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Thornaby

The war memorial in the town of Thornaby-on-Tees in the very north of North Yorkshire is a large Portland stone monument. The monument is in three parts; the largest section, the base, has four short corner buttresses with half height walls and above these acanthus leaf scrolls carved in stone. Granite plaques listing the names of the fallen of the two world wars are attached to all the faces of this part of the memorial and attached to the buttresses are six smaller plaques. Above the large plaque is a laurel wreath in half relief with a cross carved inside it. Above this part of the memorial are blocks of stone representing a stylised sarcophagus on a plinth. The lower rectangular stone block – the “plinth” – has a dedication inscribed in it. The memorial stands at the top of an embankment in the Harewood Pleasure Gardens, on Acklam Road. It is within a tarmacked area surrounded by metal railings.

In August 2005 English Heritage and the Wolfson Foundation offered a grant of £3900 toward work to restore the monument and to carry out hard landscaping work. The monument was cleaned with water and biocide, the joints were raked out and re-pointed and re-lettering was carried out where necessary. As well as this the surrounding tarmac was cleaned, the fence and gate dismantled and the railings cleaned and re-painted, a kerb edge installed and a resin- bound gravel surface laid over the area.

The dedication on the memorial reads

This memorial was erected
by public subscription
in grateful remembrance of
the men of Thornaby-on-Tees
who gave their lives in the
Great War 1914 - 1918

At the bottom of the front of the memorial, under the main stone plaque, are inscribed the words

These are names that must not wither

The texts

Is it nothing to all ye that pass by

They answered their country's call.

Greater love hath no man than this

are inscribed round the other three side of the memorial.

Above the entrance gate are the words

Lest we forget

The memorial was unveiled on Thursday 28th July 1921 by Col Spence. The ceremony was preceded by a procession headed by the mayor, the Corporation, local companies of the 5th Durham Light Infantry, the Fire Brigade and various bands. Additional granite plaques were added in the early twenty first century to allow for the addition of some extra names, including members of the Merchant Marine.

Further information

War Memorials Trust reference WM1565
UK National Inventory of War Memorials: 9798

War Memorials Trust has information that this memorial is listed at Grade II, but at the time of writing the listing records were not available on Heritage Gateway.

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

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