Irlam and Cadishead War Memorial

Summary

First and Second World War memorial, 1949, designed by Henry Nurse, incorporating a bronze figure by John Cassidy which was removed from an earlier First World War memorial.

Reasons for Designation

Irlam and Cadishead War Memorial, erected in 1949, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Historic interest:

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

Architectural interest:

* a poignant war memorial designed by Henry Nurse that employs good quality materials and craftsmanship;
* it incorporates a bronze figure by the noted sculptor John Cassidy RBS, who was responsible for a number of listed sculptures and war memorials.

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 to commemorate the 137 men of the district of Irlam and Cadishead who fell during the First World War. It was paid for by subscription and was built on land given for the creation of Prince's Park, by George Thomas JP the owner of a local engineering business and Irlam Hall. He personally commissioned John Cassidy to produce a bronze sculpture of Winged Victory to be the centre piece of the memorial, which was unveiled on 7 April 1921. The figure is not signed, but is certainly cast from Cassidy's design, as it is identical to the ones at Skipton, North Yorkshire and at Eccles, Greater Manchester. The bronze figure was raised on a plinth, set on a 'granite Rock of Ages' base, believed to have been made from steel-making slag. Two bronze plaques recording the names of the Fallen were set into the north-east elevation of the base.

Following the Second World War, there was a desire to commemorate the Fallen of that conflict, but the existing monument did not lend itself to any additions. It was also considered to be in poor condition and hazardous to children climbing upon it; therefore, the decision was taken to demolish the structure, but to retain the bronze figure and the two commemorative plaques for re-use on a new memorial. The base of the original memorial was blown-up on 9 October 1949 by Territorial Army soldiers of 123rd Field Regiment Royal Engineers. The new memorial was erected a little further to the west in the park, set in a small memorial garden laid with a lawn and surrounded by rose borders and hedges. The new memorial was designed by the former surveyor of Irlam and Cadishead Urban District Council, Mr Henry Nurse and built by council workers, supervised by the council surveyor Mr Edwin Shaw. The re-used Winged Victory figure formed the centre piece, flanked to one side by the original plaques commemorating the Fallen of the First World War and on the other side by two new plaques, commemorating the 94 men and one woman from the district who died during the Second World War. The memorial was unveiled by Mr J Newton, DCM, at a ceremony on 5 November 1949 that was attended by Members of the Council, representatives of the War Memorial Committee, ex-servicemen and relatives of the Fallen.

John Cassidy RBS (1860-1939) was born in Ireland and studied at Dublin and, from 1883, Manchester School of Art, where he was a prolific and successful modeler. He began to sculpt professionally in 1887. Before the First World War he produced many commissions for busts, statues and tablets in and around Manchester (where he had set up his studio) as well as further afield, including at London, Aberdeen and Belfast. He exhibited nationally, including at the Royal Academy and at least once in Paris. He received fewer commissions during the First World War, but prospered by the many commissions he received following it. These included war memorials such as those at Stourbridge, West Midlands (Grade II*, National Heritage List for England (NHLE): 1116647), Eccles (Grade II, NHLE: 1067499) and Skipton (Grade II, NHLE: 1316952).

Details

First and Second World War memorial, 1949, designed by Henry Nurse, incorporating a bronze figure by John Cassidy which was removed from an earlier First World War memorial.

MATERIALS: York stone podium, pedestal and walls, with a bronze figure and plaques.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial comprises a central rectangular ashlar pedestal, with a plain plinth and frieze, and a stone plaque on the dado which is inscribed: THEIR / NAME / LIVETH / FOR / EVERMORE. The pedestal is surmounted by a plain ashlar plinth, upon which is mounted a bronze allegorical Winged Victory figure standing on a globe, carrying a bouquet of flowers cupped in her left hand close to her side and a palm branch in her extended right hand.

The pedestal is flanked on each side by an ashlar wall with a plain plinth and a moulded cornice, fronted by a low ashlar wreath stand. The wall to the left is inscribed 1914-1918 and has two bronze plaques attached, each is decorated by palm leaves and reads: IN / MEMORY / AND / PERPETUAL HONOUR / OF THE BRAVE MEN OF / IRLAM AND CADISHEAD DISTRICT / WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR / 1914-1918 (NAMES). The wall to the right is inscribed 1939-1945; it also has two bronze plaques attached decorated with matching palm leaves, one reads: IN / MEMORY / AND / PERPETUAL HONOUR / OF THE BRAVE MEN OF / IRLAM / WHO FELL IN THE WORLD WAR / 1939-1945 (NAMES), and the other reads: IN / MEMORY / AND / PERPETUAL HONOUR / OF THE BRAVE MEN OF / CADISHEAD / WHO FELL IN THE WORLD WAR / 1939-1945 (NAMES). The whole memorial is raised on a two-step ashlar podium, with a crazy-paving upper surface.

Sources

Books and journals
Drum, N, Thomas, P, A District at War Irlam and Cadishead's Part in the Great War 1914-1918 (2010), 1379-1388

Websites
John Cassidy: Manchester Sculpter - Irlam and Cadishead War Memorial (1923), accessed 29 March 2021 from http://www.johncassidy.org.uk/irlam.html
Imperial War Museum - Memorial Men of Irlam and Cadishead District, accessed 29 March 2021 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/26209
Salford War Memorials - Irlam and Cadishead, accessed 29 March 2021 from http://www.salfordwarmemorials.co.uk/irlam-and-cadishead.html#
John Cassidy: Manchester Sculptor - The life of John Cassidy, accessed 29 March 2021 from http://www.johncassidy.org.uk/life.html

Other
Programme - Unveiling and Dedication of War Memorial in Princes Park, Irlam, Saturday, 5th November 1949

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