlayson; Old postcards: Tony Harding; George Nairn

Sunderland Daily Echo 14/07/1920 reports opening

Illustrated Chronicle 29/07/1921 shows photo of park “recently opened”.

Northern Echo 14/05/1919 reports donation of land in Note 2 above; 12/07/1920 gives information in Note 3.

North Mail 02/07/1920 reports donation of park and proposed formal handing over to Stanley Urban Council.

Stanley News 14/07/1921 reports placing of plaques on the gates.

Stanley in Old Picture Postcards quoted in Note 1 above.

External web link

Links to Source Material :

Additional Research documents (click to download)

Research acknowledgements

Errol Broomfield and Ron Carson; Fitzhugh Collection, Middleton in Teesdale; C. Sanders; Tony Harding; Ian Finlayson; Dorothy Hall; George Nairn; Lisa Seaward

Research In Progress

Annfield Plain Family History Society have research the names on this memorial. Copies of the research are available from www.annfieldplain-fhs.co.uk. See link above.

Memorial Park 1914-18 1939-45 Korea 1951 (S129.01)

 
SOUTH MOOR      Park
   
Left hand plaque on gates
   
  This memorial tablet
  was erected by
  the South Moor Colliery Co. Ltd.
  in memory of their employees 
  who fell in the Great War
  1914-1919
-----------------------------------------------
Right hand plaque on gates 
   
  This park was presented to
  Stanley Urban District Council
  as a war memorial by 
  the South Moor Colliery Co. Ltd
  Opened July 10th 1920 by
  R.W. Cooper, Esq.
-----------------------------------------------
Plaque to left of gates:
   
  IN MEMORY OF
   
  Atkinson Stranger    Cain Robert         Gould Michael
  Anderson James       Coxon Alexander     Gray Albert
  Ashcroft William     Coulson Joseph      Green Thomas
  Armstrong William    Carr George Wm.     Gilbert Albert
  Armstrong Robert     Carr Henry          George William
  Bell James           Cook William        Gallagher John
  Bell Robert          Cook Patrick        Glanville Albert
  Bell William C.      Coulson Thomas S.   Guy Thomas
  Beckham Henry        Collings John W.    Ghent Henry
  Bell Patrick         Coulson Matthew     Greensides James
  Bowes Phillip        Crossey Charles     Gibson Alfred
  Bowes James          Carr John G.        George Henry
  Blight James H.      Carr James          Gowland Thomas
  Bell Joseph          Clennell James A.   Green William
  Burnage Norman       Carr Albert         Gair Thomas
  Bailiff Samuel A.    Coyle Stephen       Gibson Ernest
  Bailey Andrew        Donald Robert       Goggins Peter
  Bird Isaac           Duffy James         Gibson William
  Body Robert          Dyson James B.      Greener Henry
  Boddy Walter         Downs Thomas        Gibbons Joseph
  Brass Edmund         Dover Ralph         Gracey Alexander
  Baines William                           Gray John T.
  Barratt John G.      Dixon William       Herron Joseph
  Beckham Robinson     Dowson William      Hood Alexander
  Bates Arthur         Dargue Thomas       Hebdon Charles
  Brown Thomas         Dodds John W.       Hebdon Norman
  Brown David          Dowson Levi         Hindmarsh Mark
  Brown George T.      Dixon Leslie        Haughey James
  Brydon Ernest        Davison Ernest      Harrison James
  Ball, Robert         Errington William S.Honey John T.
  Brydon William       Edgar Abraham       Horner Eric
  Bushby Arthur        Edgar Thomas        Handy James
  Bell George          Elliott John H.     Hanson Joseph
  Ball Henry           Embleton Albert     Hodgson John R.
  Bracey Arthur H.     Ellis Richard       Hill William
  Burdon James         Farrell Miles       Hunter Peter   
  Bruce George         Falgate Henry       Hunter Vender
  Bennett Norman S.    Frost Richard       Hunter Ernest
  Carr Joseph W.       Fawcett Thomas      Hall William
  Carrick Robert       Fisk William        Hope Richard
  Castling Robert      Forster Thomas      Hill Robert
  Clark James          Ferry Stephen O.    Hutchinson Robert
  Crawford George      Fuller Joseph       Henderson Andrew
  who died serving their country
  1914-1919
   
  Brinton James   Caulfield Jos.
  Grinton John    Coxon  Thos. Hy.
  Hetherington T.W.
-----------------------------------------------
Plaque to right of gates:
   
  In memory of
   
  Hall Mark            Newton Robert       Stacey George
  Hudson William       Norwood Joseph      Scott Wilkinson
  Hall Thomas F.       Newton Alfred C.    Sams Bartholmew (sic)
  Hartiss Joseph       Newby John W.       Simms Gilbert
  Hodgson Thomas Wm.   Nicholson Herbert   Smith James W.
  Hall William         Oldknow John G.     Spinks Edward
  Irwin Thomas Wm.     Parlett William     Scott Joseph
  Jacobs Benjamin      Parrish William A.  Shields John
  Jeans John           Peart Andrew        Shield Robert V.
  Jamieson Joseph      Pattison Edward     Stockdale Alexander
  Joyce Michael        Pitt Robert W.      Sutcliffe Thomas
  Kelly Edmund         Pearson Lawrence    Shelley Henry E.
  Kay William          Pendleton George A. Scott Reuben
  Keilty Hugh          Pratt George        Siddle John
  Keegan John          Pearson George T.   Storey George
  Knox James           Proudlock William   Summerville Joseph
  King Joseph          Pinkerton William   Savage John
  King Edward          Porter William      Stoker Osborne
  Lincoln Albert       Price Thomas J.     Tallentire Thomas
  Lakey William        Palmer Robert       Thompson J.W.P.
  Longstaffe John G.   Rush George         Taylor Benjamin
  Laws George H.       Routledge John      Tailford Fred R.   
  Lee Thomas           Robinson Frank      Temple Joseph
  Lightfoot William    Robson Frederick    Tweedy William
  Marriott Thomas Wm.  Reid William A.     Trueman Abraham
  Murray Albert        Rowe Alfred E.      Thompson Thomas
  Mumford John T.      Richardson Mark     Tinnion Jonathan
  Martin Francis       Race James H.       Thirlway Benjamin
  Mosey Jonathan       Robertson Henry     Teasedale Albion
  Morton Charles       Ross James A.       Vest Robert
  Maines Thomas        Robinson Jonas      Weatherell William J.
  Marsh James          Ratcliffe Robert    Waller Robert
  Marshall John        Robinson Charlton   Wilson Thomas
  Million George                           Watson Fenwick
  Mulligan John        Reid Thomas E.      Whitfield Robert
  Middlemast James     Robinson William B. Wightman George
  Masterson Frank      Reay Robert         Winter Joseph
  Monkhouse William    Scorer Charles      Wake John
  Mennom Benjamin      Seymour Arthur      White Charles B.
  Miller Thomas        Smith Thomas        Wright William
  McPherson Joseph     Staines John P.     Whitney Septimus
  McGory William J.    Smith William       Walsh John
  Norton Joseph        Shobbrooke Peadon   Wright Matthew H.
                                           Ward Samuel
  who died serving their country
  1914-1919
  Hughes Patrick      Reay Edward
  Morton Robt.        Wilson Albert
  Pomeroy Albert      Wilson James.
-----------------------------------------------
Plaque at extreme left:
   
  1939-1945
   
  Archer Alfred          Dawson Thomas C.
  Bailey Harold          Easten Robert C.
  Bowman Thomas          Falgate Leslie D.F.C.
  Bragan John F.E.C.     Fletcher Hannah E.
  Brown Ralph C.         Gardiner Michael
  Bruce Robert H.        George James
  Buckingham Elijah      Herdman Charles
  Buckley Robert         Jennings George J.
  Byrne Richard          Knox Harry
  Cooper Arthur W.       Langdon James L.
  Bragan Douglas C.S.    Atkinson Benjamin W.
-----------------------------------------------
Plaque at extreme right:
   
  1939-1945
   
  Maquire James          Scully Wilfred A.
  Maquire Joseph         Stamp Thomas E.
  Martin Lilian          Turnbull James E.
  Palmer Vincent         Wade John J.
  Pears James            Wade William
  Pickard Frederick      Welford, Walter
  Pickard Sidney         Whitfield George E.C.
  Richardson John        Winter Thornton
  Richardson Leslie      Wishart Jack
  Savage Thomas          Wright Robert
  Scott John A.          Ostle Thomas, Korea, 1951
NamesS129.01   

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Parish Notes

Every Name A Story