Memorial Details
Memorial
Cross 1914-18 1939-45 Later wars Green
Reference
W96.01
Place
WASHINGTON
Map ref
NZ 310566
Original Location
The Green adjacent to the Church, Washington Village.
Which war
a. 1914-18
b. 1939-45
c. Falklands 1982
d. Gulf War 1990-1
e. Iraq 2003
f. Afghanistan 2006, 2013
b. 1939-45
c. Falklands 1982
d. Gulf War 1990-1
e. Iraq 2003
f. Afghanistan 2006, 2013
Dedication, Creation or Publication date
a. Unveiled 5th June 1920 by the Earl of Durham.
Memorial Description
Cross of Celtic type, standing on a pedestal, which stands on a platform of five steps inside a small fenced in enclosure. The overall height is approx. 4.8m (16 feet). The dedication is on the front face of the pedestal, with the names in two columns on that face and the other four faces. The dates "1939-1945" are on the shaft of the cross. The dates of successive conflicts have been added in ascending order on the shaft of the cross, along with names. The lettering is mainly in sans serif capitals.
Materials used
Heworth Bluestone
Inscription
a. 1914-1919 / Sacred to the memory of / those from the parishes / of Washington and Barmston / who died for King and Country /
b. 1939-1945
c. Falklands War 1982
d. Gulf War 1990-1991
e. Iraq 2003
f. Afghanistan 2006, 2006, 2013
b. 1939-1945
c. Falklands War 1982
d. Gulf War 1990-1991
e. Iraq 2003
f. Afghanistan 2006, 2006, 2013
Names
Who commissioned
Welcome Home and Memorial Committee, Chairman, Mark Ford, J.P., Blue House.
Present condition
This memorial was in poor condition, but was restored about 1986 on the instigation of the Washington Village Society. The stonework was repaired and the names recut and filled with metal inserts.
Sculptor, Artist or Designer
Designer : Mr. Jos. Potts, Eldon Square, Newcastle, sculpted by Mr. J.W. Reed, Newcastle; ironwork provided by Messrs. Emley & Sons; general contractor was Mr. F. Stokoe of Washington.
Ownership and maintenance
Sunderland City Council
Notes
1. The memorial was placed on the green in 1920, after filling in the pond.
2. The Committee also gave to each of the relatives of the dead men illuminated addresses bearing photographs of the monument.
3. Mr. F. Stirling Newall, J.P. presented a motor ambulance and garage together with five year’s costs of upkeep to the village.
4. “The monument has a background shaped like a horseshoe, encircling a clump of small trees. The enclosure is to be further enriched by the planting of shrubbery in the autumn, to be given by the Earl. Thus when in bloom will form a veritable umbrella of brilliant foliage overhanging the cross. Hence it is not only most conspicuous to the pedestrian, but very much beautified by its leafy environment”. Another newspaper reports that the Earl of Durham would provide the shrubs.
5. Old photos show the memorial set onto a circular pavement.
6. The Earl of Durham was handed a medal as a souvenir of the occasion at the original unveiling.
7. From the district, some 1,000 men had signed on.
8. The name of Simon Miller, killed in Iraq 2003, was added and unveiled at a ceremony on July 11th 2004.
9. In 2014 the Wessington U3A War Memorials Group produced a film called “Wad thou gan, Aye as wad” using Heritage Lottery Funding. It identifies all 378 men and one woman who fought and fell in Harraton, Washington and Usworth.
2. The Committee also gave to each of the relatives of the dead men illuminated addresses bearing photographs of the monument.
3. Mr. F. Stirling Newall, J.P. presented a motor ambulance and garage together with five year’s costs of upkeep to the village.
4. “The monument has a background shaped like a horseshoe, encircling a clump of small trees. The enclosure is to be further enriched by the planting of shrubbery in the autumn, to be given by the Earl. Thus when in bloom will form a veritable umbrella of brilliant foliage overhanging the cross. Hence it is not only most conspicuous to the pedestrian, but very much beautified by its leafy environment”. Another newspaper reports that the Earl of Durham would provide the shrubs.
5. Old photos show the memorial set onto a circular pavement.
6. The Earl of Durham was handed a medal as a souvenir of the occasion at the original unveiling.
7. From the district, some 1,000 men had signed on.
8. The name of Simon Miller, killed in Iraq 2003, was added and unveiled at a ceremony on July 11th 2004.
9. In 2014 the Wessington U3A War Memorials Group produced a film called “Wad thou gan, Aye as wad” using Heritage Lottery Funding. It identifies all 378 men and one woman who fought and fell in Harraton, Washington and Usworth.
Newspaper cuttings, photos or archival material
Photos: C. Sanders; James Pasby; Newcastle Central Library photograph c1930; old postcard: Tony Harding: Janis USA: Norman Dunn
Chester-le-Street Chronicle 11/06/1920 reports unveiling and donation of ambulance.
Sunderland Daily Echo 05/06/1920
Illustrated Chronicle 07/06/1920 reports unveiling with photos.
Durham Chronicle 11/06/1920 reports unveiling.
Newcastle Weekly Chronicle 12/06/1920 reports unveiling.
Durham County Advertiser 11/06/1920 reports unveiling.
Newcastle Daily Chronicle07/06/1920 reports unveiling.
The Journal 12/07/2004 reports addition of Simon Miller name to memorial
Washington Church A History and Guide Margot Johnson, M.A., F.L.A. ISBN 0 946105 02 2
Sunderland Echo 10/09/2014 reports the making of the film in Note 9 above.
Chester-le-Street Chronicle 11/06/1920 reports unveiling and donation of ambulance.
Sunderland Daily Echo 05/06/1920
Illustrated Chronicle 07/06/1920 reports unveiling with photos.
Durham Chronicle 11/06/1920 reports unveiling.
Newcastle Weekly Chronicle 12/06/1920 reports unveiling.
Durham County Advertiser 11/06/1920 reports unveiling.
Newcastle Daily Chronicle07/06/1920 reports unveiling.
The Journal 12/07/2004 reports addition of Simon Miller name to memorial
Washington Church A History and Guide Margot Johnson, M.A., F.L.A. ISBN 0 946105 02 2
Sunderland Echo 10/09/2014 reports the making of the film in Note 9 above.
External web link
Links to Source Material :
Additional Research documents (click to download)
Research acknowledgements
Ethel and Neville Armstrong, Whickham and District L.H.S.; the late Dr. R.W. Gould; James Pasby, C. Sanders; Tony Harding; Dorothy Hall; Fitzhugh Collection, Middleton in Teesdale; Yorkshire Regiment Remembrance
Research In Progress
Wessington U3A War Memorials Group (in Washington) has fairly extensive details of the WW1 men on Usworth, Washington Village and Harraton memorials. There are files of their information in libraries at Shiney Row, Washington, Sunderland, Newcastle, Gateshead, Birtley, Durham Record Office and Tyne Wear Archives Blandford Street Newcastle. There are also files of information about life and events in Harraton Parish during WW1 in the same places
DVDs can be watched through youtube
Washington men in the Great War – Wad thou gan?
Washington Men at The Somme
From Washington to Wipers and Warlencourt
The Wear at War
Washington in the Great War – Whisht Lads, a book by Peter Welsh £3 (from the author) published by Pen & Sword 2014 ISBN 978 1 78346 385 6
Contact: petewelshgettysburg@btinternet.com
Cross 1914-18 1939-45 Later wars Green (W96.01)
WASHINGTON The Green
1914-1919
Sacred to the memory of
those from the parishes
of Washington and Barmston
who died for King and Country
Allen T. Bateman R.
Allsopp J. Bell E.
Anderson F. Beresford R.
Armstrong F. Besford S.
Armstrong J. Borthwick W.H.
Ash J.L. Braban A.
Atkinson H. Braban A.E.
Atkinson R. Branton J.
Baggott S. Brown G.R.
Baister C.W. Brown R.
Ball C.R. Brown W.
Ball W.J. Brown W.
Bannister J. Chilvers H.
Barnabas J. Claughan F.J.
-------------------------------------
Cook J.W. Forster J.D.
Cornish J. Forster W.
Coulthard J. Foster G.
Cowel T. Foster J.T.
Coxon E.W. Futers V.
Daglish R. Gardner H.
Davison G.R. Gardner T.
Dean E. Gaston J.
Dixon V. Gilmaney J.
Dobson A. Golden G.
Dobson G. Gould R.S.
Donaldson T. Graham W.
Douglas J.T. Grainge R.W.
Doud P. Green J.E.
Drummond R. Hall E.
Duffy F.J. Hall G.N.
Duffy J.R. Hanlon T.
Dwyer J.E. Harding M.
Ellison J.E. & T. Harrison G.
Eltringham J.W. Haydock J.
Embleton F. Hedley W.
English M. Helm E.
Ferguson Sarah Holbrook S.
Forster J. Holmes T.
-------------------------------------
Hopson J. Mason R.
House R.S. Mason W.
Hudart G.S. Megan T.
Humble J. Mills S.
Hunter E. Morgan F.
Jameson R. Mould R.
Jefferson R. Mould T.
Jefferson T. Murphy P.
Jobson R.N. McMenan H.
Jonas W. McLahaney J.H.
Knox W. McCrerey T.
Lambert F. Nesbitt J.H.
Lambert W. Nesbitt R.B.
Laws R.O. Nicholson C.H.
Layfield W. Nicholson H.M.
Lee W. Oswald H.J.
Lennox J.T. Palmer H.S.G.
Lindsay H.N. Patterson R.
Local J. Paxton T.W.
Lowrie G. Penaluna T.
Maddison J.A. Pittilla J.R.
Mallaburn T. Pluse T.
Marley W. Rawling J.W.
Marley W.J. Robinson W.
-------------------------------------
Robson A.J. Sweeny J.
Rooney J. Tatters J.
Roper W. Thompson E.
Ross R.H. Thompson M.
Routledge W.C. Thompson R.
Saint R. Tindale G.
Sandy F. Todd J.G.
Sandy J.T. Turnbull B.
Scorer T. Urwin G.
Seed E. Urwin R.
Self S.C. Varley B.R.
Simm R.T. Wake J.
Simpson H. Wake M.
Smith C. Watson A.
Smith G. Watson E.
Smith J. White B.
Spence J. Wilkinson A.
Sproul J. Wilkinson H.
Stafford J.F. Wilkinson J.
Stanners R. Wilkinson J.
Stephenson J.W. Wilkinson R.
Stewart J. Wilden H.
Stokoe W.J.B. Wiseman T.
Storey J.E. Young A.J.
Wilson F.
------------------------------------------
1939-45
On shaft of cross
Askew N.
Armstrong N.
Ball W.
Banks W.L.
Bolam G.
Beresford J.
Bootes W.W.
Brown J.
Brewis J.
Burrell R.
Buckham W.
Burgess R.
Burnett J.F.
Carpenter J.M.
Carr W.D.
Coulson H.
Coyle J.H.
Creswell W.
Creswell T.
Davison A.
Dawson R.
Dodds J.R.
Dodds J.
Dixon J.
Durham R.
Drummond A.
Eland A.
Eeles F.
Embleton T.W.
Ellison T.
Emmerson G.S.
Fisher T.
Forsyth T.
Fawcett S.
Geddes L.
Glew R.C.
Gough E.
Gray L.A.
Handysides L.
Hancock T.
Hepplwhite J.I.
Heslop T.W.
Hill W.E .
Hill J.
Hindmarch E.
Holt J.S.B.
Holt J.
Holdsworth C.
Hunt S.R.
Carrol A.
Arbuckle R.
-------------------------------------
On shaft of cross
Johnson J.
Johnson H.
Johnson J.H.
Keers J.
Lamb H.
Lumsden T.R.
Madden J.
Mills R.
Monaghan F.B.
Morris G.A.L.
Mordey C.
McCartney J.
Norton N.
Palmer R.J.
Palmer J.A.
Palmer Edna
Pearson J.
Pimbley R.
Quinn J.
Race A.
Richardson A.
Richards W.
Ritchie G.
Ritchings A.D.
Richardson R.
Riddle F.
Ridley R.
Robinson R.
Rogerson J.
Rutter R.
Rumney M.
Stanners F.W.
Scott J.
Simpson C.B.
Simpson G.
Snowball T.
Spencer R.W.
Thornton R.W.
Trotter R.
Wardle J.
Watson G.W.
Watson C.S.
Walsh L.
Waters R.
Wells S.G.
Wood E.
Young J.
Young Jack
Marley N.
Parker J.D.
-------------------------------------
On shaft of cross
Afghanistan
2013
Walker R.
Iraq 2003
Miller S.
Afghanistan
2006
Tansey S.
1914-1919
Pearson J.
Gulf War
1990-1991
Dent N.T.
Falklands War
1982
White S.J.
Jackson D.R.
Afghanistan
2006
(1914-18)
Helm P.
Ivers R.W.
Lamb P.
Lambton W.
McHugh M.
NamesW96.01
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.
Parish Notes
Every Name A Story
The British Library is preserving this site for the future in the UK Web Archive at www.webarchive.org.uk
Copyright 2013, North East War Memorials Project. Registered Charity No. 1113088
Another Effective Group Website