Memorial details

Memorial type
Board / Plaque / Tablet
District
City Of Edinburgh
Town
Edinburgh
County
Lothian
Country
Scotland
Commemoration
First World War (1914-1918), Second World War (1939-1945)
Maker
Francis William Deas (Designer)
Ceremony
  • Unveiled
    Date: 30 May 1921
    Attended by: Lord Balfour, Governor of the Bank
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
88771

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Current location

Lloyds Banking Group- the former headquarters of The Bank of Scotland
The Mound
Edinburgh
City Of Edinburgh
Lothian
EH1 1YZ
Scotland

OS Grid Ref: NT 25597 73676
Denomination: Undefined

View location on Google Maps
Description
Am Egyptian green marble frame with a brass plaque at top for the dedication, two brass plaques side by side below for WW1 and a brass plaque at the base for WW2. At the base is a replica of military arms and equipment ‘now laid aside’. At the top is a circular plaque of Victory with a sword ‘entwined with laurel and mourning over the heroic dead’.
Inscription
Dedication Plaque-THIS MEMORIAL IS PLACED HERE BY/THE BANK OF SCOTLAND IN GRATEFUL/APPRECIATION OF THE SERVICE WITH/HER MAJESTY'S FORCES OF 601 MEMBERS/OF THE COURT OF DIRECTORS &/STAFF DURING THE GREAT WAR 1914-1919/COLLEAGUES IN PEACE AND COMPANIONS/IN ARMS THEIR NAMES ARE RECORDED/IN A ROLL OF HONOUR TREASURED IN/THE ARCHIVES OF THE BANK/IN LASTING COMMEMORATION OF 87/OF THEM WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES/FOR THEIR COUNTRY AND THE CAUSE/OF FREEDOM-THEIR NAMES ARE RECORDED HERE/THEIR NAMES ARE HERE INSCRIBED THAT THEIR MEMORY MAY/BE HELD IN CONSTANT MEMORY WW1 Plaque 1-[names Adam to McKenzie] WW1 Plaque 2-[names McKenzie to Wilson] WW2 Plaque-AND ALSO THOSE WHO LAID DOWN/THEIR LIVES IN THE WORLD WAR/1939-1945/[names in 4 columns]
Inscription legible?
yes
Commemorations
  • First World War (1914-1918)
    Total names on memorial: 87
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 87
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: surname, forenames
    Order of information: surname
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
    Total names on memorial: 48
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 48
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: surname, forenames, rank
    Order of information: surname
Components
  • Frame
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Marble - Green
  • Detail
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Bronze
  • Detail
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Bronze
  • Undefined
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Brass
  • Undefined
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Brass
  • Second World War memorial
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Brass
Condition
Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Reference
  • warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=122&mforum=warmemscot
  • www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/Our-Group/our-heritage/first-world-war/our-memorials/bank-of-scotland-war-memorial/?optoutmulti=0:0|c1:1|c3:1|c5:1|c4:1|c2:1&optmessage=1 At the outbreak of the First World War, Bank of Scotland employed almost 1,000 men. More than half were of military age. Over the course of the war, 601 were to serve. Eighty-seven gave their lives. They include Thomas W. D. Bonner and Alexander Brook – the youngest and oldest casualties suffered by the Group in the war. They died aged 17 and 50 respectively. In the early months of 1919, the Bank’s directors resolved to erect a ‘permanent memorial so that those who come after us may never forget the heroism and patriotism which inspired those connected with the Bank of Scotland during the great war.’ The memorial was placed in the entrance hall of the Bank’s head office on the Mound in Edinburgh, where it remains today. It was unveiled on 30th May 1921 by the then Governor of the Bank, Lord Balfour, in front of a large gathering which included relatives of the fallen. A Union Jack was flown at half mast from the dome of the Bank throughout the ceremony. Created by Edinburgh architect Francis William Deas, the monument was admired for ‘the elegance of its design and the harmony of its colouring’. The bronze panels and embellishments are framed by a backdrop of Egyptian green marble. At the base is a replica of military arms and equipment ‘now laid aside’. At the top is a circular plaque of Victory with a sword ‘entwined with laurel and mourning over the heroic dead’. The inscription above the panels reads: This Memorial is placed here by the Bank of Scotland in grateful appreciation of the services with His Majesty’s Forces of 601 members of the Court of Directors and Staff during the Great War 1914-1919: colleagues in peace and companions in arms, their names are recorded in a Roll of Honour treasured in the archives of the Bank, and in lasting commemoration of 87 of them who laid down their lives for their country and the cause of freedom. Their names are here inscribed that their memory may be held in constant honour. The 'Roll of Honour' referred to is now held by Group Archives. It lists all the Bank's staff who served in the war, including 25 who received military honours. For further details please contact us. Details of the 87 men listed on the memorial can be found on our virtual Roll of Honour. (see www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/Our-Group/our-heritage/first-world-war/our-roll-of-honour/bank-of-scotland/?optoutmulti=0:0|c1:1|c3:1|c5:1|c4:1|c2:1&optmessage=1 )

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-88771

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