
Memorial details
- Memorial type
- Composite
- District
- East Hampshire
- Town
- Alton
- County
- Hampshire
- Country
- England
- Commemoration
- First World War (1914-1918), Second World War (1939-1945)
- Ceremony
- Unveiled
Date: 19 September 1920
Attended by: EARL OF SELBORNE - Unveiled
Date: 06 November 1949
Attended by: MAJ-GEN G D JEFFREYS CB CMG GOC - Show More (1)
- Unveiled
- Lost
- Not lost
- WM Reference
- 21091
Support IWM
Any gift we receive makes a vital contribution to our ongoing work, from conserving our collection to supporting our public programme.
Current location
outside the museum.
The Curtis Museum
corner of High St and Church St
Alton
East Hampshire
Hampshire
England
OS Grid Ref: SU 719 394
Denomination: Undefined
- Description
- Composite memorial formed of public buildings and a memorial cairn. The cairn is formed of cornish granite blocks with dedicatory plaque placed on one side. The inscription is in relief. A step is at the base of the plaque. Behind the cairn is a flag pole. The flag was to be flown at half mast on request by any relative on the anniversary of the death of any of those commemorated The public buildings are the former Mechanics Institute and the Assembly Rooms which were privately owned up to that point. The Mechanics Institute agreed to gift their building so it could be used as a Public Library Reading Room. The Assembly Rooms (now the Curtis Museum) were also handed over to public ownership to be used as civic offices. A dedicatory tablet was set into the wall of each building to mark their status as part of the Alton war memorial.
- Inscription
- Cairn: OUR GLORIOUS DEAD / 1914 - 1919 / (Names) / 1939 - 1945 / (Names) / THEIR NAME LIVETH / FOR EVERMORE Assembly Rooms: ALTON ASSEMBLY ROOMS/ PRESENTED TO THE TOWN/ BY MESSRS/ GERALD & GOODWYN HALL/ IN COMMEMORATION OF THE/ VICTORIES WHICH THE ALLIES GAINED IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 1919 Alton Institute: ALTON INSTITUTE AND CURTIS MUSEUM/ THESE PREMISES/ WERE PRESENTED TO THE TOWN/ BY THE TRUSTEES AS A/ WAR MEMORIAL/ 1914 - 1919
- Inscription legible?
- yes
- Names on memorial
- Albuery, A
Allen, J H
Allwork, H W
Allwork, W J
Amor, W
Andrews, R T M
Appleford, A
Arnold, H C
Aslett, P R
Atkins, E W
See details for all 225 names - Commemorations
- First World War (1914-1918)
Total names on memorial: 169
Served and returned: 0
Died: 169
Exact count: yes
Information shown: surname
Order of information: surname - Second World War (1939-1945)
Total names on memorial: 56
Served and returned: 0
Died: 56
Exact count: yes
Information shown: surname
Order of information: surname
- First World War (1914-1918)
- Components
- Cairn
Measurements: height 3048mm, width 2134mm
Materials: Granite - Cornish - Plaque
Measurements: height 1524mm, width 610mm
Materials: Bronze - Hall
Measurements: Undefined
Materials: Undefined - Library
Measurements: Undefined
Materials: Undefined
- Cairn
- Listing information
- WAR MEMORIAL IMMEDIATELY NORTH OF ASSEMBLY ROOMS
- 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
- Condition
- Alton - WW1 and WW2
- WMO ID: 102973
- Condition: Fair [last updated on 29-12-2018]
- Help update these details if the condition is wrong
- History
- 1995: As part of a town centre enhancement scheme the area around the memorial wa simproved. Crazing paving around the memorial was replaced with block paving, the flower beds containing the Burma Star roses were re-structured and two seats were donated. 1985: The dedicatory tablet was removed from the former Mechanics Institute as part of works to improve access to the museum. It forms part of the Story of Alton display.
- Costs
Memorial: c £25,000
- Trust fund/Scholarship
- No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A - Sponsorship
- Public
- Reference
- Local Publication/Booklet 38 - 46 / 1998 Cross, Tony, 'Lest We Forget - The Story of Alton's War Memorial' in Alton Papers No 2
- www.hampshirewarmemorials.com for transcript of names.
- Here's to the Men of Alton - stories of courage and sacrifice in the Great War (2015), isbn:- 978 0 7509 6077 9
- Here's to the Men of Alton - World War II. (2020), isbn:- 978-1-9161749-5-5
- Carter Postcard Collection
- Local Publication/Booklet 1999 Cross, Tony, 'Lest We Forget - A postcript' in Alton Papers No 3
- Other website www3.hants.gov.uk/museum/curtis-museum/alton-history/lest-we-forget.htm
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-21091
For queries, please contact [email protected].