Plaque 1914-18 St. Aidan’s Boys Home

St. Aidan’s Church of England Home for Boys, Mariners Lane / King Edward Road. (Demolished)

Unknown

1914-18

Unveiled 14th November 1926 by the Duke of Northumberland;
dedicated by the Bishop of Newcastle.

Bronze in oak surround.

Plaque.

Approx. 24 inches high x 18 inches wide (61cms x 46cms), guessed from a vase of daffodils in the photo.

The grain of the wood suggests oak.

There is a wide surround into which have been inserted square raised studs at intervals, bearing what could be Tudor roses and oak leaves raised in half relief.

The central panel has a narrow border around the names, which are listed in Roman capitals.

The bottom half of the central plaque might bear the dedication.

The whole rests on a shelf for a vase.

1. The names appear on the list on the Unveiling Programme of the village war shrine T36.16

2. The ceremony was part of a larger commemoration of the Home’s 21st birthday.

3. “The Home is one of 109 established and conducted indirectly by the Church of England Society for Providing Homes for Waifs and Strays. It has been the aim of the Society to establish two Homes in each Diocese – for boys and girls respectively – and entrust the people of the Diocese with the maintenance and conducting of the establishments. St. Aidan’s Home is one of the Newcastle Diocesan charges, St. Oswald’s Home for Girls, Cullercoats, being the other.”

4. At the dedication one of the smallest boys gave the Duchess a bouquet and received a hug and kiss.

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail
15/09/1926 reports unveiling.
(Available on The British Newspaper Archive)

Shields Daily News
15/09/1926 reports unveiling.

South Shields Gazette
15/9/1926 reports unveiling

The Church of England Waifs and Strays Society
Newcastle Diocesan Branch Report for 1929 carries a photo with no further details.

Janet Brown;
James Pasby;
Michael Mulhern

The members of Tynemouth World War 1 Commemoration Project have researched the names on the Borough of Tynemouth’s Roll of Honour.
Contact: info@tynemouthworldwarone.org