West Hartlepool War Memorial facts for kids

The West Hartlepool War Memorial, also known as the Victory Square War Memorial, is a special monument in Hartlepool, England. It remembers the brave people from West Hartlepool who lost their lives in World War I and World War II. This memorial was built in the 1920s and stands in Victory Square, a public space made just for it on Victoria Road.

Understanding Victory Square

People spent a lot of time deciding where to put the war memorial. The idea was to place it in a large public square. This square would face important town buildings. Victory Square was created for this exact purpose. It is a big area in the center of town.

In 1915, Alderman Charles Macfarlane, who was the mayor of West Hartlepool, suggested using land called "The Armoury Field" for the memorial. This land was already planned for town buildings. People liked the idea at a public meeting. Some money was also raised to build homes for seniors and people with disabilities, connected to the war memorial project.

The World War I Memorial

The main part of the memorial is a tall, 66 feet (20 m) high obelisk. An obelisk is a tall, four-sided pillar that gets narrower at the top, ending in a pyramid shape. This one is made of grey granite and bronze.

At the top of the monument, on each side, are bronze bas-reliefs of laurel wreaths. Bas-relief means the design sticks out slightly from the surface. Another wreath is near the bottom, showing the town's coat of arms and its motto, "E Mare ex Industria." This means "Industry comes from the Sea." There are also bronze wreaths on the base of the monument.

The base, called a plinth, has five steps. These five steps represent the five years of World War I. This part of the memorial is 77 feet (23 m) wide.

The memorial lists 1,545 names of people from West Hartlepool who died in World War I. These names are on twelve bronze panels. They honor townsmen from 75 different groups, including the Army, Royal Navy, and Royal Air Force.

A competition was held to design the memorial. Ernest Newton, a famous architect, managed the competition. George J. Coombs of Aberdeen won the design contest. Sadly, Coombs died in 1921, but his plans were finished by George Bennett Mitchell. The memorial was built by D. G. Somerville and Company and A. Fyfe and Son. The bronze parts were made by H. H. Martyn and Company. Today, it is a protected building, known as a Grade II monument.

The memorial was officially revealed on October 11, 1923. The Earl of Durham was supposed to do it, but he was sick. So, his brother, Brigadier-General Charles Lambton, unveiled it instead. The Bishop of Durham then dedicated the memorial.

Messages on the Memorial

The north side of the memorial shows the coat of arms of West Hartlepool inside a wreath. At the top of the main base, it says "The Great War 1914–1919." Below that is a message from King George V. It says:

In grateful remembrance of the men of this town who at their country's call left all that was dear to them to hazard their lives that others might live in freedom. Their name liveth for evermore.

This means the town is thankful for the men who risked their lives for freedom.

The south side of the memorial has a cross and the words: "THINE O LORD / IS THE VICTORY."

Remembering World War II

After World War II ended, four new pillars were added near the main obelisk. These white granite pillars are 7 feet 4 inches (2.24 m) high. They remember those who died in that war. Each pillar has four sides, and each side has a bronze plaque with names of the fallen. A tree was planted between each of the pillars.

These pillars were unveiled by Father David Coxon, Reverend Tony Whipp, and Ken Cornford, who represented sailors.

Who Takes Care of the Memorial?

The Hartlepool Borough Council is in charge of keeping the memorial clean and in good condition. In 2008, they did a lot of work to clean and fix the stone and bronze plaques. This included removing stains from the patina. Patina is the green or brown layer that forms on bronze over time.