Memorial Title

Palterton

Summary

Derbyshire War Memorials: a description of a WW1 and WW2 war memorial obelisk at Palterton, Derbyshire.

Images

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

Locations

Last known location:
Roadside
Main St
Palterton
Derbyshire

Nearest postcode:
S44 6UR

NGR:
SK 47416 68271 ±5m
(Map opens in new window.)

Location details:
The memorial is on the western side of the road adjacent to St Luke's Mission Room.

Type

Overall type: Obelisk

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

Description:

A grey stone monument comprising an obelisk on a pedestal and plinth. The obelisk has a laurel wreath in relief on the 6 o'clock face. The battered pedestal has a bevelled top and originally had inlaid inscriptions on the 6 and 3 o'clock faces but they have been removed, the sockets filled in and a metal plaque affixed to the 6 o'clock face. The oblong plinth has a bevelled top. The plaque has a narrow raised border and an inscription in upright raised capital block lettering coloured white on a black painted ground, the names arranged in three columns.
See Comments below regarding materials.

Glossary

Components:

Component	Material	Height	Width	Depth	Condition
Obelisk	Stone	1680	330	300	Good
Pedestal	Stone	650	755	635	Fair
Plinth	Stone	270	910	795	Good
Plaque	Stone	270	355	5	Fair
Dimensions in millimetres ±5mm unless stated otherwise.

Inscription

Assumed WW1 inscription inlaid on 6 o'clock face, now lost:	Assumed WW2 inscription inlaid on 3 o'clock face, now lost:
1914 - 1918 TO HONOUR BEFORE GOD ALL THOSE MEN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR G. WILSON C. MIDDLETON H. WILCOCKSON W. SHAW H. TOWNSEND H. MACHIN, B. HALLETT T. NUTTALL A. CHAPPELL G. RICHARDS C.HALLETT A. HEALD AND THEY LOVED NOT THEIR LIVES UNTO DEATH. [Style, layout and exact wording not known.]	1939 - 1945 C. CLAYWORTH G. PARKES S. RICHARDS [Style, layout and exact wording not known.]

Plaque

1914-1918 WAR
T. NUTTALL	C. WILSON	H. MACHIN
A. HEALD	H. TOWNSEND	W. SHAW
C. MIDDLETON	G. RICHARDS	A. CHAPPELL
E. WILCOCKSON	B. HALLETT	C. HALLETT
1939-1945 WAR
C. CLAYWORTH	G. PARKES	S. RICHARDS
TO HONOUR BEFORE GOD AND MAN ALL WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN BOTH WORLD WARS. AND THEY LOVED NOT THEIR LIVES UNTO THE DEATH REV XII V IX

Conflicts and people named:
Conflict	First World War (1914-1919)	Second World War (1939-1945)	Totals
Action	Not stated
Number died	12	3	15
Number served and returned	0	0	0
Total names	12	3	15

Administration

Custodian: Presumed to be Scarcliffe Parish Council

Local authorities:
From WW1: Scarcliffe Parish Council, Blackwell Rural District Council; Derbyshire County Council.
From 1974: Scarcliffe Parish Council, Bolsover District Council; Derbyshire County Council.

History and Conservation

c1925: The memorial was procured by a committee comprising W Churn (Chairman), M Wale, G Wright, E Robbins, J T Chappell, J Pembleton, H Haslam, J Maude, G Wragg, F Clifton, W Boddy and W Middleton with W H Bradshaw as secretary and Messrs Bradshaw and Godber trustees. It was executed by A H Borrowdale and Sons, monumental and architectural sculptors of Worksop, Nottinghamshire and cost about £70.

23rd August, 1925: The memorial was unveiled by Lt Col F M Dick MC TD, officer commanding the 6th Battn Sherwood Foresters and dedicated Rev Sydney Biss MA BCL, vicar of Scarcliffe.

1940s: The WW2 inscription was added to the 3 o'clock face of the pedestal.

c1950: The inlaid inscriptions were removed, the sockets filled in and the metal plaque attached to the 6 o'clock face of the pedestal.

11th June, 2012: The memorial was surveyed by Roy Branson and Alan Willmot. It was in fair condition and cared for.

References

Nottingham Evening Post; 24th August, 1925: a report of the unveiling ceremony.

Richards Bygone Times: a website about the memorial and the people associated with it, including a photograph of the unveiling. It is based on the Evening Post report supplemented by personal local knowledge. Website http://www.richardsbygonetimes.co.uk/warmemm.htm was viewed on 3rd April, 2018.

Comments

The memorial was reported in the contemporary press as grey granite. It does have some dark speckling which may indicate a crystalline structure, and the crisp condition of the carved wreath, together with clear toothing marks from the original construction, suggest that it is a robust stone which has withstood an aggressive atmosphere for a century. But it looks more like fine limestone and the superceded inscription has been filled in with a material resembling lime mortar, so the precise definition of the stone cannot be determined.

The plaque has previously been reported as bronze or brass, but it is a silvery-grey colour and may be some other non-ferrous alloy or perhaps some other metal plated with zinc or a similar coating.

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