Memorial

Cross 1914-18 Billy Mill

Preston

Memorial Name: Cross 1914-18 Billy Mill (P17.04)

NEWMP Ref No.: P17.04

Parish: Preston

Original Location:

Billy Mill, at junction of Queen Alexandra Road and Billy Mill Lane, North Shields.

Present Location:

Moved in 1964 to Tynemouth (Preston) Cemetery, Walton Avenue.

At south west corner, Section L.

Which War:

1914-18

Dedication, Creation or Publication date:

Unveiled Sunday 15th June 1924 by Mr. U.A. Ritson, Colliery Chairman;
dedicated by Rev. R.E. Holmes.

Materials Used:

Silver-grey granite.

Who Commissioned:

Colliery owners, G.A. Ritson and Sons.

Present Condition: Some of the letters have gone, partly due to vandalism.

Sculptor, Artist or Designer:

Designed and made by Mr. Denis William Foster of North Shields, whose monumental workshop used to be at Hawkey’s Lane / Queen Alexandra Road Junction.
Masonry work by Messrs. Lant of Newcastle.

Ownership and Maintenance: At the unveiling ceremony, the monument was formally handed over and the site on which it stands to the Mayor and Corporation of Tynemouth for safe custody.

Inscription:

To our Glorious Dead
1914-18
Preston Colliery.

Memorial Description:

Obelisk 10 feet (3.04m) high, slender, gently tapering, octagonal.

At the top is a bronze sword.

The cross rests on an octagonal pedestal, which in turn rests on a stepped octagonal base.

Total height 16 feet (4.87m).

The inscription is on the pedestal.

The letters are of lead which have been attached to stand proud, using sans serif capitals throughout.

Names:

65 surnames and initials.
See transcript.

Notes:

1. The original site had a curved wall behind with wood seats, built to shield the east side of the monument and to collect the afternoon sun for those who wished to sit there. The stone for the seat came from Billy Mill Quarry.

2. It is noted in one report that the memorial is “very substantially constructed, the inscription block of granite being two and a half tons weight”. The names are “inscribed in imperishable lead lettering”.

3. When war broke out, 900 men were employed at the Preston Colliery. Of these, 392 joined up, and 65 were killed.

4. The documents in Tyne and Wear Archives give the original location as the junction of Queen Alexandra Road and Regent Terrace. The original intention was to move the memorial 15 yards to Queen Alexandra Road West.

5. For comparison of names with the Roll of Honour, see P17.02.

6. “The background stonework, done by Messrs. Lant of Newcastle, is of Billy Mill stone with flagging of Yorkshire flags and granite kerbs.”

7. The Colliery owners gave a “Welcome Home” to the colliery workers who served at Hawkey’s Lane Football ground. About 350 returned men and relatives of the fallen attended, and received medals as souvenirs. “The firm had found employment for every man who returned, and had always paid the trade union rate of wages. From 1916 to 1919 every workman and official at the colliery contributed to a fund to help the dependents of those away on service, over £2,000 being raised, and, when it came to organizing the welcome home, the firm said they would double whatever the men of the colliery gave.”

External Links:

Historic England Listing

Sources:

Photos: J. Brown; Tony Harding

Illustrated Chronicle
16/06/1924 has photo of unveiling.

Newcastle Daily Chronicle
12/07/1920 reports Welcome Home in Note 7 above.

Newcastle Weekly Chronicle
21/06/1924 reports unveiling.

Northern Echo
14/03/1924 reports proposed memorial

Shields Daily News
13/03/1924 has drawing and details;
12/06/1924 carries notice of unveiling ceremony;
14/06/1924 sketch of memorial;
16/06/1924 report of the unveiling ceremony.

South Shields Gazette
16/06/1924 reports unveiling.

Tyne and Wear Archives
file 1934 T15/950

Sources Link: Northern Echo 03 14 Fri -1924

Additional Research Documents

Research Acknowledgements:

Kevin Bradley;
R.C. Simpson;
Ralph W. Gould;
Mr. Smurthwaite, (82 year old retired nurseryman and local historian);
Tony Harding;
Dorothy Hall;
James Pasby;
Michael Mulhern