Memorial details

Memorial type
Triptych
District
Mole Valley
Town
Leatherhead
County
Surrey
Country
England
Commemoration
First World War (1914-1918)
Ceremony
  • Dedicated
    Date: 21 March 1917
    Attended by: The Bishop of Winchester performed the dedication of the memorial when it was unveiled on the south side of the Clock Tower.
  • Rededicated
    Date: 4 December 1921
    Attended by: The Vicar of Leatherhead performed the re-dedication of the memorial, following its relocation from the Clock Tower to the Church.
  • Show More (1)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
23396

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Current location

In the Chapel of Remembrance
north aisle
St Mary & St Nicholas Parish Church
Church Street
Leatherhead
Mole Valley
Surrey
KT22 8BD
England

OS Grid Ref: TQ 16766 56161
Denomination: Church of England

View location on Google Maps
Previous locations
  • It hung on the south wall of the Clock Tower that was demolished in 1952
    The Clock Tower
    North Street
    Leatherhead
    Mole Valley
    Surrey
    KT22 7AT
    England

    OS Grid Ref: TQ 16512 56503
    Denomination: Undefined
Description
A large oak triptych, comprising a central panel listing those who died, flanked by hinged-doors that list the names of those who served and survived. (N.B. the triptych/Roll of Honour commemorates not just parishioners of St Mary & St Nicholas Church, but those from the whole town who enlisted/died. It was superseded by the town's permanent stone memorial - see our reference 23398).
Inscription
(Central panel): Grant them O Lord/ Eternal Rest/ (names of casualties)/ Greater love hath no man/ than this, that a man lay/ down his life for his friends. (Left door): ROLL OF HONOUR/ (names of servers) (Right door): PARISH OF LEATHERHEAD/ (names of servers continued) (N.B. We have a full list of the 121 men who died, and are named on the central panel of the triptych, but we do not yet have a record of all those commemorated on the doors/side-panels as having served and returned).
Inscription legible?
yes
Names on memorial
Abell, George
Alexander, George
Armstrong, Albert
Arnold, Frank
Arthur, Walter
Barnard, Victor
Barnes, Jabez
Bates, Lewis
Bennett, Albert
Bexley, Frederick
See details for all 121 names
Commemorations
  • First World War (1914-1918)
    Total names on memorial: 121
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 121
    Exact count: no
    Information shown: Forename, surname, month and year of death
    Order of information: Alphabetical by surname, in two columns in the central panel
Components
  • Triptych
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Wood - Oak
  • Roll of honour
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Paper
Listing information
Condition
History
(Having been compiled by a group of ladies of Leatherhead, in 1917 this Roll of Honour triptych was erected as a shrine on the south wall of the clock-tower in North Street. After the town's permanent stone memorial was dedicated near that location in April 1921, the Roll of Honour triptych was removed from that site, renovated and moved to the internal west wall of the north aisle of St Mary & St Nicholas Church, below the tower, where it was rededicated on 4/12/1921. Several years later it was moved to its current location on the west wall of the north aisle). N.B. IWM has a full list of the 121 casualties who are commemorated on the central panel of the triptych. We do not, however, yet know the names of all those who are commemorated on the doors/side-panels, i.e. those who served and survived.
Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Sponsorship
Other
Details: The Roll of Honour shrine in the form of a triptych was gifted to the town in 1917 by a small group of ladies from Leatherhead who had compiled it; they also undertook the care of it (including updating it as necessary for the rest of the War). Those ladies were: Miss Atkins, Miss A. Brown, Mrs. Finké, Miss O. Finké; Miss M Leach, Mrs Still, Miss M. Still, and Miss G. Wanklyn (who acted as secretary of this War Shrine Committee).
Responsibility
PCC & Churchwardens of the Parish
Reference
  • On 13/1/1917 the Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser reported on page 6: "THE ROLL OF HONOUR. A letter was received from Miss Wanklyn stating that the ladies who were compiling the Leatherhead Roll of Honour desired to know if the Council would give permission for the Roll of Honour to be hung on the south wall of the clock tower in North-street. On the motion of Mr. Allen, seconded by Mr. Weller, it was resolved that the necessary permission be given. The Chairman said he was sure they were only too pleased to give the permission asked for, and he thought the town was indebted to Miss Wanklyn and the ladies who were assisting her in doing this particular work". www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000867/19170113/123/0006
  • Information re the memorial can be found at www.surreyinthegreatwar.org.uk/collections/getrecord/SHMEM_W_M_1680
  • www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/100723/
  • www.leatherheadweb.org.uk/warmemorials/go_to_pc_allsts.html has details of the Relocation and Rededication of the memorial, including the following report from the January 1922 Parish magazine: "LEATHERHEAD'S WAR SHRINE RECEPTION INTO THE PARISH CHURCH A War Shrine recording the names of the men of Leatherhead who joined the services in the fight for freedom was given to the town in 1916 by a small body of ladies of Leatherhead, who also undertook the care of it and the keeping of its record up to date. These were: Miss Atkins, Miss A. Brown, Mrs. Finké, Miss O. Finké; Miss M Leach, Mrs Still, Miss M. Still, and Miss G. Wanklyn (who acted as secretary of this War Shrine Committee). The Shrine was dedicated by the Lord Bishop of Winchester, on March 21st., 1917. It was placed by the town clock. After the unveiling and dedication of the War Memorial on April 3rd last, the War Shrine Committee desired that the Shrine should find its permanent home in the Parish Church. To this, the War Memorial Committee, as representing the whole body of the inhabitants of Leatherhead in the matter, cordially agreed. The above-mentioned ladies (Mrs. Clarke Kennedy taking the place of her mother, Mrs. Finké, who died last Spring) also presented a Union Jack to be placed above the Shrine. The necessary faculty having been obtained, the Vicar decided that as this was a matter which concerned all the people of Leatherhead of whatever shade of religious opinion, the formal acceptance of the Shrine and the dedication of the flag to surmount it should take place at a special united service. The service took place last Sunday afternoon. To many minds, it was the most impressive service in connection with the war held in Leatherhead since the Armistice. There was no ceremonial as at the unveiling of the War Memorial. It was a service of beautiful simplicity in which all present joined with a touching sincerity - a service of praise and gratitude to the Giver of the great victory in which the sons of Leatherhead shared so nobly. The desire to honour the brave had dissolved all small differences of religious opinion; the congregation was inter-denominational, and Nonconformist ministers took their parts with the clergy of the Church of England in the service. The Church had become the Parish Church in fact. It was the Church of all the parishioners. Would that it could be more often so! The Church was well filled. The congregation included all the members (with one exception) of the Leatherhead Urban District Council, and representatives of the Council's staff, officials and members of the Leatherhead Brotherhood, and the local troop of Boy Scouts. The clergy present were the Vicar of Leatherhead, the Rev. H.M. Brook (Wesleyan), the Rev. E. A. Downes (Headmaster of St. John's School), the Rev. J. W. St. Clare Hill (Principal of the Royal School for the Blind), and the Rev. H. L. Sumner (Congregational). FIGHTING FOR PEACE The service opened with the processional hymn, "Soldiers who are Christ's." The Lesson - Wisdom 3, 1-6 - was read by the Rev. H. E. Sumner, and Psalm 23 was chanted. Then followed an address. This was delivered by the Rev. H. M. Brook, and was a stirring exhortation to all people to strive for permanent peace among the nations. Mr. Brook said (in part): We ought to express our gratitude to those who laboured and toiled and fought for their country during the perils of the war. They endured many hardships and trials, and their names must be held among us in eternal honour. This afternoon, we think especially of those who made the last supreme sacrifice - those who, in the spring-time of life, poured out the rich, red wine of youth and died that others might live. They died that government; of the people, by the people, for the people should, not perish from the earth. There are words in the King's message to the relatives and friends of the fallen that are particularly appropriate and express a profound truth. They were: 'They trod the path of duty and they passed out of the sight of man.' They are no longer visible to our mortal sight, but they have not passed out of the sight of God. They are not dead; they are living with God. Christ died on behalf of others; died that the light which shines from His open tomb may shine in our hearts and illumine the darkness of bereavement, and give us the assurance that those whom we mourn are living, still in the great service of God. "What, was the purpose of the great sacrifice they made? It was in order to make an end of war. They fought for an abiding peace. They strove that there might be an end of strife. That was the inspiration of the stupendous sacrifice they made. But they did not finish the work, they could not. Death came, and they have left us to carry the work on. Let us dedicate ourselves to the great task which they left unfinished - securing abiding peace throughout this troubled and weary world. Let us pray and work for peace. Let us support with all our might the Conference at Washington, with its great call to the nations for disarmament and peace. Let us pray for and support with all our strength the League of Nations. Let all nations be bound together in one great league of peace, brotherhood and goodwill. Let us labour, let us strive, let us pray for the coming of the time when peace, like a shaft of light, shall lie across the land, like a lane of beams lie athwart the sea. When the war-drums throb no longer and the battle flags are furled, In the Parliament of Man, the Federation of the World! These things shall be: 'A nobler race than e'er the world has seen shall rise with flame of freedom in their souls and light of knowledge in their eyes.' " Following this address, the hymn "O valiant hearts" was sung, and then the Vicar, accompanied by Miss O. Finké and Lieut. Col. W. A. Gillett, carrying the Union Jack, moved to the Altar step where the flag was presented by Miss Finké and dedicated. The clergy and choir then moved in procession to the West end of the north aisle, where the Shrine had been erected. Miss Brown asked the Church to receive the Shrine and, on behalf of the Church, the Vicar accepted it and undertook responsibility for its care. The flag was placed above the Shrine. Prayers were said by the Vicar, and as the procession returned to chancel the hymn "For all the Saints" was sung. The Collect for All Saints' Day and the Blessing followed. The service ended with the playing of the Dead March from "Saul". It was a matter of great regret that Miss G. Wanklyn, on whose shoulders fell by far the greatest share of the arrangements connected with the shrine from first to last, was prevented by illness from being present".
  • On 24/3/1917 the Surrey Advertiser reported: " DEDICATION OF WAR SHRINE. BISHOP WINCHESTER SERVICE AND SACRIFICE. The War Shrine which has been organised by the women of Leatherhead and erected on the south side of the Clock Tower was dedicated by the Bishop Winchester on Wednesday afternoon in the presence of a large gathering of residents. The shrine, which is of fumed oak, was designed and made by Mr. C. E. Grantham of North street, Leatherhead, and, though not elaborate, is a beautiful piece of work. It is headed; “Roll of Honour - Parish of Leatherhead,” and over the centre is inscribed: “Grant them, O Lord, Eternal Rest.” Underneath this on the centre panel are the names of those Leatherhead men who have fallen, whilst on the wings are lists of those now serving with one or other of H.M. Forces. Previous to the dedication the Union Jack was hung over the shrine, in front of which were placed beautiful bouquets of arum lilies and other floral tributes. The clergy and choir met at the Parish Church, and marched to the Clock Tower, the former including, besides the Bishop, the Rev. Canon Hunter (Rural Dean), the Rev. T. F. Hobson (vicar of Leatherhead), and the Rev. E. A. Downes (headmaster, St. John’s College). A detachment of the local Volunteers had already lined up in front of the shrine, whilst among the crowd were a number of wounded soldiers from the Red Cross Hospital. After the hymn "O God, our help in ages past,” The Bishop said he felt that to day their action was better than words. When they thought of what it all meant they knew that just as that banner covered the names which would shortly be disclosed, in many hearts there lay behind a depth of sorrow and sadness which had been caused by the contribution which Leatherhead had made to the great cause in which our country was engaged. Those two words, Sacrifice and Service, were the things which ennobled human life. We felt to-day there was a strong call to all of us to play our part; it was in the air all round about us, service and sacrifice in the great cause of a great country. It was not merely by material service that we should support our gallant armies who fought for us, it was not merely the things which we did with our hands, but it was also by the spiritual weapons which were in our hands to use. The greatest of all calls which came to us today was to pray to God and to look to Him for guidance and strength. By our earnest appeals to our Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ, banding ourselves together as a nation in the power of prayer, in faith, humbleness, resolution and courage, He would not in His goodness fail to bless us. The Bishop then dedicated the shrine, after which the hymn "Saints on earth" was sung, and the proceedings concluded with the National Anthem". www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000727/19170324/167/0007

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.

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