Memorial
Statue 1914-18 1939-55 Roadside
Shildon
Memorial Name: Statue 1914-18 1939-55 Roadside (S122.02)
NEWMP Ref No.: S122.02
Parish: Shildon
At the entrance to St. John’s Churchyard. Church Street. Shildon DL4 1DT.
a. 1914-18
b. 1939-45
a. Unveiled Saturday October 13th 1923 by Major Gen. F.A. Dudgeon, C.B., G.C.C. 50th Northumbrian Division.
Dedicated by Rev. H.B. Watts, B.A. Vicar of Shildon.
b. Unveiled by Major. Gen. J.M.K. Spurling,
Dedicated by the Bishop of Durham June 2nd 1957.
Granite base, bronze figure and panels.
War Memorial Committee (Chairman: Mr. Ralph Morton)
£675
Public subscription
Designed by W.A. Kellett, Esq. of Messrs. Kellett and Clayton, architects, Bishop Auckland; Made by Messrs. Humphries, Jackson & Ambler, Ltd., Manchester.
Erected by J. Moore & Sons, Shildon.
Ownership and Maintenance: R. Morton, Esq., Chairman of the War Memorial Committee, will invite the Chairman of the Shildon Urban District Council to accept on behalf of the Town the memorial to be kept for the inhabitants for all time.
a.
See ye to it
that these
have not died in vain.
In
grateful remembrance
of
Shildons Glorious Dead
1914-1918
1939-1955 (sic)
Greater love
hath no man than this,
that a man
lay down his life
for his friends.
Statue of a soldier crouching, rifle at the ready.
On the front of the pedestal at the top is a bronze wreath, with the exhortation in a sunken panel below.
The dedication is placed below this.
The names for 1914-18 are carried on two panels 65inches high x 30 inches wide (165cms x 76cms), listed in three columns, all the lettering for 1914-18 in raised Roman capitals.
The names for 1939-55 are on a similar panel on the back, 68 inches high x 28 inches wide (172cms x 71cms), with decorative screwheads, the names listed in two columns using sans serif capitals.
a. 256 full names.
b. 137 full names.
See transcript.
1. The original idea was to erect a ‘rest house’ and aviary in the park, estimated cost £1,356 10s 1d. Later, this was left in abeyance for a year “during which time the price of labour and materials should have come down”. This scheme was finally abandoned.
2. The War Memorial Committee requested the Urban District Council to pay £64 for oak gates at the church entrance. The memorial itself was paid for. The bronze plaques needed to be placed on it and this would cost between £70-£80. If the UDC would pay for the gates, a public meeting would be called to see how the rest of the money would be raised. The UDC made a grant of £30.
3. The bronze plaques were not in place at the time of the unveiling.
4. “If the collection that day realized £100, they would be out of debt”.
5. The die of the pedestal was quarried at Wolsingham Park.
6. The name of Thomas William Emmerson was added to the Memorial on the 18th January 2024, by Shildon Town Council, at the request of his grandson Mr Darran Weston. A service to mark the addition of the name was held on the 10th February 2024.
Photos: C. Sanders; Simon Raine; Tony Harding; James Pasby; 1957 photo: Beamish Museum; old postcard: George Nairn
Auckland and County Chronicle
30/10/1919 and 27/11/1919 reports proposals;
04/03/1920 contains photo of proposed rest house;
01/07/1920 reports proposed rest house;
12/10/1922 reports division of opinion;
19/10/1922 reports abandonment of rest house;
22/03/1923 reports progress;
18/10/1923 reports unveiling.
Darlington and Stockton Times (South)
28/02/1920 reports proposal for rest house in the park;
19/02/1921 report proposal to leave things in abeyance.
Darlington and Stockton Times (North)
27/01/1923 reports acceptance of tender.
Durham County Advertiser
19/10/1923 reports unveiling;
17/10/2002 reports proposed change of site
Illustrated Chronicle
15/10/1923 reports unveiling with photos.
Northern Echo
21/11/1919 reports proposal for a rest house;
15/10/1923 reports unveiling;
21/11/1923 reports request for financial help from UDC.
Newcastle Weekly Chronicle
20/10/1923 reports unveiling.
Durham County Council Ref 505/7/11/15
Sources of quotations
“See ye to it that . . .” On certificate signed by King George V and sent to bereaved families;
“Greater love hath no man . . .” St. John 15 v 13
Additional Research Documents
S122.02 Order of Service 2024 Shildon
Fitzhugh Collection, Middleton in Teesdale;
C. Sanders;
Durham County Council;
John and Mavis Dixon;
Harry Jenkins;
Dorothy Hall;
Beamish Museum;
Tony Harding;
James Pasby
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If you know more about this memorial, please send the details to NEWMP.
SHILDON At the entrance to St. John’s Churchyard.
Front face
See ye to it
that these
have not died in vain.
In
grateful remembrance
of
Shildon’s Glorious Dead
1914-1918
1939-1955
Greater love
hath no man than this
that a man
lay down his life
for his friends.
First Side panel
Akers Albert E. Clark Charles Grundy Robert
Alderson Gerald R. Claxton Fred Guy Harold
Alderson Joseph H. Claxton George H. Hague Charles A.
Alderson Thomas Cletheroe Albert Hall Fred
Allison Joseph Coates, Frederick H. Hall George
Anderson Alfred Coates Joseph Hancock Wilfred
Applegarth John Coates Matthew Hancock W.
Armitage David Coates Thomas Harbron Walter
Atkinson Joseph Cockfield George Hardy Arthur
Atkinson Walter Cockfield James Hardy Henry
Bainbridge Ralph Coley Harold Harrison Henry
Banham John A. Colling W.R. Hartley Amos
Barlow Fred Collinson George Harwood Harold
Bell Edwin A. Couper Alfred H. Harwood George
Bell John R.M. Crack Percy Henderson Edward
Bellwood Thomas Crawford George Hepples F.
Best Zebedee Cree John Hind William P.
Blanchard Arthur Crooks Norman E. Hird James
Bland Braithwaite Cullen Lawrence Hodgson Albert W.
Bolland R.W. Davies Charles Hodgson Ben
Bowdon, John Davies Ernest Hodgson F.F.
Bowe Albert H. Dennison Thomas Hodgson J.D.
Bowes J. Dixon Jonah Hopps Arthur
Bowran John J. Dobson Robert Hopps, John S.
Bowser Arthur Dodds Alfred Howe George B.
Brown James Doran Sidney Hughes John E.
Brown Joseph Dowson William Hutchinson Edward
Brown Matthias Eddy E. Ibbetson T.
Brown George W. Elliott George R. Ingledew Thomas
Brown Bert Elliott Joseph R. Ireland Arthur
Bryant Fred Emmerson Thomas E. Jary G.W.
Bundy H. Ewbank William Jefferson Percival
Burton E.R. Fairbrass George Jenkins H.
Burton J H. Firbank Thomas W. Jenkinson Edward
Butcher L. Fitzgerald J. Johnson Walter
Carter Herbert O.B. Fletcher Thomas Johnston Walter
Carter Otto Fletcher Wigan Kavanagh Lionel
Caygill Edward Foster H. Kavanagh Matthew
Caygill Thomas Foster James Kell Matthew
Chapman George W. Gallagher E. Kell Samuel H.
Chapman John O. Gibbon John C. Kitching James
Charlton Thomas Goldsborough J. Kitching Harry
Chester Joseph Graham Alfred Kitching Walter
Emmerson Thomas W. Greener Harry R.
Second side panel
Laidlaw J. Peacock John S. Spensley. Harry
Lawson Walter Peaker Robert Stanwix Arthur
Liddle G.H. Pears Wm. Stanwix Harry N.
Longstaffe Samuel Pearson George Stephenson Chris.
Longthorne Edward Pearson H. Stephenson Harry
Lumley Harold R. Pearson John Stewart Wm.
MacDowell Alfred Pearson Joseph Stonehouse Thomas
Magor G. Place Arthur Stonehouse Leonard
Major E. Porter W.N. Storey Harold J.
Malcolm Joseph W. Pounder Thomas Strophair F.W.S.
Marsden N. Pratt J.W. Stout J.
Martindale Stanley Preston Thomas Summerson T.
Matthews J. Pybus R. Summers R.W.
Matthews Patrick Raine Mark Sunter Albert
Maughan E. Rammage Wm. Sykes George
Mawson J.R. Laidlaw Reeve Sam L. Tarn James C.
McKay Sydney Foster Richardson M. Taylor J.G.
McNaughton Albert Rickaby George Taylor, Richard R.
Metcalfe Albert Riley Charles Taylor W.
Metcalfe Joseph W. Robinson Alfred Thompson Ernest N.
Metcalfe Thomas Robinson Arthur Thirlaway Joseph
Middlemass T.C. Robinson Ernest Todd Joseph
Milburn E. Robinson Henry Trussler Herbert
Milburn John T. Robinson John J. Trussler Sidney
Mills Fred Robinson J.T. Tully Lancelot
Moody Kenneth Robinson, P. Tyreman George W.
Morland, Matthew Robinson, R. Vasey Albert
Mudd Tom Robinson R. Henry Vasey Thomas
Murphy J. Robson Ernest A. Wade George H.
Murton R. Robson John Warrett John W.
Neal George Robson Thomas W. Warne Percy
Neesam G.W. Rowntree Christopher Watson Jacob W.
Newby J. Sambrooke A.E. Watson Joseph M.
Nixon J.G. Sayer T. Edwin Watson John H.
Noddings Isaac Shafto T. Edward Watters Luke
Offord William Smeddle G.R.G. Welburn Thomas
Palmer T.A. Smedley J. Wheatley Ernest
Parker Thomas Smith, David J. Whitehead J.
Parkin Arthur Smith Wm. M. Wick Thomas W.
Parkinson William Smith Cresswell Williamson James
Parsley Norman Smith G. Wilson Joseph
Pattinson, R. Smurthwaite B.B. Wilson W.R.
Pawson Walter Snowden Wilfred Woodward Robert H.
Peacock Arthur Solomon Edwin Young James C.
Peacock George Sowerby T. Young John W.
Rear
1939-1955
Aisbitt, Thomas J. Lawton, Harry
Allinson, David Dowson Lishman, Stanley
Anderson, Harold Lowther, Maurice William
Appleby, Thomas Martin, Joseph
Arnold, Fred McGuire, Richard
Ayre, James Metcalfe, John Robert
Baines, John William Million, Peter
Barnett, Ronald R. Mitford, Algernon Montague
Barratt, Richard Moody, Thomas Walton
Beddingfield, William Moore, Fred Charles
Bell, Percy Morris, John
Bellis, Robert Murphy, John P.
Bennett, Thomas Wilfred Nicholson, Esmond
Bennett, William Owens, Vivien
Blackett, George Parker, Frank Ernest
Blake, Alan Pearce, Harold Edgar
Bowden, Thomas Pearson, William
Bowron, John William Pilson, Ronald
Brown, Frank Colin Pooley, Derek
Brown, William Pounder, William
Buck, Arthur Priestley, Robert
Buckman, Charles Raine, George
Burdon, John Raisbeck, Kenneth
Burnside, Alfred Reece, Leonard
Calland, Jack Ridley, John Esmond
Calvert, Wilfred Riley, Walter Print
Cheesbrough, John Robinson, Cyril
Chetwynd, Samuel E. Robinson, Ralph
Clarke, Edward Robinson, Stanley
Clarkson, George William Robson, Joseph
Close, Sidney Robson, Robert W.
Coates, James Arthur Rodgers, Sidney
Coates, Joseph Chester Saunders, James
Cocksey, John H. Scott, James Walter
Collinson, Reuben Shields, Joseph A.
Cottingham, Ronald Smith, Sidney
Cutchie, John William Smith, Thomas Edward
Dawson, John James Sowerby, Derek
Daykin, John Edward Spowart, Edward
Deaton, Ernest Stabler, Jim
Dixon, John Stephenson, John David
Dodds, G. Roger Stobart, James Albert
Dowson, Norman Stoddart, William Stanley
Dunnington, Albert Stubbs, Robert William
Elders, Arthur Sunter, Arnold
Elgey, Ralph Tarn, George
Entwistle, Robert Tarn, Thomas
Foote, Norman Topham, Thomas Walter
Forster, William Wade, Thomas
Foster, Laurence Walker, Arnold
Furness, Frederick Walker, Arthur
Goodburn, George Walker, Arthur
Graham, Frank Walsh, Harold
Gregg, John Henry Ward, Lewis
Hatfield, Dorothy Ware, Robert P.
Hebden, Len Watcham, Eric
Henderson, Robert William Watson, John Thomas
Highfield, Edward Weatherell, Harry S.
Holme, Charles Arthur White, Dennis
Holmes, Anthony White, Norman
Hordon, Ernest White, William
Huck, Leslie Wilkinson, Dennis
Huntington, John Edward Williams, Joseph
Jackson, William James Wilson, Arthur
Jeffery, Thomas Wilson, John Edward
Kirby, Peter Wood, Esmond
Lack, Robert Henry Wykes, Clifford
Langford, Harry Young, James Cameron.
Later addition
Holmes, Thomas
The 1914-18 Memorial Unveiling Programme lists the names as follows:
Akers, Albert Edwin Coates, Joseph Haig, Charles
Alderson, Francis Coates, Matthew Hall, Fred.
Alderson, Joseph Henry Coates, Thomas Hall, George
Alderson, Thomas Cockfield, George Hancock, Wilfred
Allison, Joseph Cockfield, James Hancock, W.
Anderson, Alfred Coley, Harold Harbron, Walter
Applegarth, John Colling, Wm.R. Hardy, Arthur
Armitage, David Collinson, George Hardy, Henry
Atkinson, Joseph Cooper, Alfred Henry Harrison, Henry
Atkinson, Walter Crack, Percy Hartley, Amos
Crawford, George Harwood, Harold
Cree, John Harwood, George
Crooks, Norman Ernest Henderson, Edward
Bainbridge, Ralph Cullen, Lawrence Hepples, F.
Banham, John A. Hind, Wm. P.
Barlow, Fred. Hird, James
Bell, Edwin A. Hodgson, Albert W.
Bell, John Robt.M. Davies, Charles Hodgson, Ben.
Bellwood, Thomas Davies, Ernest Hodgson, F.F.
Best, Zebedee Dennison, Thomas Hodgson, J.D.
Blanchard, Arthur Dixon, Jonah Hopps, Arthur
Bland, Braithwaite Dobson, Robert Hopps, Jas. Samuel
Bolland, R.W. Dodds, Alfred Howe, George B.
Bowe, Albert Henry Doran, Sidney Hughes, John E.
Bowes, J. Dowson, William Hutchinson, Edward
Bowran, John James
Bowser, Arthur
Brown, James
Brown, Joseph Eddy, E.
Brown, Matthias Elliott, Geo. Robert Ibbetson, T.
Brown, Geo. Wm. Elliott, Joseph Robert Ingledew, Thomas
Brown, Bert Emmerson, Thos. Edward Ireland, Arthur
Bryant, Fred. Ewbank, William
Bundy, H.
Burton, E.R.
Burton, J.H.
Butcher, L. Fairbrass, George Jary, G,W.
Firbank, Thos.Wm. Jenkins, H.
Fitzgerald, J. Jenkinson, Edward
Fletcher, Thomas Johnson, Walter
Carter, Herbert, O.B. Fletcher, Wigan Johnson, Walter
Carter, Otto Foster, H.
Caygill, Thomas
Chapman, Geo. Wm
Champman, James O.
Charlton, Thomas Gallagher, E. Kavanagh, Lionel
Chester, Joseph Gibbon, John C. Kavanagh, Matthew
Clark, Charles Goldsborough J. Kell, Matthew
Claxton, Fred Graham, Alfred Kell, Samuel H.
Claxton, Geo. Henry Greener, Harry R. Kitching, James
Cletheroe, Albert Grundy, Robert Kitching, Harry
Coates, Fredk. Herbert Guy, Harold Kitching, Walter
Laidlaw, J. Peacock, Arthur Stanwix, Harry N.
Lawson, Walter Peacock, George Stephenson, Chris.
Liddle, G.H. Peacock, John S. Stephenson, Harry
Longstaffe, Samuel Peaker, Robert Stewart, Wm.
Longthorne, Edward Pears, Wm. Stonehouse, Thos. D.
Lumley, Harold Robt. Pearson, George Stonehouse, Leonard
Pearson, H. Storey, Harold J.
Pearson, John Strophair, F.W.S.
Pearson, Joseph Stout, J.
MacDowell, Alfred Place, Arthur Summerson, T.
Magor, G. Porter, W.N. Summers, R.W.
Major, E. Pounder, Thos. Sunter, Albert
Malcolm, Joseph Wm. Pratt, J.W. Sykes, Geo.
Marsden, N. Preston, Thos.
Martindale, Stanley Pybus, R.
Matthews, J.
Matthews, Patrick
Maughan, E. Tarn, James C.
Mawson, J.R. Laidlaw Taylor, J.G.
McKay, Foster Raine, Mark Taylor, Richard R.
McNaughton, Albert Rammage, Wm. Thompson, Ernest N.
Metcalfe, Arthur Reeve, Sam. L. Thirlaway, Joseph
Metcalfe, Joseph Wm. Richardson, M. Todd, Joseph
Metcalfe, Thomas Rickaby, George Trussler, Herbert
Middlemass, T.C. Riley, Charles Trussler, Sidney
Milburn, E. Robinson, Alfred Tully, Lancelot
Milburn, John Thos. Robinson, Arthur Tyreman, George W.
Mills, Fred. Robinson, Ernest
Moody, Kenneth Robinson, Henry
Morland, Matthew Robinson, J.T.
Mudd, Tom. Robinson, P.
Murphy, J. Robinson, R. Vasey, Albert
Murton, R. Robinson, Rd. Henry Vasey, Thomas
Robson, Ernest A.
Robson, John
Robson, Thos. W.
Rowntree, Christopher
Neal, George Wappett, John Wm.
Neesam, C.W. Warne, Percy
Newby, J. Watson, Jacob W.
Nixon, J.G. Watson, Joseph Matt.
Noddings, Isaac Sambrooke, A.E. Watson, John Harold
Sayer, Thos. Edward Watters, Luke
Shafto, Thos. Edward Welburn, Thos.
Smeddle, G.R.G. Wheatley, Ernest
Smedley, J. Whitehead, J.
Offord, William Smith, David J. Wick, Thos. Wm
Smith, W.M. Williamson, James
Smith, Cresswell Wilson, Joseph
Smith, G. Wilson, W.P.
Palmer, T.A. Smurthwaite, B.B. Woodward, Robt. Hy.
Parker, Thomas. Snowden, Wilfred.
Parkin, Arthur Solomon, Edwin
Parsley, Norman Sowerby, T.
Pattinson, Robt. Spensley, Harry Young, James C.
Pawson, Walter Stanwix, Arthur Young, John Wm.
NamesS122.02
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