Memorial details

Memorial type
Clock or clock tower
District
Alnwick
Town
Amble
County
Northumberland
Country
England
Commemoration
First World War (1914-1918), Second World War (1939-1945)
Maker
MESSRS CARSE AND SONS of Amble (Builder)
W POTTS & SONS (Clockmaker)
WILLIAM BURTON ARSJ MSJA, Surveyor to Amble Urban District Council (Designer)
Whittle & Sons of Amble (Sculptor)
Ceremony
  • Foundation Stone
    Date: August 1924
    Attended by: Mr R C McInnes, oldest inhabitant of the town
  • Unveiled
    Date: 9 May 1925
    Attended by: Major Vernon Merivale MC of Radcliffe
  • Show More (1)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
33523

Support IWM

Donate with Just Giving

Any gift we receive makes a vital contribution to our ongoing work, from conserving our collection to supporting our public programme.

Make a Donation
Current location

Coquet Street/Lawson Street
Amble
Alnwick
Northumberland
NE65 0DN
England

OS Grid Ref: NU 26659 04616
Denomination: Undefined

View location on Google Maps
Description
Clock tower of squared stone with ashlar dressings and white marble panels with leaded inscriptions. Wrought iron dwarf railings. Slender square three-staged tower, with three stepped base carries tower with angle pilasters, stepped and chamfered plinths and moulded strings. Dwarf railings with knob-topped twist standards and twist rails link front faces of pilasters. The lower stage has twin names panels in recessed chamfered surrounds with an inserted WW2 plaque. The side faces have panels with names of the fallen, boarded door to rear. The second stage has tall slatted square-headed openings The top stage has clock faces in keyed surrounds. The parapet has moulded coping and square pyramid-topped finials at the corners. Lettering is incised and blackened using elaborate capitals throughout
Inscription
North face, LH plaque: TO THE/ GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF AMBLE/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914-1918 North face, RH plaque: THE SITE/ FOR THIS MEMORIAL/ WAS GIVEN BY/ E.M. LAWSON-SMITH ESQ./ IN MEMORY OF/ HIS TWO SONS/ WHO FELL IN / THE GREAT WAR North face, bottom plaque: ALSO OF THOSE WHO FELL IN THE WAR 1939-1945/ (Names) East/West faces: THEIR NAMES SHALL BE HELD IN/ EVERLASTING REMEMBRANCE/ (Great War Names)
Inscription legible?
yes
Names on memorial
Adamson, R
Aitchison, W J
Allan, W
Anderson, A
Anderson, C
Anderson, C E
Anderson, J W
Angus, J F
Archbold, D E
Armstrong, J
See details for all 187 names
Commemorations
  • First World War (1914-1918)
    Total names on memorial: 124
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 124
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: surname, initials of forenames
    Order of information: surname
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
    Total names on memorial: 63
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 63
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: surname, initials of forenames
    Order of information: surname
Components
  • Fence/ Railing
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Wrought Iron
  • Steps
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone
  • Steps
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone
  • Base
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone
  • Second World War memorial
    Measurements: height 560 mm, width 1360 mm
    Materials: Bronze
  • First World War memorial
    Measurements: height 1245 mm, width 838 mm
    Materials: Bronze
  • First World War memorial
    Measurements: height 1230 mm, width 835 mm
    Materials: Bronze
  • Tower
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone, Granite - Ashlar
Listing information
  • Clock Tower War Memorial
  • Grade II
  • 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
In 2017, a further grant of £30,000 was awarded through the War Memorials Trust Grants Scheme, supported by the DCMS funded First World War Memorials Programme, to support a comprehensive repair and conservation programme. Listed Building Consent was acquired to enable the works to take place. In addition, the project involved a conservation-accredited professional advisor which was needed to fulfil the requirements of the scheme as the project cost in excess of £10,000. Works undertaken included removing the clock mechanism to be repaired and cleaned offsite then returned to the structure. Within the tower there were repairs to the bell frame as well as improving access to the roof to ensure that debris can be removed and prevent drains getting blocked. When the roof had been investigated in 2016 5 footballs and a tennis ball were discovered with the tennis ball blocking the drainage. Rainwater goods were also replaced or improved to prevent water gathering on the stone and causing damage. All metal elements were also marked with free SmartWater as part of the In Memoriam 2014 initiative to deter metal theft. The project was completed and paid in 2018. In 2008, there were concerns about the condition of the memorial. The main issues were that the panels needed cleaning and some of the lead letters were missing; some joints needed re-pointing and graffiti had to be removed. A grant of £6,239, through the Grants for War Memorials Scheme supported by English Heritage and the Wolfson Foundation, was awarded towards steam cleaning to remove the graffiti, re-pointing in lime mortar and replacing the lead letters. Other works included cleaning and re-painting the clock face and generally servicing the mechanical elements. The timber door was repaired and elements of metalwork replaced; Names restored in 1998, gates and walls also repaired in 1998
Costs

Site: C£2100
Comments: Site donated by Mr E M Lawson-Smith of Tadcaster
Memorial: NIL

Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Sponsorship
Public
Responsibility
Amble Urban District Council
Reference
  • www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=6217
  • War Memorials Trust Bulletin 81- May 2019- page 8
  • Carter Postcard Collection
  • Newcastle Weekly Chronicle 17 May 1924
  • NEWCASTLE DAILY JOURNAL 20 July 1920
  • ALNWICK AND COUNTY GAZETTE 27/11/1920, 17/9/1921, 5/11/1921
  • MORPETH HERALD 28/11/1919, various updates throughout 1920, 2/4/1920, 12/8/1921, 18/11/1921, 14/9/1923, 21/9/1923, 28/9/1923, 16/5/1924, 13/6/1924, 20/2/1925, 15/5/1925 & 3/9/1926
  • Illustrated Chronicle 12/5/1924, 17/2/1925 & 11/5/1925
  • SHIELDS DAILY NEWS 8 September 1921

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-33523

For queries, please contact [email protected].