Memorial details

Memorial type
Sculptured / Cast group
District
Newcastle Upon Tyne
Town
Newcastle Upon Tyne
County
Tyne And Wear
Country
England
Commemoration
First World War (1914-1918)
Ceremony
  • Unveiled
    Date: 5 July 1923
    Attended by: HRH Prince of Wales KG
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
17823

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Current location

In public gardens north of St Thomas the Martyr Church
Barras Bridge
Newcastle Upon Tyne
Newcastle Upon Tyne
Tyne And Wear
NE1 7RH
England

OS Grid Ref: NZ 24883 64955
Denomination: Undefined

View location on Google Maps
Description
Granite wall with abutting plinth at front and rear, on which is mounted a large group of bronze figures on front face and three granite figures on the rear face. The group at the front is a work entitled 'The Response 1914' and shows soldiers and would-be recruits led by two drummer boys. Intermingled are men and boys carrying tools or rifles in uniform or working clothes. Some of the figures are saying goodbye to their families who are also accompanying the group and others wave. Above, flags are flying and a winged angel figure flies at the front, above the group, sounding a trumpet. On the rear side of the wall is the figure of St George flanked by the figure of a Northumberland Fusilier in the uniform of a First World War soldier and a figure of a Northumberland Fusilier in the uniform of 1674, the year in which the Regiment was raised.
Inscription
6 O'Clock Face: NON SIBI SED PATRIAE / THE RESPONSE 1914 12 O'Clock Face: QUO FATA VOCANT/ TO COMMEMORATE THE RAISING OF THE B COMPANY / 9TH BATTALION AND THE 16TH, 18TH AND 19TH SERVICE / BATTALIONS, NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILERS, BY THE / NEWCASTLE AND GATESHEAD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AUGUST - OCTOBER 1914
Inscription legible?
yes
Commemorations
  • First World War (1914-1918)
    Total names on memorial: 0
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 0
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Undefined
    Order of information: Undefined
Components
  • Figures
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Bronze, Granite
  • Memorial
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Granite - Shap
Listing information
  • War Memorial (The Response)
  • Grade I
  • This memorial is protected, and listed on the National Heritage List for England maintained by Historic England. View list entry
  • More about listing and the protection of historic places can be found on the Historic England website
  • Historic England
Condition
History
1971 Dec. 17: Listed Grade II*
Costs

Site: Donated
Comments: Sir George and Lady Renwick commissioned the memorial. A meeting of the Council and Trustees of St Mary Magdalene Hospital in February 1923 agreed that a portion of the grounds at St Thomas's church should be given to the city for the memorial.
Memorial: Donated

Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Sponsorship
Other
Responsibility
Newcastle City Council
Reference
  • AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN: BRITISH FIRST WORLD WAR MEMORIALS by BOORMAN, DEREK 45-47,135 Source: Image Library NIWM Published:SESSIONS 1988 YORK
  • Public Monuments and Sculpture Association TWNE03 www.pmsa.org.uk/pmsa-database/9476/
  • Other website www.victorianweb.org/sculpture/john/31.html
  • Carter Postcard Collection
  • ID 304387
  • Metro 30 Nov. 2010 Photo of part of the memorial under snow.
  • The Glorious Dead: Figurative Sculpture of British First World War Memorials by Geoff Archer p55-62
  • The Times 30 June 1923 p.9 col.a;6 July 1923 p.10

This record comprises all information held by IWM’s War Memorials Register for this memorial. Where we hold a names list for the memorial, this information will be displayed on the memorial record. Please check back as we are adding more names to the database.

This information is made available under a Creative Commons BY-NC licence.

This means you may reuse it for non-commercial purposes only and must attribute it to us using the following statement:

© WMR-17823

For queries, please contact [email protected].