Memorial details

Memorial type
Composite
District
Sefton
Town
Southport
County
Merseyside
Country
England
Commemoration
First World War (1914-1918), Second World War (1939-1945), Aden Emergency (1963-1967), Cyprus Emergency (1955-1959), Iraq War (2003-2011), Afghanistan (2001-2014)
Ceremony
  • Unveiled
    Date: 18th November 1923
    Attended by: Earl of Derby, Mayor of Southport, Children of Fallen Heroes
  • Rededicated
    Date: 7th June 1992
    Attended by: Lord Lieutenant of Mersyside
  • Show More (1)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
1228

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Current location

London Square Memorial Garden
London Square
Southport
Sefton
Merseyside
PR8 1AB
England

OS Grid Ref: SD 33706 17379
Denomination: Undefined

View location on Google Maps
Description
Over £30,000 was raised in Southport to commemorate the Great War in three ways: the erection of this monument; the building of a new outpatients' block at Southport Infirmary (WMR 87882); and the provision of some educational grants for children of the fallen. The Monument is an extremely complex memorial executed in Portland stone. There is an obelisk on an island in the centre of the Square, flanked by two colonnades in Greek Classical style. Each colonnade has a small, open cenotaph at each end, on the walls of which, and on the sides of a Classical round altar at the centre of each, are carved the names of the fallen of the Great War. There are numerous inscriptions and carvings on the obelisk and inside and outside the colonnades (see images). Following WW2 the memorial was extended to the East and West by the laying out of gardens with a rectangular fountains. At the end of each fountain pool there is a low wall with a lion's head fountain at its centre, and the dates of the conflict in Roman numerals to each side. Names for WW2 and later conflicts are carved on additional panels added to the inside of the colonnade. In the garden to the East of the Monument are set eleven small tablets bearing a range of commemorations. These are listed individually: WMR 21763, 62448, 62484, 87861, 87862, 87863, 87864, 87865, 87866, 87867, and 87868. On the pavement to the North of the obelisk are set tablets commemorating the town's two VC recipients.
Inscription
The Monument is aligned West of North. For simplicity, the following description of the inscriptions treats it as facing North. The inscriptions on the obelisk: North face: Look/ upward/ standing/ mute/ salute/ MCMXIV - MCMXVIII; South face: (Southport coat of arms) Salus Populi The following inscription was added to the West face in 1956, but has been erased (perhaps in 1992 when the WW2 names were inscribed within the colonnades): To the/ men and women/ of this County Borough/ who gave their lives/ for/ the liberty of the world/ the security of this realm/ in the World War/ 1939 - 1945/ Their names are recorded in/ the Book of Remembrance/ which lies nearby in the keeping of Christ Church/ The fountains added to the memorial pools are dedicated to their memory In front of the North face of the obelisk two tablets recording the award of the Victoria Cross have been set in the pavement. On the friezes of the colonnades: West face of East colonnade, and East face of West colonnade: Tell Britain ye who mark this monument/ Faithful to her we fell and rest content West face of West colonnade: To famous men all Earth is sepulchre East face of East colonnade: Their portion is with the eternal South face of West colonnade: Remember/ that the men/ whose names/ live on these walls/ died/ in youth or prime/ that future generations/ might inherit/ a happier world/ and a human society/ more righteous/ and more loving/ than these brave men/ and their generation knew South face of East colonnade: They died/ that we might live/ We live only as we/ safeguard the ideals/ for which they died/ Freedom Justice Mercy/ So let us live/ that we may share/ with them the life/ eternal North face of East and West colonnades: MCMXIV/ MCMXVIII In the cenotaphs at the ends of the inside of the colonnades: North cenotaph, West colonnade: All that they had they gave/ Aisne/ Somme/ Marne/ Foret de Morvel/ Mons/ Arras/ (Names). Also on the pedestal altar within: Death and the Soldier South cenotaph, West colonnade: Their name liveth/ Messines Ridge/ Paschendaele/ Neuve Chappelle/ Loos/ Festubert/ Ypres/ (Names) North cenotaph, East colonnade: For the sacred cause of justice/ Cambria/ Le Cateau/ R. Selle/ Hindenburg Line/ Salonika/ Vimy Ridge/(Names). Also on the pedestal altar within: Patroclus and Achilles South cenotaph, East colonnade: On the deck of fame they died/ Falkland (sic)/ Palestine/ Zeebrugge/ Jutland/ Mesopotamia/ Gallipoli/ WW2 names were added in 1992, but the dates of the war are not displayed by them - they are inscribed in Roman numerals on the parapets of the ponds in the adjacent gardens, each side of a lion's head fountain: MCMXXXIX - MCMXXXXV At the bottom of one of the WW2 panels in the East colonnade more recent conflicts are commemorated:Aden/ (Name)/ Cyprus/ (Name)/ 2003: Iraq/ (Name)/ Afghanistan/ (Names) Around the perimeter of the gardens to the East and West of the colonnades are small brass plaques mounted on stone, with an enamelled inscription: This garden, including the/ fountain and pool, is part of/ the War Memorial to the/ memory of those citizens of/ Southport who fell in the/ wars 1914-18 and 1939-45./ Please treat it with respect.
Inscription legible?
yes
Names on memorial
Abbott, J
Abraham, H
Abraham, L
Abram, R
Abram, R P
Ackers, P
Ackroyd, H
Adams, L K
Ainscough, T
Aldred, F
See details for all 1137 names
Commemorations
  • First World War (1914-1918)
    Total names on memorial: 1273
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 1273
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Surname, initial, rank
    Order of information: Regiment then surname
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
    Total names on memorial: 549
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 549
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Surname, initial, rank, regiment
    Order of information: Regiment, surname
  • Aden Emergency (1963-1967)
    Total names on memorial: 1
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 1
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: surname,rank,regiment
    Order of information: Undefined
  • Cyprus Emergency (1955-1959)
    Total names on memorial: 1
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 1
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: surname,rank,regiment
    Order of information: Undefined
  • Iraq War (2003-2011)
    Total names on memorial: 1
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 1
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Surname, initial, rank
    Order of information: surname
  • Afghanistan (2001-2014)
    Total names on memorial: 2
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 2
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Unit, surname, initials, rank
    Order of information: Unit, surname, initials, rank
Components
  • Obelisk
    Measurements: depth 3650 mm, height 21000 mm, width 3650 mm
    Materials: Stone - Portland
  • Colonnade
    Measurements: depth 4900 mm, height 5540 mm, width 24600 mm
    Materials: Stone - Portland
  • Garden
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Undefined
Listing information
  • WAR MEMORIAL OBELISK, NORTH-EAST COLONNADE, SOUTH-WEST COLONNADE, POOLS OF REMEMBRANCE AND MEMORIAL GARDEN WALLS, AND CAST-IRON LAMP STANDARDS
  • 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
2010: Upgraded to Grade II listed. February 2008: The memorial was undergoing extensive cleaning and refurbishment as part of a £4M project to improve Lord St.
Costs

Site: £31,849

Trust fund/Scholarship
Yes
Purpose: £3000 was allocated from the Memorial Fund to provide, over a period of about 15 years, a number of Scholarships or Maintenance Grants to the children of those who had fallen. Trustees were appointed to administer the Fund, with names of deserving cases coming from the Education authorities. The initial Trustees were: The Mayor, Alderman Aveling JP, Alderman Wood JP, Cllr. Mrs Hartley JP, Mr Fred Riley BA JP, and the Town Clerk, Mt J Ernest Jarratt.
Responsibility
Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
Reference
  • At the going down of the sun: British First Wolrd War Memorials by Boorman, Derek page 142 Source: Image Library NIWM Published:Sessions 1988 YORK
  • Book of Rememberance - Unveiling of the War Memorials
  • Southport War Memorial, The Roll of Honour, (Book in southport library)
  • Daily Mail 17/9/91 'Old soldiers win last battle to honour war dead', Stephan Oldfield
  • The Wren, 'Town Honours WWII Fallen', Melita Sephton
  • Honour for fallen Iraq Hero. Major's name on memorial by Mike Hornby
  • The Daily Telegraph, Friday 12 November 2004, 'The Thames runs red as Britain remembers', Caroline Davies
  • Carter Postcard Collection

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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