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Nicholson memorial Leek

Leek war memorial is known as The Nicholson Memorial or The Monument. The clock tower stands on Derby Street. The 80ft monument is constructed of Portland stone on a red brick interior with its plaques made of bronze. The memorial is listed at Grade II.

In 2009 War Memorials Trust offered a grant of £10,000 towards the conservation of this war memorial. The works included the structural repair of internal 'filler joist' intermediate floors; masonry repairs, rebuilding and re-pointing the Portland stone walls; overhauling existing rainwater good and disposal systems; repairs to lead flashing; overhauling decorative gates; repairs to joinery; re-laying the sandstone paving and carrying out specialist cleaning of the entire monument.

In 2005 the Small Grants Scheme provided £180 towards the cost of three additional bronze plaques listing the names of fourteen service personnel and one civilian whose names were previously omitted from the memorial. The new memorial plaques are each 12 inches wide by 16.5 high and were attached to the memorial alongside the Second World War plaques.  

The memorial was unveiled on 20th August 1925 by Lt Gen Sir Charles Harrington. It was paid for by Sir Arthur and Lady Nicolson in memory of their son Lt Basil Lee Nicolson and all the sons of Leek and the surounding areas. It cost £16,000 and on completion was handed over to the local authorities. 419 names of those who died in the Great War are recorded on bronze tablets on the east and west walls of the tower. Above the clock faces and beneath the cornice are carved areas or sectors of the Western Front where the Leek Battery fought. They included Hooge, Loos, Ypres, Somme, Bellenglise, Ramicourt, Bohain, Lens and Gommecourt.

The original Second World War plaques are 16.5 inches high. These were dedicated on 6th November 1949 in memory of 100 who fell in that conflict by Air Marshall Sir John W Jones. A further name was added shortly after.

The new plaques were unveiled on 25th September 2005. They read:

Also
in memory of
Albert Carding
Died in Leek
11.3.1941
as a direct result
of enemy action

Also fell
1939-1945
T. Addy
E. Bailey
C. Byatt
S. Ferguson
D. Higgins
P. Nixon
J. W. Oulsnam

Also died in 
service
1945-1947
H. Bullock
M. J. Dempsey
H. Hazelhurst
E. Hulme
J. Jones
M. C. Redfern
R. F. Sadler 

Lt Basil Lee Nicolson served with the Royal Field Artillery and died in July 1915 at Ypres.

Further information

War Memorials Trust reference WM1602
UK National Inventory of War Memorials: 13742

Listing information reference 461590
Roll of Honour The story of the hundreds of Leek Men who fell in the First World War by C W Sheldon ISBN-13: 978-0954408039 Publisher TCP (Book) Ltd

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

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