Memorial

Clock, bell and plaque 1914-18 1939-45 St. John and St. Mary

Hesleden

Memorial Name: Clock, bell and plaque 1914-18 1939-45 St. John and St. Mary (H124.01)

NEWMP Ref No.: H124.01

Parish: Hesleden

Original Location:

St. John and St Mary’s Church (Closed)

Present Location:

The plaque is now in Hesleden School.

The face of the clock and bell remain in situ.

Which War:

a. 1914-18
b. 1939-45

Dedication, Creation or Publication date:

Dedicated by the Bishop of Jarrow December 4th 1927;
The clock started and tablet unveiled by Lieut. Col. W. Thomlinson of Seaton Carew.

Materials Used:

Brass plaque.

Inscription:

a.
To the Glory of God
and in Proud and Loving Memory
of the Men of Hesleden
who gave their lives in the
Great War 1914-19
(Names)
this Clock and Bell were erected.

b.
And the following who fell in 1939-1945.
(Names)

Memorial Description:

Clock with blue face and gold Roman numerals. Protected from above by an overhanging roofed frame.

There is a plaque for 1914-18 which is 18 inches high x 28 inches wide (46cms x 71cms) on a wide wood pattress.

It would seem that the pattress has been deepened to allow for the addition of the 1939-45 plaque.

There is a wide border of elaborate design, culminating in squares at the four corners.

The names are listed in four columns.

The lettering is incised in red and black lettering, using elaborate lettering for the dedication and plain capitals for the names.

Below this is a matching plaque for 1939-45, 6 inches high x 28 inches wide (15cms x 71cms).

Underneath is a shelf 36 inches long and 7 inches deep with hooks for hanging wreaths.

Names:

a. 42 full names.
b. 8 full names.
See transcript.

Notes:

1. The church closed and is now a house.

2. The memorials were moved to Blackhall St. Andrew’s then to Hesleden Community Centre. The Centre closed and the memorials have been relocated in Hesleden School.

3. There was also a wood board with letters incised in Roman capitals. This read: “These memorials with the / chest and altar rails / were removed from the / old church of St. Mary / Monkhesleden”.

4. One of the memorials reads: “The Sanctuary lamp / is in affectionate memory of / The Reverend Archibald Brown / Vicar of this Parish / 1908-1923”.
He would have been Vicar throughout the Great War.

5. When the memorials were moved to the Community Centre, they were reset on another oak pattress so that the 1939-45 plaque was no longer below the 1914-18 plaque. This arrangement also included the H124.02 plaque.

Sources:

Photos: Simon Raine; C. Sanders; Eddy Castling; Dorothy Hall

Durham Chronicle
09/12/1927 reports unveiling.
(Available on The British Newspaper Archive)

The Monumental Brasses of County Durham William Lack, H. Martin Stuchfield and Philip Whittemore 2002 ISBN 095 4327101.