Memorials 1914-18 1939-45 Zion United Methodist

Zion United Methodist Church, on the corner of Waterloo Road and Church Street, Blyth, Northumberland. NE24 1BG. (demolished) NZ 31291 81491

Plaque(s) stolen when church building was being demolished.

The Communion Table with brass commemorative plate was transferred to Seghill Methodist Church but the brass plate was missing.

a. 1914-18
b. 1939-45

a and b 1914-18 memorials unveiled 5th June 1921 by Lt.Col. J.H. Nicholson of Blyth.
c. Font unveiled 5th June 1921 by Lt.Col. J.H. Nicholson.
d. Communion Table unveiled in October 1950.

Oak with brass plates, each for 5 different churches, each one being treated separately.

Font made by Hughes, Bolckow & Co.Ltd. of Blyth

Binnacle font designed & engraved by J. Armour of Backworth.

d.
To the glory of God
in loving memory of
(Names)
Greater love hath no man than this.

f.
In memory of those of the Central Primitive Methodist Church, Regent Street, Blyth and Zion Methodist Church, Blyth who made the supreme sacrifice in the World Wars 1914-1918 and 1939-1945.

a. “On the north wall between the second and third windows there is a brass Roll of Honour”

b. “On the pulpit there is a plaque to the memory of the fallen”. Note in Shields Daily News 06/06/1921 is the information that the lettering was engraved in Old English.

c. “At the south side of the Communion area there is a unique memorial Font. It could possibly be the only one of its type in Methodism, being made from an old ship’s compass and stand and bearing the following inscription ‘Zion U.M. Church Memorial to Fallen Soldiers, 1914-1919. Font from H.M.S. Renown, Pedestal from H.M.S. Britannia and Leviathan’. Morpeth Herald reports that the names were in O.E. lettering, by J. Armour, Engineer.

d. “As will be well known the whole of the front of the choir was remodelled when the choir gallery was removed and the church renovated in the late 1940s. At this time a new Communion table and chairs were dedicated as a Memorial to those killed in the Second World War . . . ”

e. ” . . . in the porch there is hung a Roll of Honour for the 1939-45 War”

All this has been replaced by the following in the Blyth New Central Methodist Church

f. Slender oak column 40 inches high (1.2m) standing on oak base supporting a narrow octagonal font of 14½ inches diameter (370mm).
Five faces of the sides of the font bear brass plates, the other faces are carved with an abstract pattern.
The lettering in each case is Roman capitals.

1. Extract from the Souvenir Brochure of the Church Centenary Celebrations 1966 :
“On the north wall between the second and third pair of windows from the front there is a brass Roll of Honour;
on the pulpit there is a plaque to the memory of the fallen;
and at the south side of the Communion area there is a unique memorial Font. It could be the only one of its type in Methodism, being made from an old ship’s compass and bearing the following inscription: ‘Zion U.M. Church Memorial to fallen soldiers 1914-1919. Font from H.M.S. Renown, Pedestal from H.M.S. Britannia and Leviathan’. As will be well known the whole of the front of the church was remodeled when the choir gallery was removed and the church renovated in the late 1940s. At this time a new Communion Table and chairs were dedicated as a Memorial to those killed in the Second World War . . . . .in the porch there is hung a Roll of Honour for the 1939-1945 War”.

2. When the Zion Methodist Church was demolished, the Communion table was taken to Seghill Methodist. However, it was minus the brass plate which bore the names of the men from the church who died in 1939-45. This plaque was found in the road outside Blyth cemetery some years ago, in a battered condition. The finder straightened it and put it away, rediscovering it later. This was taken to the Central Methodist Church in 2009. Here there is a font bearing plaques from five now-demolished chapels in Blyth. It was decided to copy this one to match and place it on the font.
The original has now been sent to the family of Alan Glen Branley, who was awarded the D.C.M. in 1942.

Photo of 1939-45 plaque: Edna Lisle

Blyth News
06/06/1921 gives names and regiments of the fallen from 1914-18.

Illustrated Chronicle
03/06/1921 reports proposed unveiling;
06/06/1921 reports unveiling.

Morpeth Herald
10/06/1921 reports unveiling of font.

Newcastle Weekly Chronicle
11/06/1921 reports unveiling as in Note 2 above.

Shields Daily News
06/06/1921 press report of unveiling

Souvenir Brochure for Church Centenary Celebrations, 1966

Source of quotation:
“Greater love hath no man than this* John 15 v 13

Jack Tait, Blyth Local History Society;
Ralph W. Gould;
J. Brown;
Edna Lisle;
Dorothy Hall

If you are researching this memorial please contact 2014@newmp.org.uk