Stalybridge War Memorial

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Stalybridge War Memorial
Stalybridge War Memorial in 2008
Stalybridge War Memorial is located in Greater Manchester
Stalybridge War Memorial
Location within Greater Manchester
General information
LocationTrinity St, Stalybridge,
Greater Manchester, England
Coordinates53°29′02″N 2°03′24″W / 53.48379°N 2.05660°W / 53.48379; -2.05660
Years builtc. 1921
Renovated1950 (extended)
Design and construction
ArchitectFerdinand Blundstone
Other designersFerdinand Blundstone (sculptor)
Main contractorWilliam Kirkpatrick Ltd.
Listed Building – Grade II*
Official nameWar Memorial
Designated6 February 1986
Reference no.1163074

Stalybridge War Memorial is a Grade II* listed monument at the northern end of Trinity Street in Stalybridge, a town within Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. It commemorates the men of Stalybridge who lost their lives during the First and Second World Wars. The memorial occupies both sides of Victoria Bridge over the River Tame and is regarded as one of the most significant war memorials in the region due to its scale, artistry, and historical importance.

History

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Plans for the memorial were initiated in 1919 following the end of the First World War. A public appeal raised £6,000—well above the estimated cost of £4,200—with surplus funds allocated to the education of children of fallen servicemen.[1] The memorial was designed and sculpted by Ferdinand Blundstone, a noted sculptor and native of nearby Whaley Bridge, who exhibited at the Royal Academy and worked internationally.[2] Construction was carried out by Messrs William Kirkpatrick Ltd of Trafford Park.[1]

The memorial was unveiled on 6 November 1921 in a ceremony attended by approximately 24,000 people, nearly the entire population of Stalybridge at the time.[3] Initially it bore the names of 628 men who died in the First World War,[4] later rising to 665 with additions.[5]

A Second World War extension, bearing the names of 127 men, was unveiled on 23 April 1950, attended by 3,000–4,000 people.[2] The first wreath was laid by alderman L. Harris, the mayor of Stalybridge, followed by Lord Leverhulme, the Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire.[3]

On 6 February 1986, Stalybridge War Memorial was designated a Grade II* listed building for its architectural and historic significance.[4]

The memorial remains on its original site and continues to serve as the centrepiece for annual Remembrance Day ceremonies. Conservation efforts are ongoing, and local campaigns have sought to add names of approximately 300 soldiers omitted from the original Roll of Honour.[6]

Design and features

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The memorial forms a prominent bridgehead at the entrance to Trinity Street, extending across both sides of the road.[4] Its composition creates a formal and imposing gateway, serving as a civic monument and a focal point for public remembrance.

At the heart of the memorial are two main pedestals, each rising to a height of 10 feet (3 m). They are surmounted by bronze sculptural groups. On the left side an angel cradles a dying sailor, whose cap bears the name Good Hope, while on the right side stands an angel supporting a dying soldier. Each bronze figure measures approximately 8 feet (2.4 m) in height. The right pedestal also bears Stalybridge's coat of arms in stone. Extending from the pedestals are segmental wing walls that curve outward, terminating in secondary piers topped with crouching stone lions.[5]

Polished granite plaques are set into the wing walls, bearing the Roll of Honour with the names of the fallen arranged by regiment: 665 during the First World War and 127 during the Second World War.[5] The base of the memorial is finished with a decorative border of fluorite spar and a low kerb, providing a dedicated space for wreath placement during commemorative ceremonies.

The memorial measures about 110 feet (34 m) from wing to wing, with the wing walls approximately 5 feet (1.5 m) in height.[3]

The Second World War extension is linked by means of bronze railings which also bear the town's coat of arms.[3]

Inscriptions

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The memorial incorporates a series of inscriptions referencing theatres of war, naval engagements, and dedicatory phrases. On the left lion pedestal, the panels list France, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Egypt, and East Africa. The naval pedestal bears the inscription "GOOD HOPE / 1914–1918," along with the names of major actions: Jutland, Zeebrugge, and The Falkland Isles.[5] Beneath these are the words:

REMEMBER THE LOVE OF THEM WHO
CAME NOT HOME FROM THE WAR
SEE YOU TO IT THAT THEY SHALL
NOT HAVE DIED IN VAIN

The army pedestal carries the dates "1914–1918" and the names of significant battles: The Marne, Ypres, and The Somme.[5] Its dedicatory inscription reads:

ALL YOU WHO PASS BY
REMEMBER WITH GRATITUDE
THE MEN OF STALYBRIDGE
WHO DIED FOR YOU

The right lion pedestal carries the dates "1939–1945" and the panels record additional theatres of war: Flanders, Gallipoli, Salonika, Italy, and South West Africa.[5] Its dedicatory inscription, taken from Katharine Tynan's 1915 poem Flower of Youth,[3] reads:

NOW HEAVEN IS BY THE YOUNG INVADED.
THEIR LAUGHTER'S IN THE HOUSE OF GOD

The railings of the Second World War extension include the inscription: "May their deeds be held in reverence." To the right of the railings is a tablet bearing the inscription:

1939–1945
ON LAND, ON SEA, AND IN THE AIR.
AT HOME AND ABROAD.

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  • Pedestal with angel and soldier
    Pedestal with angel and soldier
  • Pedestal with angel and sailor
    Pedestal with angel and sailor
  • Left wing wall with granite plaques
    Left wing wall with granite plaques
  • Left lion pedestal and inscription
    Left lion pedestal and inscription
  • Right lion pedestal and inscription
    Right lion pedestal and inscription
  • Inscription on railings
    Inscription on railings

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Harrop, Frank (3 November 2021). "Stalybridge War Memorial". Manchester Ancestors. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  2. ^ a b "War Memorial, Trinity Street". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Stalybridge". War Memorials Online. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  4. ^ a b c Historic England. "War Memorial (Grade II*) (1163074)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Stalybridge". War Memorials Register. Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  6. ^ Carter, Gary (8 November 2021). "Hopes rise the 'forgotten' can be remembered". Tameside Correspondent. Retrieved 4 December 2025.