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Memorial details

Memorial type
Park / Sports field
District
Wirral
Town
Prenton Birkenhead
County
Merseyside
Country
England
Commemoration
First World War (1914-1918)
Maker
MR TALIESIN REES (Architect)
Ceremony
  • Foundation Stone
    Date: 17 April 1926
    Attended by: ALDERMAN G A SOLLY JP
  • Opened
    Date: 6 November 1926
    Attended by: MAYOR OF BIRKENHEAD
  • Show More (1)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
15527

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Current location

Playing Fields
Ingleborough Road
Prenton Birkenhead
Wirral
Merseyside
CH42 6RH
England

OS Grid Ref: SJ 317 867
Denomination: Undefined

View location on Google Maps
Description
Playing fields and pavilion opened in 1926 as a memorial to the students of Birkenhead Institute who were killed in the First World War. In 1933, poplar trees were planted in memory of the fallen. The pavilion on site has a mounted rectangular tablet bearing the inscription. Ornamental memorial gates were also added in 1933. In 1938 a bell was donated by Mr and Mrs Luton in memory of their son killed in the First World War. The fallen of the school include the poet Wilfred Owen. See also our reference 79793 for the new memorial, to replace these fields, which are bring redeveloped in 2018 to 2019.
Inscription
BIRKENHEAD INSTITUTE/ WAR MEMORIAL/ THIS STONE WAS LAID BY/ ALDERMAN GODFREY ALLAN SOLLY J.P./ APRIL 17TH 1926
Inscription legible?
no
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
  • Playing / Sports field
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Undefined
  • Tablet
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Undefined
  • Pavilion
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Undefined
  • Tree
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Undefined
  • Bells
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Undefined
  • Gates
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone
Listing information
Condition
History
2018-2019; Redevelopment scheduled for residential use; 2015: Graffiti apparent on memorial (see images). ; 2013: Aboricultural survey confirms that no Poplar trees remain on site. ; 2012, November: Government halts planning application, pending investigation by Secretary of State.; 2012, October: Wirral Council's planning committee gives approval to outline application to build from Tranmere Rovers Football Club.; 2012, June: Tranmere Rovers Football Club re-submit a planning application to build 90 houses on the site.; 2012, February: Tranmere Rovers Football Club withdraw their planning application to develop the Ingleborough site; 2011: The current owners, Tranmere Rovers Football Club, apply for planning permission to build 90 houses on the site.; 2007: Discussion to propose the site for sale for development.; 2001: Pavilion boarded up and no longer in use. Windows broken. Graffiti on memorial tablet. ; 1995, 30 August: Tranmere Rovers Football Club acquired the fields from Wirral Borough Council. ; 1995: Closure of the school. Playing fields acquired by Wirrall Borough Council.; c1980: The ornamental gates with archway inscription: 'Birkenhead Institute/ Playing Fields', were removed. The current whereabouts of the gates is unknown. ; 1938: A bell was donated by Mr and Mrs Luton in memory of their son killed in the First World War. The bracket was donated by R. N. Smith.; 1933: According to the school magazine, The Visor, poplar trees were planted to honour pupils who lost their lives in the First World War. A film was shown to raise money for the tree planting and shown to an audience of parents, friends and Old Boys. ; Funds from the Playing Field Fund were used to erect an ornamental archway and gates. Remaining funds were used to set up the Old Boys Memorial Prize to be awarded every speech day.; 1930: Flag staff erected.; 1926: a Playing Field Fund was established by Old Boys to build a pavilion and landscape the land as a memorial playing field in memory of Old Boys killed in the First World War. The funds allowed for the laying of the foundation stone of 17th March 1926. The fields were opened as the 'Mount Road Memorial Ground Ingleborough Road'.; 1925: Seven acres of land owned by the Birkenhead Corporation was appropriated under a ministerial order pursuant to the Education Act 1921 to be used as a playing field for the Birkenhead Institute.; 1920, 17th May: Land on Ingleborough Road purchased by Birkenhead Corporation.
Costs

Comments: The architect, Mr Taliesin Rees, gave his services for free. £1,000 was initially collected and an additional £300 was raised by a school bazaar. A fund-raising play and concert was also held in 1932.
Memorial: c£1500

Trust fund/Scholarship
Yes
Purpose: Old Boys Memorial Prize, awarded every Speech Day
Sponsorship
Private
Responsibility
Tranmere Rovers Football Club, which bought the land from Wirral Borough Council on 30 August 1995, following the closure of the school.
Reference

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-15527

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