North East War Memorials Project
North East War Memorials Project
The North East War Memorials Project was established to record every War Memorial located in the historic counties of Northumberland, Newcastle upon Tyne and Durham with the addition of any areas included by the 1974 boundary changes.
The aims of the Project – which is a registered Charity are to:
- Educate the public;
- Assist historical research for the public benefit;
- Foster patriotism and good citizenship by publishing and maintaining an inventory and catalogue of War Memorials in the North East of England.
These aims are achieved by recording, documenting, photographing, researching and updating the information held on each Memorial and making this information available via the NEWMP website. The additional feature of the histories of those individuals from the North East who served or died enhances the story of our War Memorials.
Blyth : Image courtesy of Lonely Tower Film & Media
Holy Island : Image courtesy of Lonely Tower Film & Media
About Us
We are a group of dedicated unpaid volunteers who believe passionately in the significance of local War Memorials to the history of North East communities. We consider that Our Every Name a Story is just what we should aim for.
Project members research memorials, look in archives and newspapers for information about the memorials since their creation. We visit memorials on a regular basis to look for any additions, to update our photo archive and keep the web site information current.
NEWMP also has a number of other volunteers who research the history of the names on local War Memorials, Commonwealth War Grave and Family headstones in local churchyards and cemeteries to tell the story of how the history of conflict impacted on our local North East communities. Our research includes those not named on local War Memorials for whatever reason.
All input is acknowledged on the website.
Over the years we have had funding from a variety of sources and we depend on the sale of website files and donations from members of the public to fund the running costs of the project and other expenses such as insurance, server hosting and fairs fees.
We are always looking for information and assistance.
Contact 2014@newmp.org.uk with updates and new photos as well as any extra family known information.
Like to help see – section How you can help and Researching War Memorials and FAQs.
What records will we hold?
The Project information will include:-
- Details known of each Memorial (surviving or not – and including the sources of information which have been used).
- Location of the Memorial (both originally and at the present time) with grid references where available.
- Photographs (both those taken when the memorial was built/dedicated and subsequently).
- An accurate transcript of the names found on the Memorials with any details of regiments etc that are shown.
- Any additional information arising as a result of local research -such as details of local casualties.
all included on a searchable Index of War Memorials to be found in the North East, with links to Districts and Counties, and any other relevant information.
How can the information be accessed?
The Project is available to interested parties through:
- A Website, including all the information, gathered, which is free to browse;
- Displays and talks about War Memorials;
- Publicity of the aims, objectives and links to the archive;
- The archive material itself, supported by research guidance.
Members of the public, and any other interested parties, are encouraged to:
- become Volunteers of the Project;
- assist in the verification of details already researched;
- provide current photographs, not just of the memorials but also the buildings in which they are located;
- take part in further study of information about the memorials and the people remembered on them.
Any help from Volunteers will be formally acknowledged on the relevant Memorial files. Please see the separate section on helping the Project. Remember – this work will never really be finished as there will always be more to research!
The Project uses media links with:
- The Imperial War Museum and its War Memorials Archive;
- Local Record Offices and Libraries;
- War Memorials Trust;
- Historic England;
- Veterans’ organisations;
- Royal British Legion;
- Local history groups and individuals;
- Educational bodies;
- Family History Societies;
- Local Authorities;
- Regimental Museums and Associations;
- National Archives;
- Local publications/newspapers.
Meet the Team
Janet Brown
NEWMP: Chair; Trustee
Janet was an honorary secretary of the former Association of Northumberland Local History Societies. She was appointed the Co-ordinator from its inception in 1988 of the A.N.L.H.S. War Memorials Project in Northumberland and Newcastle. This preceded the National Inventory of War Memorials (now War Memorials Archive) by six months. When she retired she was made an Honorary Life Vice-President of A.N.L.H.S. She is a founder member of the Friends of War Memorials, which later changed its name to the War Memeorial Trust, of which she is a volunteer.
Janet is a founder member of the British Association for Local History; Vice-President and Honorary Life Member of the Morpeth Antiquarian Society and Vice-Chairman of the Northumbrian Language Society. She was Honorary Treasurer of the Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering for many years. She is the author and editor of several books.
She was Co-ordinator from 1999 of the War Memorials Group recording project in Tyne and Wear and North Durham. She became Chairman when this developed into the North East War Memorials Project in 2004.
Dorothy Hall
NEWMP: Secretary; Trustee
Dorothy was a Primary School teacher in Chester le Street and Kibblesworth for many years. In 1998 she was part of Chester le Street’s Millennium project to research the War Memorials of the area. Dorothy joined the Imperial War Museum’s volunteers and eventually met Janet Brown. When NEWMP was set up in 2004 she became the secretary.
Dorothy retired from teaching in 2005 and became Chair and Project Manager of Chester le Street Heritage Group. She has written books about Chester le Street, Chester Moor, Waldridge as well as Kibblesworth.
James Pasby
NEWMP: Treasurer; Trustee
James is a volunteer field worker for the War Memorials Trust and the UK National Inventory of War Memorials (now the War Memorials Archive) under the auspices of the IWM. He has also archived and data-based information from War Diaries at Durham County Archives.
James has always had an avid interest in Military subjects ever since he spotted a World War 2 Pillbox in his home town when very young.
James believes researching and recording War Memorial information is very rewarding and can be a very humbling experience. “Knowledge shared is not lost”.
Ian Johnson
NEWMP: Researcher; Trustee
Ian worked for a major retailer in Newcastle for over forty years before retiring from that role in November 2019. Ian started to research the Bainbridge Department Store War Memorials in 2010, which led to the publishing of two ‘Fallen Heroes’ Books. The money raised through the sales of the two books was donated to the NEWMP.
This led Ian to research the History of the Newcastle Commercial Battalion 16th Northumberland Fusiliers and raise funds for a memorial to the battalion which was unveiled on the Somme battlefield in the village of Authuille in 2015.
Ian’s book on the History of the Newcastle Commercials was published by Pen and Sword in 2021.
Jean Atkinson
NEWMP: Researcher; Trustee
Jean was part of the technical team at AEI Cables for almost 39 years before opting for early retirement when the factory closed.
Researching her family history led to her interest in War Memorials and military research, after discovering the stories of her own relatives who had served.
She also has a keen interest in local history and is chair of the Birtley Heritage Group – ‘volunteering is a very rewarding experience’.
John L Dixon
NEWMP: Researcher; Trustee
John is a retired Public Finance Accountant, having worked in Local Government, the N.H.S. and the Police, with a spell in Hong Kong with their Hospital Authority. His final role was Project Manager for PSNC’s Community Medicine Management Project back in the UK.
He was the first Treasurer and Website Co-ordinator for NEWMP.
John is the Lead Researcher for the 70th Infantry Brigade Memorial History 1939 – 1944, which forms part of the NEWMP Website.
