Memorial details

Memorial type
Cross
District
Peterborough
Town
Newark
County
Cambridgeshire
Country
England
Commemoration
First World War (1914-1918)
Maker
Robert Cox (Stone Carver)
Ceremony
  • Dedicated
    Date: 2 November1920
    Attended by: Bishop of Leicester (assisted by Reverend A.C. Neely, Vicar of Peterborough St Mary's; Reverend C.E. Turner, Curate; Reverend A.E.W. Manvell, Vicar of Peterborough St John's; Reverend G.Godfrey, Vicar of Peterborough All Saints').
  • Unveiled
    Date: 2 November 1920
    Attended by: Mr F.F. Smith, former Sergeant of the Northamptonshire Regiment, unveiled the Memorial; the Last Post was sounded by members of The King's School's Scout Troop: C.A. Hodges, E. Thomas and W.L. Warrington.
  • Show More (1)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
8439

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Current location

It is on a triangular traffic island at the junction of Eye Road and Eastield Road
opposite the slip-road from Junction 7 of Frank Perkin's Parkway (A1139).
Eye Road
Newark
Peterborough
Cambridgeshire
PE1 5LZ
England

OS Grid Ref: TF 20950 00534
Denomination: Undefined

View location on Google Maps
Previous locations
  • Eastfield Road
    Peterborough
    Peterborough
    Cambridgeshire

    OS Grid Ref: TF20936 00510
    Denomination: Undefined
Description
A tapering rectangular stone column, comprising a Celtic cross with a carved crusader's sword on its north face; the column stands on a three-tier tapering plinth, whose north face bears most of the inscription. Leaning at an angle against the bottom tier of the north face of that plinth is a rectangular stone, bearing the inscription "LEST WE FORGET"; that stone has always been part of the Memorial.
Inscription
IN/ GRATEFUL MEMORY/ OF/ MEN OF THE HAMLET OF/ NEWARK/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ 1914 - 1918/ (NAMES)/ LEST WE FORGET.
Inscription legible?
yes
Names on memorial
Bigley, Stephen
Dines, Stamford Ernest
Keely, George
Peacock, Joseph
See details for all 4 names
Commemorations
  • First World War (1914-1918)
    Total names on memorial: 4
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 4
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Forenames and surname
    Order of information: No specific order.
Components
  • Column
    Measurements: depth 170 mm, height 1730 mm, width 260 mm
    Materials: Stone - Weldon
  • Plinth
    Measurements: depth 350 mm, height 300 mm, width 480 mm
    Materials: Stone - Weldon
  • Plinth
    Measurements: depth 680 mm, height 560 mm, width 800 mm
    Materials: Stone - Weldon
  • Plinth
    Measurements: depth 840 mm, height 150 mm, width 970 mm
    Materials: Stone - Weldon
  • Tablet
    Measurements: depth 40 mm, height 450 mm, width 600 mm
    Materials: Stone - Weldon
  • Base
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Brick, tarmac and grass.
Listing information
Condition
History
When the War Memorial was erected in 1920, the hamlet of Newark lay within the parish of St Mary's Church Peterborough. The War Memorial was originally erected at the crest of Newark Hill, near the tram terminus/primary school/Methodist Church, and was therefore in a prominent location in the community. By 1978 the former Methodist Church had been converted into a Scout Hall, and the area surrounding the War Memorial had become badly overgrown with trees and shrubs. On noticing this, a group of apprentices from the nearby Perkins Engines Ltd (led by their instructor Brian Pearce) decided to clear the undergrowth and restore the Memorial's setting to a decent state. They removed all the trees and shrubs, and surrounded the Memorial with gravel (generously paid for by Perkin's Engines Ltd). Ever since "informally adopting" the War Memorial in 1978, staff from Perkins Engines have laid a wreath upon it each November. To make way for Peterborough Development Corporation's construction of Frank Perkin's Parkway, Newark's War Memorial had to be moved in 1986 to accommodate a slip-road into Newark. The War Memorial was therefore moved about 40 yards north-north-east to a large traffic island, where it still occupies a prominent site in the community.
Costs

Site: Not known
Memorial: Not known

Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Responsibility
Town Council
Reference
  • Peterborough Standard 6/11/1920; report of the unveiling and dedication on 2/11/1920 of the War Memorial.
  • Peterborough Local Studies and Archives Section: Peterborough Development Corporation archive; ref PAS/PDC/6/3/137. These documents refer to the Public Inquiry on 30/10/1984 and subsequent planning documents/compulsory purchase orders etc re the construction of Frank Perkins Parkway. (Although these papers did not specifically mention Newark's War Memorial, they record the preparations for construction of the road, which necessitated the removal of the War Memorial to its current site).

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-8439

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