Shoeburyness War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Shoeburyness War Memorial, which stands in Gunner Park off Campfield Road, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Historic interest:

* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this local community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* as an elegant and striking Portland stone pillar.

History

The aftermath of the First World War saw the biggest single wave of public commemoration ever with tens of thousands of memorials erected across England. This was the result of both the huge impact on communities of the loss of three quarters of a million British lives, and also the official policy of not repatriating the dead which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.

One such memorial was raised at Shoeburyness as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 85 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

Shoeburyness War Memorial was unveiled on 26 May 1921 by Colonel PL Holbrooke. The money for the memorial was raised by public donation. The memorial was originally located at the junction of Ness Road and Campfield Road, but the Ordnance Survey County Series for 1939 shows that by this time it had been relocated to its current position. The railings around the memorial are not original and likely date from after the memorial’s relocation.

Following the Second World War, the names of the fallen from that conflict were added to the memorial.

Details

First World War memorial, 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.

MATERIALS: Portland stone, marble, granite.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial is located in Gunner Park off Campfield Road. It takes the form of a Portland stone pillar surmounted by a pedimented collar with carved details and with a chamfered foot. The pillar rises from an octagonal plinth, the faces of which are inset with polished marble panels bearing incised gold-painted inscriptions, the whole set upon a square base.

The south-west face of the plinth bears the inscription TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN/ HONOURED MEMORY/ OF THE MEN OF/ SHOEBURYNESS/ WHO FELL IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919/ ALSO DURING/ 1939 – 1945. The names of the fallen from the First World War are recorded on the remaining faces of the plinth.

Inclined granite tablets are set at the foot of the memorial abutting each edge of the base. One abutting the south-west edge of the base reads SHOEBURYNESS RESIDENTS/ KILLED IN ACTION/ 1939 – 1945/ ROYAL AIR FORCE/ (19 NAMES)/ SUFFOLK REGT/ (1 NAME). A further 63 Second World War names are recorded on the three remaining granite tablets at the base of the memorial.

The memorial stands on an octagonal paved area with stone kerb surmounted by eight short stone bollards.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 11 October 2017 from http://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/101311
War Memorial Register, accessed 11 October 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/22796
Shoeburyness War Memorial, accessed 11 October 2017 from www.daphnejohnson.co.uk/Shoeburyness/WarMemorial/warmemorial.htm

Other
“Shoebury Memorial”, Chelmsford Chronicle, (3 June 1921), p2
“In a Few Lines”, Chelmsford Chronicle, (7 October 1921), p5

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