Silvertown War Memorial facts for kids
The Silvertown War Memorial is a special monument in Silvertown, East London. It's also called the Silvertown Explosion Memorial. This memorial remembers two important groups of people. First, it honors the workers from the Brunner Mond chemical factory who died while serving in the First and Second World Wars. Second, it remembers those who lost their lives in the big Silvertown explosion on January 19, 1917. This memorial became a protected building, known as a Grade II listed building, in 1999.
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What Caused the Silvertown Explosion?
The Silvertown factory belonged to a chemical company called Brunner Mond. This company later became part of ICI. Before World War I, the factory made a chemical called caustic soda. The factory was not being used when the war started. The government decided to use it to clean a dangerous chemical called TNT. This process was known to be risky, especially in an area where many people lived.
On Friday, January 19, 1917, around 7 PM, a fire started. Most workers had already left for the night. The fire quickly spread and set off more than 50 tons of TNT. This huge explosion killed 73 people in and around the factory. Sixty-nine people died right away, and four more died later from their injuries. Hundreds of others were hurt. The explosion also destroyed the factory and hundreds of nearby homes. Thousands more houses were damaged.
Discover the Memorial's Design
The Brunner Mond company built the memorial in the 1920s. It was placed on North Woolwich Road, right next to their factory. The memorial is a tall, narrow stone pillar called an obelisk. It is about 1.5 meters (5 feet) high. It has stone blocks with words carved into them. On top is a slightly rounded block with a carved wreath on each side. The memorial first stood on a round stone base.
Who Does the Memorial Remember?
The memorial has special messages carved into its sides.
- The east side says: "TO THE GLORIOUS / MEMORY OF THE / MEN FROM THESE / WORKS WHO FELL / IN THE GREAT WAR / 1914–1919". Below this, the names of 7 men are listed.
- The west side says: "AND TO THE MEMORY / OF THOSE WHO WHILST / SERVING THEIR COUNTRY / BY MAKING T.N.T. / PERISHED IN THE / EXPLOSION IN THESE / WORKS. JANUARY 19TH / 1917". This side lists 18 more names, including Andrea Angel. He was given a special award, the Edward Medal, after he died.
- The south side has another message: "ALSO TO THE MEMORY OF THOSE WHO FELL IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR 1939 – 1945". This part lists 7 more names.
- The north side of the memorial is blank.
Where Is the Memorial Now?
The area where the factory was destroyed stayed empty for almost 100 years. Another factory nearby kept working until 1961. In 2014, both areas were cleared to build new homes. Construction for the Royal Wharf development started in 2015.
As part of this new building project, the memorial was moved. It was taken from its first spot near the road and entrance. It was carefully cleaned and fixed up. In 2016, it was put back up in a new place on the site, closer to the River Thames. On January 17, 2017, families of those who died in the explosion gathered at the memorial. They held a service to remember the 100th anniversary of the explosion.
