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Ilkeston Town Hall Plaques

Ilkeston Town Hall war memorials take the form of three bronze plaques. The first commemorates those who fought in the Boer War, the other two plaques are dedicated to the veterans of the First and Second World Wars respectively. On each of the memorials the inscriptions are raised.

In 2014 War Memorials Trust offered a grant of £2,330 towards the conservation of these memorials. Firstly all screw caps and fixing screws were removed and retained, and the memorials were removed from the Town Hall and transferred to the workshop.

The works included; removing the lacquer, trial cleaning using a dichloromethane-based solvent and thoroughly rinsing the plaques with de-ionised water to remove any residue. For each memorial the exposed surface was assessed and re-patination was carried out as necessary, then a 3% solution of benxotriazole in methylated spirits was applied as a corrosion inhibitor, while ensuring that any corrosion pits were thoroughly treated.

The plaques were then coated with 2 to 3 layers of microvrystalline wax, and the surface was heated between treatments to allow the wax to be drawn into pits and fissures and buffed following the application. The plaques were re-fixed in the same locations as before using the same screw caps, replacing screws where necessary with non-ferrous screws. Finally the anti-theft solution SmartWater was applied to each of the plaques.

The inscriptions on the memorials read:

“South African War 1899-1902
This tablet is erected by the inhabitants
of this borough as a tribute to the valour
of over one hundred Ilkeston soldiers and
volunteers who founf in the above war and as
a memorial to those who gave their lives for
their country and the empire

(names)"

“On Crich Hill a monument is erected
in memory of
11,409 of all ranks of
the Sherwood Foresters
(Nottinghamsire and Derbyshire Regt.)
who gave their lives
for their king and their country
in the Great War 1914-1919
whose names
are recorded with gratitude and love in
books of remembrance
deposited in
Nottingham and Derby
and also in honour of
all their comrades who gloriously served
in 32 battalions of the same regiment
to the number of
140,000.”

“To the glory of God and
in honoured memory of the
1520 Sherwood Foresters who
gave their lives in the war
of 1939-1945 & in honour of
their comrades who served in
the 13 units of the regiment”

Further information

War Memorials Trust reference WM8185/8186/8187
UK National Inventory of War Memorials: 14241

If you have a concern about this memorial please contact the Trust on conservation@warmemorials.org

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