Memorial Title

Staff of Parr's Bank

Summary

Derbyshire War Memorials: a description of a WW1 war memorial plaque to staff of Parr's Bank in Alfreton, Derbyshire.

Images

Click on a thumbnail to see a larger image.
Further images may be available on request.

Locations

Last known location: Alfreton Heritage Centre Rodgers La Alfreton Derbyshire	Nearest postcode: DE55 7FF NGR: SK 41201 55940 (From online digital mapping.) (Map opens in new window.)	Location details: The heritage centre is in the Cemetery. The memorial is on the wall behind the entrance door..

Previous location: Presumed to be: Westminster Bank 1 Chesterfield Rd Alfreton Derbyshire	Nearest postcode: DE55 7ZR NGR: SK 40936 55790 (From online digital mapping.) (Map opens in new window.)	Location details: See Comments below.

Type

Overall type: Plaque

Overall condition: Fair. The inscription is legible and the memorial is cared for.

Description:

A wall mounted oblong bronze plaque on a wooden backboard. The plaque has a raised moulded border and contains a panel at the head, also with a raised moulded border, bearing the dedicatory inscription. Four names are listed in a central column below the heading. All inscriptions are in raised upright capital roman lettering. The backboard is assumed to be a later provision.

Glossary

Components:

Component	Material	Height	Width	Depth	Condition
Plaque	Bronze	c370	c510	c15	Fair
Backboard	Wood	c425	c530	c15	Fair
Dimensions in millimetres ±5mm unless stated otherwise.

Inscription

IN MEMORY OF THE FOLLOWING
MEMBERS OF THE STAFF OF THIS
BRANCH WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES
IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918
RANDAL A. ALCOCK
STANLEY F. HUTTON
NOEL B. JACKSON
WILLIAM G. JACQUES

Conflicts and people named:
Conflict	First World War (1914-1919)	Totals
Action or event	Not stated
Number died	4	4
Number served and returned	0	0
Total names	4	4

Administration

Custodian: Presumed to be the Alfreton & District Heritage Trust

Local authorities:
From WW1: Alfreton Parish Council; Alfreton Urban District Council; Derbyshire County Council.
From 1974: Alfreton Town Council; Amber Valley Borough Council; Derbyshire County Council.

History and Conservation

Unknown date, early 1920s: The memorial was installed, presumably commemorating the staff of Parr's Bank.

Unknown date: The memorial was removed from the bank.

Unknown date: The memorial was installed in the heritage centre.

28th April, 2019: The memorial was surveyed by Roy Branson and Anne Branson. It was in fair condition and cared for.

References

Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald; 3rd March, 1923; p11 col7: an article about the renaming of the bank.

Comments

The bank was probably a branch of Crompton and Evans' Union Bank which was taken over by Parr's Bank in 1914. Parr's merged with the London County and Westminster Bank in 1918 to become London County Westminster and Parr's Bank which shortened its name to Westminster Bank in 1923. Old photographs identify this site as being the Westminster Bank in the 1920s. Thus the casualties would have been employees of Parr's Bank during WW1. Later Westminster merged with National provincial eventually becoming NatWest which is now a subsidiary of RBS.

Banks within these groups used a standard style of tablet for both WW1 and WW2.

The memorial is presumed to have been removed from the bank at some stage although that is not consistent with the bank's normal policy of retaining WW1 and WW2 plaques within the premises or within a nearby branch if one is closed. The Westminster Bank WW2 plaque is still at the bank. The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) hold the archives and some similar plaques from closed branches of constituent banks in their archives in Edinburgh.

Can you add to or correct anything on this page? Let us know.