Memorial details

Memorial type
Board / Plaque / Tablet
District
Sefton
Town
Southport
County
Merseyside
Country
England
Commemoration
First World War (1914-1918), Second World War (1939-1945)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
21782

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Current location

To the right of the central dais
Leyland Road Methodist Church
Leyland Road
Southport
Sefton
Merseyside
PR9 9JQ
England

OS Grid Ref: SD 34911 17606
Denomination: Methodist

View location on Google Maps
Description
An elaborate oak memorial resembling the sanctuary of a chapel. It appears to be free-standing, having a platform base which extends in front of the main structure and which has a set of four posts linked by ropes which extend back to the structure. A small Holy Table stands in front of the main structure. A panelled backboard, similar to a reredos, extends out of the platform base. At the lower level there are two slim carved panels each side of the table, and there is a plain panel immediately above the table. At the upper level there are three carved rectangular sections carrying the panels bearing the names. The central of these sections is taller than those at the sides, and has a carved tracery, ogee-shaped arch with a carved finial extending out above the panel itself. Painted and gilded crests nestle in the space between the arch and the panel sides, against a gilded background. In the centre space of the tracery there is a gilded cross piercing a gilded crown. The pilasters to the sides are elaborate, having columns in half-relief beside the names, which are in three columns separated by thin carved columns. Outside the outer columns there are a number of small shields bearing the insignia or initials of various branches of the Services, alternating with floral carvings. These are angled in from a further, outer carved border. Beneath the names there is a carved and gilded inscription, above a chamfered carved border carrying the dates of the Great War each side of a gilded crown. The names in the outer columns of this central section are those of the men who served and returned from WW1, whilst the centre column carries the names of those who fell in both World Wars. The two outer sections, which are understood to have been added after WW2, are similar in basic design to the centre section - again having the shields bearing the insignia or initials of the Services running up the sides, and with the date of the start of WW2 at the bottom of the lefthand section, and that of its end on the righthand section. The names on the two outer sections are of those who served and returned from WW2 - the Women having a separate list. There are finials of acanthus leaves on the outer upper corners of the three sections, linked by carved and pierced railings in a fleur-de-lys design. The inscriptions are in a Runic font - the main sections being incised and painted white.
Inscription
Lefthand section: (Names)/ 1939 Centre section: Outer column, left: (Names); Outer column, right: (Names); Centre column: The supreme sacrifice/(Names)/ 1939 - 1945/ (Names)/ They live for evermore/ Greater love hath no man than this, that/ a man lay down his life for his friends/ 1914 - 1919 Righthand section: (Names)/ Women/ (Names)/ 1945
Inscription legible?
yes
Names on memorial
Abbott, L W
Allanach, D W
Aspinall, T A
Aurton, A
Bailey, E
Ball, D
Ball, W E
Batty, J S
Batty, J S
Batty, R W
See details for all 152 names
Commemorations
  • First World War (1914-1918)
    Total names on memorial: 51
    Served and returned: 44
    Died: 7
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Initials, surname
    Order of information: Initials, surname
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
    Total names on memorial: 101
    Served and returned: 95
    Died: 6
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Initials, surname
    Order of information: Initials, surname
Components
  • Memorial
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Wood - Oak
Listing information
Condition
Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Responsibility
The Church Trustees

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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© WMR-21782

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