Memorial
Cross 1914-18 1939-45 Roadside
Dunston Hill
Memorial Name: Cross 1914-18 1939-45 Roadside (D31.01)
NEWMP Ref No.: D31.01
Parish: Dunston Hill
Junction of Ellison Road and King George Avenue, in front of St. Nicholas with Christ Church.
a. 1914-18
b. 1939-45
a. Unveiled Sunday April 15th 1923 by Major-General Sir Percy Wilkinson, KCMG., CB.;
dedicated by Bishop Welldon.
b. 1950, unveiled by Lord Gort (Durham County President of the British Legion)
Granite, bronze.
War Memorial Committee
Site donated by Rev. C.E. Little, rector.
Designed by Mr. S.J. Stephenson of Messrs White & Stephenson, Newcastle;
Made by Messrs. Emley & Sons, Newcastle.
Erected by Messrs. Bewley & Scott, contractors, Dunston;
Ownership and Maintenance: The Deed of Conveyance was handed over to the Chairman of Whickham Urban Council at the unveiling.
a.
The Great War
1914 – 1918
To the glory of God
These laid the
world away
Poured out the
red sweet wine
of youth Gave
up the years to
be of work and
joy and that
unhoped serene
that men call
age.
b.
Remember also
those who gave
their lives in
World War
1939-1945
Cross of Celtic type on square pedestal on five-stepped octagonal base.
The words “The Great War” are at the base of the cross.
The dedication is borne on a bronze panel at the centre front of the pedestal, and the names are carried in two sunken panels on each face.
The names from 1939-45 are on the sloping top step at the base of the pedestal.
Lettering is in sans serif capitals.
a. 223 surnames and initials including a nurse.
b. 13 surnames and initials.
See transcript.
1. Of the names from 1939-45, half the names were those of seafarers.
2. The unveiling programme came up for sale on e-bay in March 2006 priced at £25. “Dunston On Tyne War Memorial Service 1923 Dunston. Dunston On Tyne War Memorial Service of Unveiling and Dedication. Sunday 15th April 1923. Newcastle On Tyne: Smith & Son, 1923. [12] pp, frontis plate of the Memorial Cross, Roll of Honour. Original printed limp card wraps, stapled. 26 cm x 16 cm. Random marks to wraps, wear to upper edges, staples rusted, centre page starting to come loose, contents lightly age browned.”
3. A card issued at the time of the ceremony and bears a picture of the unveiling carries the words:
“To the memory of the sons of Dunston
Who fought for their country so brave,
With thoughts of the past
They will never be forgot
By the Families and Comrades who are left.”
4. Maj.Gen. Wilkinson was presented with a silver cigar box as a memento of the occasion.
5. After the rededication in 1950, a collection was taken which raised £23, but this left the fund still below the target of £250.
6. This War Memorial was renovated and repaired by Gateshead Council around April 2009, as the foundations were unsafe due to road widening and wear and tear.
7. When the Memorial was originally built, there was a lot of correspondence about the construction.
Photos: C. Sanders; James Pasby; Dorothy Hall
photos taken during 2009 restoration: Tony Young, Gateshead Council; Ken Blythe;
old postcard: Tony Harding
Blaydon Courier
21/05/1921 reports donation of site;
17/03/1923 reports proposed unveiling; 21/04/1923 reports unveiling.
Gateshead Post
08/09/1950.
Illustrated Chronicle
29/03/1923 carries photo;
14/04/1923 gives programme for forthcoming unveiling;
16/04/1923 reports unveiling with photos.
Newcastle Weekly Chronicle
17/03/1923 and 14/04/1923 report proposed unveiling;
21/04/1923 reports unveiling with a photo.
Northern Echo
14/04/1923 reports proposed unveiling;
16/04/1923 reports unveiling;
Gateshead Archive
Source of quotation
“These laid the world away . . .” The Dead Rupert Brooke, in a poem which begins “Blow out, you bugles, over the rich dead”.
Additional Research Documents
Ethel and Neville Armstrong (Whickham & District L.H.S.);
C. Sanders;
Tony Harding;
James Pasby;
Tony Young (Gateshead Council)
If you are researching this memorial please contact 2014@newmp.org.uk
DUNSTON HILL Junction
Front
The Great War
1914 – 1918
To the
Glory of
God
Aggio W. These laid the Hopper J.T.
Allan C. world away Hufton R.B.
Archer R. Poured out the Iley J.
Bains H. red sweet wine Jones E.
Batty G. of youth gave Jones G.
Bell A. up the years to Kay J.W.
Bell, C. be of work and Lee J.R.
Bell R. joy and that Laws A.
Bewley I. unhoped serene Lowery R.
Bolam T. that men call Lowery W.
Bonner E. age. Luke J.
Burke A.E. Mole E.
Cross H. Noble J.S.
Dixon G. Noon G.
Doyle R. Pape W.
Doran J. Potts S.W.
Evans P. Quirk E.
Flint R. Ree J.W.
Frost C. Ree T.B.
Gray R. Rollo J.
Gray S. Scott F.E.
Grieves R. Scott W.
Hogg A.W. Terry J.
Hogg E.T. White C.
—————————————————-
Lower pedestal (1939-45)
Adams L. Remember also Bradford P.
Allison W.R. those who gave Brebner W.
Anderson T. their lives in Brodie O.
Atkinson T.A. World War Brown E.R.
Backhouse R. 1939-1945 Brown J.
Baggally J. Brown J.W.
Bell S. Brunswick A.T.
Bissett J.B. Carr R.W.
Bissett J.C. Caufield D.
Bowen A.B. Charlton J.G.
—————————————————-
Second face (1914-18)
Aisbit A.H. Connor W.
Arthur T.W. Cooper J.R.
Arthurs D. NURSE Costelloe.J.
Armstrong W.J. May Thompson Coulson A.
Arkless W. Crawley W.J.
Alderson G. Cunningham J.M.
Atkinson R.E. Cunningham J.J.
Atkinson T. Davison T.
Axtell A.J. Dail J.S.
Belgian W. Dodds T.W.H.
Bicker H.H. Dockwray J.C.
Bishop J.T. Drummond J.
Blenkley A. Elliott R.
Blenkley W. Elmore M.
Brown J.G. Elmore P.
Buckley W.G. Evers J.
Burness J.G. Findley J.M.
Cairns E. Finlay
Cawkwell A.H. Flartey W.
Charlton T. Fletcher J.W.
Clarke H. Fothergill E.
Collier W. Fulthorpe T.
Copeland E.E. Gallon J.W.
Copeland R.G.T. Gettings C.
—————————————————-
Lower pedestal (1939-45)
Clark G.M. Donnelly E. Gill W.
Cockburn J.K. Dunn J. Goulbourn J.W.
Connor G. Egle G. Graham J.
Cowen W.H. Foreman J. Green P.
Coxon J. Foster J. Harrison B.
Cross H. Foster T.O. Herwood M.
Cummings J.G. Gallimore M. Henry G.H.
Davies G. Gibbons J. Snr. Herron J.G.
Dixon F. Gibbons J. Jnr. Hood R.
Dockwrey W.M. Gibson R.T. Jackson G.H.
———————————————————
Third face (1914-18)
Greenwell G.R. McDermott W. Neil T.J.
Hall J.J. McGirr J. Oakes T.
Halliday R. McGuckian J. Oakes N.
Hankey B.H. McGuckian H. Oliver J.W.
Harrison A. McKenzie W. Olloman R.
Hewett G.E. McLane J. Plewes G.E.
Hewson J. McLeod A. Powton N.
Hodgson R. McHenry D. Proudfoot A.S.
Hodgson T. McHenry H. Proudfoot W.B.
Husband W. McHenry J. Pyle J.T.
Hutchinson W. McWhinnie A. Pyle T.
James R.W. Manger W.F. Ramsay M.
Jenson G. Melton H.R. Renwick M.M.
Johnson J. Miller J. Rice T.
Keeler W.G. Miller N. Robson W.
Kelly J. Miller G. Rodham J.
King J.B. Mitchinson W. Ross J.W.
Lancaster J.A. Moore J.H. Russell J.
Lancaster T. Moore I. Scorer W.
Latty G.G. Moorsom G. Simmonds R.K.D.
Leech E.J. Morley J. Sinclair J.T.
Leech W.H. Morpeth J. Smith T.
Lichfield W. Morpeth S.B. Soulsby E.C.
Longstaff J. Moule E.C. Sowerby J.M.
—————————————————-
Lower pedestal (1939-45)
Jorgenson K.H. Miller J. Pears W. Roberts C.E.
Jorgenson S.A. Mills J. Penman A. Roberts D.
Kidd W. Moad G.M. Pinkney W. Robertson A.
Ledger S. Moody G.C. Perry C. Robinson J.
Liddell A.T. McAllister T. Porthouse G. Robson H.
Marsh G.G. McCurl J. Ramsay P.S. Saul T.
Martin R. Noble J.H. Rice T. Scott R.N.
Maulson W. Norgaard G.C. Richards G.H. Secker W.J.
Meades C.T. Pearce A. Riordan H.D. Sharp R.
Metcalfe N. Peareth G. Roberts T. Shaw R.
———————————————————
Fourth face
Stafford G.R. Baines H. Usher A.
Staples W.J. Bunting M.C. Utterson P.
Stark W. Clarke W. Varty T.
Steel S. Evans J. Vickers R.
Stephenson W. Hughes J. Waistell W.E.
Stobbs L. Tate T.S. Wake W.
Swaddle R. Oloman R. Ward W.
Swaddle J.G. Wardle J.
Swaddle G. Watson F.
Swindle J. Weston G.T.
Swindle M.C. Wilson C.
Taylor H. Wilson E.A.
Teasdale J. Wilson J.W.
Temperley J. Wilson W.
Thatcher J.W. Winter W.
Thompson A. Wood J.R.
Thompson D. Wright A.
Thompson H.J. Wright M.D.
Thompson M. Young J.R.
Thompson T.H. Cook R.
Tinning A. Georgeson J.
Turnbull W. Newton R.M.
Turpin J. Swinbank J.W.
Unsworth J.C. Thompson J.R.
Lower pedestal; (1939-45)
Shotton R. Thackray T. Wilson V.
Skelton A. Tinning S. Wright W.L.
Slater A.H. Thompson J.I. Youens R.A.
Slater E. Turner R.B.
Snaith W. Vaughan Edna L.
Spraggs T.H. Waggott A.
Stout J.W. Walker R.E.
Strang J. Wallace W.
Swan G.E. Watson J.W.
Symm N. Welsh J.
NamesD31.01
War Memorial Indexes
County Durham Index
Newcastle Index
Northumberland Index
Over The Tees Index
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