St Saviour's War Memorial facts for kids
The St Saviour's War Memorial is a special monument found on Borough High Street in London. It's located south of the River Thames, in an area that used to be called Southwark St Saviour. This memorial was built to remember soldiers who lost their lives in war. It was recognized as a very important historical building in 1998 and its status was upgraded in 2018, meaning it's even more protected.
Contents
About the Memorial
The memorial features a bronze statue created by Philip Lindsey Clark. He was a soldier himself, serving in the army during World War I and becoming a captain. The statue shows a soldier in his uniform, holding a rifle with a bayonet over his shoulder. This soldier figure is similar to others Philip Lindsey Clark created for other war memorials, like one in Glasgow. The bronze parts for both memorials were made by a company called Maneti in London. Another artist, Albert Toft, also used a similar soldier statue for a memorial in Holborn.
What the Memorial Looks Like
The soldier statue stands on a tall, strong stone base made of Portland stone. This base has rounded ends. On its long sides, there are cool bronze pictures. One picture, on the west side, shows old airplanes called biplanes. The other picture, on the east side, shows battleships.
Below the airplane picture, there's a message that says: "Give honour to the men of St. Saviours Southwark who gave their lives for the empire 1914–1918. Their names are inscribed within the parish church. May their memory live for ever in the minds of men." This means it honors the local men who died in the war. Below the battleship picture, another message reads: "This memorial was erected by the parishioners of Saint Saviour's Southwark in the year 1922." This tells us that the people living in the area built the memorial in 1922. A small model of the main soldier statue was even shown at a famous art exhibition in 1923.
Special Carvings
The ends of the stone base have special carvings. On the front (south side), you can see a carving of Saint George and the Dragon, a famous story about a knight fighting a dragon. On the back (north side), there's a carving of a sad woman with a child and a dove, which represents peace and mourning.
How It Was Built
The money to build this memorial came from people donating. The design for the memorial was chosen through a competition. The money raised, which was about £4,000, also helped pay for a bronze plaque inside Southwark Cathedral. This plaque, made by Sir John Ninian Comper and also cast by Maneti, lists the names of 344 local people who died in the war. Both the outdoor memorial and the indoor plaque were officially revealed on November 16, 1922. General Henry Horne, 1st Baron Horne unveiled them, and Bishop William Hough dedicated them.
A New Look
In 2013, the memorial was carefully taken apart, cleaned, fixed, and put back together. It was then rededicated in 2014 by Andrew Nunn, who is the Dean of Southwark. This made sure the memorial stays in good condition for many more years.
Images for kids
