Bromhead Memorial facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bromhead Memorial |
|
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | |
 |
|
| For deceased residents of the Royal Star and Garter Home not commemorated elsewhere | |
| Unveiled | 1957 |
| Location | 51°27′19″N 0°17′18″W / 51.4553229°N 0.2884192°W Richmond Cemetery, Grove Road, Richmond, London
|
| Designed by | Cecil Thomas |
|
THIS MONUMENT IS ERECTED IN MEMORY OF THOSE PATIENTS WHO HAVE DIED IN THE STAR AND GARTER HOME FOR DISABLED SAILORS SOLDIERS AND AIRMEN WHO ARE NOT OTHERWISE COMMEMORATED AND WHOSE NAMES ARE INSCRIBED HEREON AND IN THE BOOK AT THE HOME
|
|
|
Listed Building – Grade II
|
|
| Official name | Bromhead Memorial |
| Designated | 11 September 2012 |
| Reference no. | 1409405 |
The Bromhead Memorial is a special monument found in Richmond Cemetery in London. It's a Grade II listed building, meaning it's an important historical structure. This memorial marks a burial area for people who lived at the nearby Royal Star and Garter Home. It also lists the names of those who aren't remembered anywhere else.
A Place for Heroes: The Star and Garter Home
The Royal Star and Garter Home in Richmond was built to care for ex-servicemen who were injured or unwell. Queen Mary gave the land for this important home. It first started in the old Star and Garter Hotel.
In 1922, the Star and Garter Society became its own charity. They soon realized the hotel wasn't the best place for the residents. So, they tore it down and built a new, purpose-built home on the same spot. Queen Mary and King George V officially opened this new home in 1924.
The society ran the home there until 2013, when they moved to a new location. The nearby Richmond Cemetery has two areas just for former residents of the Star and Garter Home. The Bromhead Memorial marks one of these special sections. In these areas, the headstones are similar to those used by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Why Was the Memorial Built?
The Bromhead Memorial was a gift from the Bromhead family. They wanted to honor Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Bromhead and his wife, Margaret. Alfred Bromhead was a governor (like a board member) of the Star and Garter Home. Margaret was also a governor and the home's matron (a senior nurse).
A famous sculptor named Cecil Thomas designed the memorial. It was officially revealed in October 1957. Field Marshal Alanbrooke, who was the chairman of the Star and Garter Home, led the ceremony. The Bishop of Southwark dedicated the memorial.
What Does the Memorial Look Like?
.JPG)
Many people say the Bromhead Memorial is one of the most beautiful sights in Richmond Cemetery. It is made from Portland stone, a type of limestone, and has a classical design. It's one of two large memorials in the northern part of the cemetery. The other is the South African War Memorial, which remembers South African soldiers from the First World War.
The Bromhead Memorial looks like a triptych, which is a set of three panels. It also has a low wall behind it. In front of the memorial, there's a sculpture of a lion. The three panels are held up by stone buttress walls. These walls stick out a bit from the front and back. Wooden beams, called lintels, sit on top of the panels. The whole memorial stands on a stone base with three shallow steps.
Between the panels are stone sections where names are carved. The middle panel has a finial on top, which looks like a lit torch. Below the torch, there's an inscription that explains the memorial. It says it's for patients who died at the Star and Garter Home and whose names are listed there and in a book at the home. The low wall also has names carved into it.
In total, the memorial lists 307 names. They are arranged in order from 1928 to 1977. You can find the names starting on the front left panel, moving across the front, then to the low wall, and finally to the back of the triptych.
The bottom step at the front of the memorial has another inscription. It says the memorial was "Given by Lt Col AC Bromhead CBE JP Chairman of the House Committee of Governors 1915–1956". In front of the steps, there are special stone slabs. These slabs remember Alfred and Margaret Bromhead. They talk about Alfred's devotion to his family and Margaret's role as a matron and governor of the home.
The Bromhead Memorial became a Grade II listed building on September 11, 2012. This means it's recognized as a historically important structure that needs to be protected.
