Memorial

Monument 1914-18 1939-45 Park

Seaham and Seaham Harbour

Memorial Name: Monument 1914-18 1939-45 Park (S117.04)

NEWMP Ref No.: S117.04

Parish: Seaham and Seaham Harbour

Original Location:

In New Seaham Recreation grounds, south of the bowling green.

Which War:

a. 1914-18
b. 1939-45

Dedication, Creation or Publication date:

a. Unveiled July 1923 by Marquis of Londonderry;
dedicated by Rev. S. Kearney, vicar of New Seaham

b. Unveiled 12th December 1948 by County Councillor W.P. Smith, Chairman of the Memorial Committee;
dedicated by Rev. O. Hogg, vicar of New Seaham

Materials Used:

Creetown granite polished panels; main memorial and figures of Woodkirk brown hard York stone.

Cost:

1914-18: £1300;
1939-45: £300.

How Money was Raised:

Public subscription

Present Condition: Restored c2005

Sculptor, Artist or Designer:

Designed, modeled, carved and executed by Ainsley and Collins of West Hartlepool, a firm composed entirely of disabled ex-Servicemen.

Inscription:

This memorial
was erected by the
workmen and friends
of New Seaham
in sacred remembrance
of their comrades
who fell in the
Great War
1914-1918.
Greater love hath no man than this,
that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Memorial Description:

Monument 30 feet (9.14m) high surmounted by winged figure of Liberty, 8 feet 6 inches (2.59m) high, bearing a torch aloft.

A pillar up each side carries at top a figure of a soldier of the Durham Light Infantry and a sailor from the Royal Navy, both slightly larger than life size.

Below the winged figure and between the two figures is a plaque of polished granite bearing the dedication.

Beneath this, the badge of the R.A.F. is carved in half relief.

Below this, there is another plaque on which the names for 1914-18 are carried in three columns.

The quotation is in the stone below this.

At the sides are two small free standing pillars.

The names for 1939-45 are in a single column on the front face of both of these.

Lettering is lead sans serif capitals throughout.

The whole was set inside a low kerb with metal posts bearing a chain, but this has gone.

Names:

a. 165 surnames and initials of those who fell.
b. 45 surnames and initials.
See transcript.

Notes:

1. The name of Private James Ogden, missing from the list of names from 1914-18, was added in November 2002

2. Since the photos were taken in 2000, the metal posts bearing chains have gone.

3. Structural problems are being looked at in 2008. In 2012 there is some damage to the head of the sailor and there are some letters missing from the names panel – both ‘Vickers’ and ‘Waites’ have no initial letters.

4. Following the unveiling, Lord Londonderry opened a bandstand which he had presented to the British Legion Club at New Seaham.

5. The memorial also commemorates 1,200 who served.

Sources:

Photos: C. Sanders, Simon Raine; Dorothy Hall; Lonely Tower; old postcard: George Nairn

Auckland & County Chronicle
05/07/1923 reports unveiling.

Durham Chronicle
06/07/1923 reports unveiling.

Durham Chronicle and Seaham Weekly News
17/12/1948 reports unveiling of 1939-45 extension.

Durham County Advertiser
06/07/1923 reports unveiling.

Newcastle Weekly Chronicle
07/07/1923 reports unveiling.

Northern Echo
30/06/1923 reports description and proposed unveiling;
02/07/1923 reports unveiling.

Seaham Weekly News
29/06/1923 reports proposed unveiling;
06/07/1923 reports unveiling.

Shields Daily News
05/07/1923

South Shields Gazette
02/07/1923 reports unveiling.

Stanley News and Consett Chronicle
05/07/1923 reports unveiling.

Durham County Council
ref 505/5/13/11

Source of quotation
“Greater love hath no man than this . . .” St. John 15 v 13.

Research Acknowledgements:

Fitzhugh Collection, Middleton in Teesdale;
C. Sanders;
Durham County Council;
Dorothy Hall;
George Nairn;
Trevor Williamson;
Yorkshire Regiment Remembrance;
Tony Harding;
Michael Mulhern

Research In Progress:

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

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If you know more about this memorial, please send the details to NEWMP.

Names Documents:

Top front panel  

  This memorial

  was erected by the

  workmen and friends

  of New Seaham,

  in sacred remembrance

  of their comrades,

  who fell in the

  Great War,

  1914 -1918.

———————————————

Middle front panel

  Adams J.       Eyre J.         Musson T.

  Alderson E.    Fairbairn E.T.  Musson W.

  Anderson R.    Fitzsimmon J.   Mullaney J.

  Anderson J.    Foots M.        Newton A.

  Bagley W.      Forster W.      Newton E.

  Barker G.      Gallillee J.    Palmer W.

  Bell G.        Gildea F.       Parker T.

  Bell J.W.      Goodhall A.     Parson G.

  Bell W.        Gordon F.       Peardon W.H.

  Berry R.W.     Graham T.N.     Plowman J

  Bleasdale W.   Greiveson T.    Plows J.

  Bickle J.      Guy T.          Rawling W.

  Bogan P.       Haggan E.       Rawling J.

  Bolton J.      Haswell T.      Redshaw B.

  Bresnan T.     Harrison J      Revely G.

  Brown J.C.     Harris C.       Robinson T.

  Bryan T.       Harlow J.W.     Robson R.

  Bulman W.      Hoar J.E.       Rogan H.

  Burton W.H.    Hodges D.       Rowell F.

  Curwen J.      Holmes T.       Rutherford W.

  Cardy W.T.     Hoy A.          Scales C.

  Cairns T.      Hoy J.          Scollen J.

  Cansick G.     Holland M.      Simpson J.W.

  Chapellow, G.  Hindson, P.     Softley J.G.

  Clough S.      Hunter J.R.     Stainthorpe F.

  Coates H.      Huntrod B.W.    Stark J.A.

  Conn G.        Humes R.        Stewart P.

  Cooper W.C.    Humpish J.      Stoddart J.W.

  Cooper T.B.    Heaton R.       Taylor J.T.

  Cowley J.      Herron J.       Todd R.E.

  Coyle J.       Irving A.       Townend H.

  Coyle M.       Irving R.       Venner S.

  Corkhill J.    Jackson A.      Vickers G.

  Cook M.        Johnson J.      Waites J.

  Cole F.        Kegan J.        Wakefield H.

  Cole N.        Kerry J.        Wakefield T.

  Cole T.        Langton T.      Walton J.

  Cole W.        Lucas A.        Wears R.

  Doyley J.J.    Maitland T.     Wears R.W.

  Dormand A.     Martin J.       Wears F.

  Dobbins R.     McCormack T.    Williams G.

  Donnelly D.    McAdoo D.       Wilkinson H.

  Doughty A.     McCabe P.       Wilkin J.

  Dixon H.       McCartney J.    Wilson J.

  Drummand J.    McCann W.       Wilson T.

  Elliot E.      Moffatt J.      Whitfield J.

  Errington M.   Moore L.        Wood F.

  Embleton J.    Mountford R.    Wright J.T.

  Bambrough T.C. McCourt J.      Waddle G.A.

  Coyles G.      Hurrell J.W.    Watson R.

  Dyer A.                        Lavery H.

  Hoar R.                        Newby J.

———————————————

On stone below middle panel   

                 Kavanagh W.

                 Nelson W.B.

  Kirby G.       Wallace W.DCM.  Bresnan W.J.

  Robinson D.R.  Ogden J.        Hampton R.

                                 Buglass G.

  Greater love, hath no man than this,

  that a man lay down his life for his friends.

———————————————

Bottom panel   

  Anderson J.W   Greener G.      Rowell, R.

  Atkinson G.    Hills G.        Rowell N.

  Atkinson R.    Henderson R.    Smith R.

  Atkinson R.    Harland T.      Stewart S.W.

  Arthur N.      Harvey A.       Stoddart G.

  Curtis F.      Lloyd J.        Spoors L.W.

  Dixon T.       Rochester W.    Hunter T.

———————————————

Left wing                   Right wing.

  1939-1945                1939-1945

  Aitchinson J.            Hoy         A.

  Allen      C.            Hoy       M.W.

  Atkinson   H.            Hughes      E.

  Barron     L.            Malkin      R.

  Bell       J.            Marwood   J.S.

  Bell       J.            Miller      W.

  Bell       W.            Newton      R.

  Bolton   C.H.            Oglesby     R.

  Bullmore   J.            Richardson  T.

  Carling  T.S.            Rooney      E.

  Clough     T.            Rutherford  J.

  Conlon     W.            Shipley   J.H.

  Conn       J.            Smith       T.

  Cooper   R.C.            Spark       C.

  Doxford  H.M.            Steel     T.H.

  Edwards  T.W.            Tempest     W.

  Gatenby  J.G.            Watson      F.

  Hanlon     T.            Weatherall  F.

  Harlow     E.            Wiltshire W.H.

  Hillam   J.R.            Wood        G.

  Hillam     L.            Wood        T.

  Little   R.H.         

  McGaughie  J.

  Yare     G.W.

NamesS117.04

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