Memorial details

Memorial type
Stone of remembrance
District
Lichfield
Town
Alrewas
County
Staffordshire
Country
England
Commemoration
Second World War - civilians
Maker
Harry Parkes (Designer)
Graeme Mitcheson ARBS (Sculptor)
Ceremony
  • Unveiled
    Date: 07-05-2013
    Attended by: Local Clergy/Dignitaries
  • Foundation Stone
    Date: 14 July 2011
    Attended by: Undefined
  • Dedicated
    Date: 07-05-2013
    Attended by: HRH Countess of Wessex GCVO
  • Show More (2)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
64364

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Current location

Memorial is in Garden Zone at intersection of Millennium Avenue and Giffard Avenue
National Memorial Arboretum
Croxall Road
Alrewas
Lichfield
Staffordshire
DE13 7BB
England

OS Grid Ref: SK 18352 14523
Denomination: Undefined

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Description
A memorial comprising four rough-cast standing Kilkenny quarry stones within a small garden with a dedicatory circular plaque. Stone 1: Engraving of pithead gear, being the badge of the Bevin Boys, with inscription. Stone 2: Inscription Stone 3: Engraving of miner's boot, spade, helmet and other equipment with square inset engraved inscription Stone 4: Dedicatory inscription below pithead gear engraving Plaque: Circular metal plaque on spike with inscription. A stone bench is placed in front of the memorial. Three planted trees represent the regions in which the Bevin boys served: narrow oak (England); mountain ash (Wales) and Scots pine (Scotland).
Inscription
[Stone 1]: BEVIN BOYS/ WE ALSO SERVED/ 1943-1948 [Stone 2]: THE BEVIN BOYS WERE/NATIONAL SERVICE CONSCRIPTS DIRECTED TO/ WORK UNDERGROUND IN/BRITISH COAL MINES/ PROVIDING UNSKILLED/ LABOUR/TO SAFEGUARD/ VITAL COAL PRODUCTION/TO POWER THE BRITISH/ WAR EFFORT AND/ PRODUCE COAL/ FOR THE/ NATION. [STONE 3]: WHO WERE BEVIN BOYS/ IN 1943, THIS COUNTRY FACED A CRISIS IN COAL PRODUCTION AS THERE WAS ONLY/ THREE WEEKS OF COAL STOCK AVAILABLE. THIS PUT OUR COUNTRY'S ABILITY/ TO WIN THE SECOND WORLD WAR IN JEOPARDY./ THE THEN PRIME MINISTER, WINSTON CHURCHILL, CHARGED ERNEST BEVIN, HIS/ MINISTER OF LABOUR AND NATIONAL SERVICE, TO INCREASE COAL PRODUCTION./ MR. BEVIN DECIDED THAT FROM ALL 18 TO 24 YEAR OLD MEN CONSCRIPTS DRAFTED/ TO SERVE IN THE ARMED FORCES, ONE IN TEN WERE TO BE DIRECTED - ON PAIN OF IMPRISONMENT, AND IRRESPECTIVE OF BACKGROUND OR ABILITY - TO WORK/ UNDERGROUND IN BRITISH COAL MINES./ APPROXIMATELY 48,000 BEVIN BOYS (AS THEY CAME TO BE KNOWN)/ UNDERTOOK UNSKILLED MANUAL JOBS TO RELEASE MORE EXPERIENCED MINERS / TO MOVE ON TO COAL PRODUCTION AT THE COAL FACE./ THE ROLE PLAYED BY THE BEVIN BOYS SHOULD NOT BE LOST TO HISTORY. [Stone 4]: DEDICATED/ BY / HRH THE/ COUNTESS/ OF/ WESSEX/ G.C.V.O./ 7 MAY 2013 [Plaque]: THE BEVIN BOYS/ ASSOCIATION/ DEDICATED TO THE / 48,000 BEVIN BOY CONSCRIPTS/ WHO WORKED UNDERGROUND IN/ THE COAL MINES OF ENGLAND,/ WALES AND SCOTLAND/ FROM 1943 TO 1948.
Inscription legible?
yes
Commemorations
  • Second World War - civilians
    Total names on memorial: 0
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 0
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Undefined
    Order of information: Undefined
Components
  • Tree
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Undefined
  • Seat
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone - Limestone (kilkenny)
  • Plaque
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Metal
  • Stone of remembrance
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone - Limestone (kilkenny)
  • Stone of remembrance
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone - Limestone (kilkenny)
  • Stone of remembrance
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone - Limestone (kilkenny)
  • Stone of remembrance
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone - Limestone (kilkenny)
Listing information
Condition
History
2011- 14 July three pieces of stone were installed. An additional one was added to incorporate the dedicatory inscription. The stone was chosen to resemble coal when wet.
Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
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.

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© WMR-64364

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