Derbyshire War Memorials
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Memorial Title

St Alkmund's Church - WW1

Summary
Derbyshire War Memorials: a description of a WW1 war memorial window and tablet in St Alkmund's Church, Derby.
Images
Setting Tablet
Locations
Last known location:
St Alkmund's Church
40 Kedleston Rd
Derby
Nearest postcode:
DE22 1GU

NGR:
SK 34648 37179
(From online digital mapping.)
Location details:
The church is on the northeast side of the road 200m northwest of the Five Lamps junction. The tablet is inside, on the west wall of the nave.

Previous location:
St Alkmund's
 Church (Demolished)
St Alkmund's
 Churchyard (Demolished)
Derby
Nearest postcode:
DE1 3DB

NGR:
SK 3515 3673
(From online digital mapping.)
Location details:
The church was between the present Jurys Inn and the footbridge over St Alkmunds Way. It was demolished c1965 and the area cleared for construction of the inner ring road St Alkmund's Way. The window was in the south wall but was lost in the demolition. The tablet was on the same wall, to the left of the window and was removed to the new St Alkmund's Church at that time.
Type
Overall type: Window.


Overall condition: The window is lost but the tablet is in fair condition and the inscription is legible.

Description:

Originally a stained glass window. In the centre was the crucifixion scene and beneath were the words "Our Saviour died to make men holy: our brethren died to make men free." To the left was an image of St George, with a soldier in service kit, bareheaded, with his shrapnel helmet beside him, and a minister kneeling in adoration of the central figure. Above the head of the saint was a laurel wreath, within which was inscribed "I have fought the good fight." To the right was a similar wreath containing the words "I have finished my course", below which was a figure of St Nicholas, the mariner's patron saint, with a sailor and a Red Cross nurse kneeling, their heads bowed towards the crucifix. The main inscription was along the foot of the window.

The nowy-headed tablet comprises marble tiles set in a border of gilded glass tesserae within a frame originally described as carved oak but now cast bronze. The triangular head contains a cross of gilded tesserae within shaped marble tiles bearing painted foliage decoration and the four lines of text are painted across three marble tiles. The names are painted on three columns of marble tiles below the text and the inscription is painted in black upright capital roman lettering.
Components:

Component Material Height Width Depth Condition
Window Stained glass - - - Lost
Tablet Marble, glass 1060 605 - Fair
Frame Bronze 1180 725 60 Fair
Dimensions in millimetres ±5mm unless stated otherwise.
Inscription
Across foot of window:
To the glory of God and the memory of the men of this church and parish who gave
their lives during the Great War, 1914-1918, this window was erected in 1920."

[Layout conjectural: line spacing and lettering style not known.]
Tablet:
THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE MEN OF THIS
PARISH WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 1918
WE WHO LIVE BY THEIR DEATH,
RAISE THIS MEMORIAL IN GRATITUDE AND ADMIRATION

First column: Second column:
PTE. G. ALTON. NOTTS & DERBY GNR. A. SAMSON. R.F.A.
" T. BERKS. " GNR. C. THEXTON. "
" J. BLARMAN. " " W. H. WALSH. "
" E. BURKE. " " H. WARD. "
" C. BANTOM. " DVR. J. W. WINKLEY. "
" T. A. BECK. " PTE. H. COPE. K.O.Y.L.I.
" H. CLARK. " SGT. J. VALERIO. "
" J. DOWD. " PTE. G. H. BUCKLEY. K.O.S.B.
2ND./LIEUT. T. FINCH. " CPL. G. W. CLARK. K.R.Rs.
SGT. J. GADSBY. " RFLN. G. J. KING. "
PTE. S. GODDARD. " " B. W. MARTIN. "
CAPT. J.L.B.HARRISON. " " T. PORTER. "
PTE. J.S. HUDSON. " SGT. O. VALERIO. "
" J.W. HOLDSWORTH. " PTE. C. BERRISFORD. SEAFTH. HLDS.
" A. HASLAM. " " C. W. BERRISFORD. "
" J. E. KEEN. " " Z. G. STAFFORD. "
LCE./CPL. H. LEWIS. " " G. TIBBERT. "
PTE. J. LAMBERT. " " A. ASH. ARGYLE.SUTHLD. HLDS.
" J. LEWIS. " " W. BULL. M.G.C.
" W. MACE. " " A. FOWKES. "
" A. E. MARTIN. " 2ND./LIEUT. H. HARDY. "
" F. MAKINO. " MJR. C. S. SMITH. M.C. "
" P. MOSEDALE. " LCE./CPL. H. WASS. "
" J. O'DONNELL. " PTE. W. G. WARREN. "
SGT. B. B. REID. " 2ND./LIEUT. A. B. BASFORD. LCTR. RGT.
CPL. J. REDFEARN. " PTE. A. BARKER. "
PTE. C. RATCLIFF. " " J. BOSTOCK. "
" J. REDFERN. " 2ND./LIEUT. F. H. CARR. "
" J. RIVERS, V,C. " PTE. J. CLIFFORD. "
" W. SHAW. " " F. CHADWICK. "
" F. STUART. " " E. REGAN. "
" F. SMEDLEY. " LCE./CPL. C. WELGATE. "
LCE./CPL. W. H. WILMOT. " PTE. A. HODGKINSON. YORKS & LANCS.
PTE. J. WRENCH. " " S. WHITE. "
" W. WINFIELD. " " C. KERRY. 2ND YORKS
TPR. H. FOXON. SHERWD. RANGRS. " J. L. DODD. LANCS. FUSLS.
" J. BREARLEY. DERBYRE. YEORY " J. W. WEBSTER. "
" J. W. BREARLEY. " " A. HILL. DURHAM LGT. INFTY.
" G. W. WORMAN. " " R, SLATER. "
GNR. E. BROCKLEHURST. R.F.A. " L. HALLORAN. R.A.M.C.
" F. LEESON. " " J. KERBY. "
" J. H. NELSON. " " C. OAKLEY. "
BMDR. A. R. PASSMORE. " " G. THOMPSON. "
GNR. C, H. PARKER. " LIEUT. W. C. COULEY. M.C. STH. STD
" R. ROBINSON. " PTE. R. PLANT. "
" A. STAFFORD. " SGT. G. J. GLEESON. NTH, STAFFS

Third column:
PTE. A. BERRESFORD. RYL. BERKS
DVR. G. W. DAKIN. "
PTE. A. G. NASH. "
2ND./LIEUT. J. HODGSON. R.E.
SPR. G. H. HALL. "
PTE. H. POWERS. LINCOLNS
C.S.M. W. E. HAMP. "
PTE. G. L. JOHNSON. "
" C. LACKINGTON. R.S.Fs.
SGT. T. B. POTTER. "
PTE. J. E. WORKLATE. "
LCE./CPL.R. P. CARR. R.Fs.
PTE.W. READER. "
GNR.F. LEWIS. R.G.A.
PTE.J. BENTLEY. NORTHBLD. Fs.
"H. B. COULSON. "
"G. W. ROOME. "
CPL.J. H. WHEWAY. "
STKR.J. J. DOEY. RYL. NAVY
"C. SLATER. "
CPL.R. W. DRAPER. R.A.S.C.,M.T
PTE.E. A. E. PARKER. RYL. WARSHIRE.
"W. E. A. PODMORE. MIDLSX.
"F. S. RICHES. "
C.S.M.,F. ASHLEY. NORTHPTN.
PTE.W. JOYNES. NTH. HANTS
"G. ROBINSON. GLOUCTRS.
RFLN.J. BROWN. RIFLE BGDE.
PTE.J. FOLEY. G. G.
"WESTON. 19TH. HUSRS.
"R. A. ROE. H.A.C.
"D. R. MAC. ESSEX
"S. E. BEARDSLEY. 50TH. CANDNS.
"B. MEAKIN. 2ND NORFOLK
"D. GAMBLE. WEST RIDG.
"E. HATTON. BORDS. REGT.
"R. E. JACKSON. KING'S LPLs.
"E. CHARD. M.M. WORCTS.
SGLR.J. STRAW.
 C. ADDERLEY. I OF CT O.T.C
2ND. LIEUT.K. C. STIVEN. LEICESTERs.
PTE.J. W. TATAM. R.I.R
"I. F. CLARK. 19TH. CANDNS.
SISTERGUMLEY. 4TH. NTHN. HOSPTL.
SGT.W. V. LARMER R.A..
PTE.A. S. CROSSLAND CAM. HDRS.

Conflicts and people named:
Conflict First World War (1914-1919)
Number died 138
Number served and returned  0
Total names 138
Administration
Custodian: Presumed to be the Parochial Church Council

Local authorities:
Before 1974: Derby County Borough Council (Derby Corporation)
From 1974 to 1997: Derby District (later Borough and from 1977 City) Council and Derbyshire County Council.
Post 1997 the unitary authority has been Derby City Council.
History
7th April 1920: The annual vestry meeting recorded that final designs for the parish war memorial tablets and windows had been approved and an order given at a cost of £300 of which £222 12s 10d was already collected.

13th November 1920: The window was unveiled in St Alkmunds Church, St Almund's Churchyard by LtCol C Herbert-Stepney DSO, and the window and tablet were dedicated by Rt Rev Charles Abraham, Bishop Suffragan of Derby.

c1965: The window is presumed to have been lost in the demolition of the old church, but the tablet was removed from St Alkmunds Church prior to its demolition and subsequently re-erected in the new St Alkmunds Church on Kedleston Rd.

22nd April 2008: The memorial was surveyed by Roy and Ronald Branson . It was in fair condition.
References
Derby Telegraph; 7th April 1920 p2, col6: A report on progress towards provision of the memorial.

Derby Telegraph; 9th Novembery 1920 p3: An announcement for the forthcoming unveiling service.

Derby Telegraph; 13th November 1920 p5: A report on the unveiling service.

Mee, Arthur; Derbyshire, in the King's England series; 1947 Edn p104: A brief description of the window.
Comments
The name of Lt W. C. Conley MC, South Staffordshire Regt, is incorrectly given as COULEY towards the bottom of the middle columnn.
Page © Roy Branson