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Shirley

Shirley war memorial is located in churchyard of St James' Church on Stretford Road in Solihull. Alongside a wheel cross, erected after World War I, stand two small curved walls added after World War II. The memorial was listed at Grade II in 2016 as part of the Historic England and First World War Memorials Programme initiative to add 2,500 war memorials to the National Heritage List for England during the centenary of World War I.

In 2018, £4,020 was awarded through the Grants for War Memorials scheme, supported by the Wolfson Foundation. The memorial and walls were cleaned using a specialist steam cleaning system by trained professionals. After cleaning the applicant submitted photographs to War Memorials Trust showing the memorial after cleaning. This enabled the extent of the sharpening and deepening of the lettering, and re-painting, to be agreed as it is often the case that cleaning a war memorial significantly enhances legibility so additional works are not required. In this case some sharpening and deepening of areas of the lettering was undertaken alongwith limited re-painting. Some of the cleaning works had related to removing inappropriate paints previously applied which could have caused damage.

The memorial was constructed by J White and Sons. It was rededicated on 3rd May 1953.

The inscription reads:

This memorial is erected
to the Glory of God and in
proud and grateful memory
of the Shirley men who fell
in the Great War - 1914 – 19
And World War II - 1939 – 1945

The names of the World War I fallen appear on the plinth of the cross and include those who served with a range of British regiments as well as the Canadian and Australian forces. The names from World War II appear on the walls.

Further information

War Memorials Trust reference WM976
UK National Inventory of War Memorials: 17727

War Memorials Online: 106220

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

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