Memorial details

Memorial type
Allegory (eg: Victory)
District
Peterborough
Town
Peterborough
County
Cambridgeshire
Country
England
Commemoration
Second World War (1939-1945), First World War (1914-1918)
Ceremony
  • Dedicated
    Date: 4 July 1921
    Attended by: Bishop of Truro
  • Rededicated
    Date: 11 November 1991
    Attended by: Bishop of Truro
  • Unveiled
    Date: 4 July 1921
    Attended by: Mr F.D. Bowles
  • Show More (2)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
3569

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Current location

It stands within a dedicated Memorial Garden
to the east of the building's main entrance.the
Pearl Centre
Lynch Wood
Peterborough
Peterborough
Cambridgeshire
PE2 6FY
England

OS Grid Ref: TL 14075 96510
Denomination: Undefined

View location on Google Maps
Previous locations
  • Pearl Assurance HQ
    High Holborn
    Holborn
    Camden
    Greater London
    WC1
    England

    OS Grid Ref: TQ
    Denomination: Undefined
Description
Life-sized figure of St George in medieval armour of c1450, holding in his right hand a cruciform sword whose hilt is surrounded by a wreath; his left hand rests on a cross like shield. The figure stands on a square base that bears a plaque on the west face depicting a warship scene; a plaque on the east face depicting a aerial dog-fight; the north and south faces bear a plaque depicting a wreath surrounding a helmet. Beneath each of those plaques is another, bearing the commemorative inscriptions and names of the Fallen. (The west face also bears a small plaque, commemorating the memorials re-dedication in its current location). The memorial stands in the centre of a brick-paved area, surrounded on three sides by shrubs. On the fourth (north) side, attached to the wall of a building, are the four plaques that comprise the Second World War Memorial.
Inscription
WW1, west face: OF THE STAFF OF THE PEARL/ ASSURANCE COMPANY THESE/ GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THE/ FREEDOM OF THE WORLD IN THE/ YEARS OF OUR LORD 1914-1918/ (Names). WW1 south face: (Names) WW1 east face: (Names) WW1 north face: (Names)/ THEY PASSED AWAY IN THE DAYS/ OF THEIR STRENGTH. THEY/ LIVE FOREVER IN THE UNDYING/ FACT OF THEIR SACRIFICE. Additional plaque on west face of plinth base, beneath names: SAINT GEORGE/ AND THE DRAGON/ SIR GEORGE FRAMPTON R.A./ FIRST DEDICATED/ IN LONDON/ 11 NOVEMBER 1921/ RE-DEDICATED IN/ PETERBOROUGH/ 11 NOVEMBER 1991 Each of the four WW2 wall plaques: MEMBERS OF THE STAFF OF/ PEARL ASSURANCE COMPANY LTD/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR FREEDOM IN/ WORLD WAR 1939-1945/ (Names).
Inscription legible?
yes
Names on memorial
Abbott, H
Abnett, R H
Adamson, C
Akers, R E
Aldridge, B G
Alexander, D H F
Alford, E T
Allen, H S
Anthony, A G
Arbuthnot, H. Mck
See details for all 661 names
Commemorations
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
    Total names on memorial: 217
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 217
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Surname and initials
    Order of information: Mainly alphabetical by surname
  • First World War (1914-1918)
    Total names on memorial: 445
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 445
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Surname and initials
    Order of information: Mainly alphabetical by surname
Components
  • Plaques / Panels with names
    Measurements: depth 12mm, height 1320mm, width 700mm
    Materials: Bronze
  • Base
    Measurements: depth 1200mm, height 300mm, width 1500mm
    Materials: Granite
  • Plinth
    Measurements: depth 900mm, height 2150mm, width 1100mm
    Materials: Granite
  • Plaques / Panels with names
    Measurements: depth 12mm, height 1320mm, width 870mm
    Materials: Bronze
  • Figure
    Measurements: depth 800mm, height 2100mm, width 900mm
    Materials: Bronze
  • Plaques / Panels with names
    Measurements: depth 35mm, height 1300mm, width 910mm
    Materials: Bronze
  • Plaque
    Measurements: depth 5mm, height 230mm, width 220mm
    Materials: Bronze
  • Garden
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Plant Material
Listing information
  • Pearl Centre 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
As part of the construction of the company's new HQ at Lynch Wood in Peterborough, in 1991 the Memorial Garden (designed by Professor Arnold Weddle) was created as a site for the figure of St George (i.e. the WW1 Memorial) and the four WW2 plaques, which were moved to this location that year from their former site at Pearl Assurance HQ in Holborn.
Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Sponsorship
Corporate
Responsibility
Phoenix Group Holdings (as at 2019)
Reference
  • LONDON'S OPEN AIR STATUARY by GLEICHEN P 145 Source: Image Library Published:LONGMAN'S, GREEN & CO 1928 LONDON
  • Western Morning News dated 7/7/1921 (page 3): reported that the Bishop of Truro had dedicated the Memorial at Pearl Life Assurance Company in Holborn the previous Monday (i.e. on 4/7/1921).
  • Peterborough Telegraph 28/3/2019: report of Grade 2* listing of the memorial.
  • "Pearl Centre War Memorial." Historic England, historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1462803. Accessed 19 August 2024.
  • PEARL ASSURANCE: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY by ANON P 179 Source: Image Library NIWM Published:PEARL ASSURANCE PLC 1990 PETERBOROUGH

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-3569

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