Boer War Memorial, Crewe

The Boer War Memorial, also known as the South African War Memorial, stands in a prominent position in Queens Park, Crewe, England. It was erected in memory of local soldiers who had served or fallen in the Boer War, and consists of a bronze statue of soldier in uniform standing on a column on a stone plinth. The monument was unveiled in 1903, and contains plaques with the names of those who were lost in the war. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building.

1. History

Shortly after the end of the Boer War in May 1902, the citizens of Crewe decided to erect a memorial to the soldiers from the town who had fallen in the conflict. It has been stated that a higher proportion of men from Crewe than in any other British town served in the war. A committee named the Crewe South African Volunteers' and Reservists' Memorial Fund Committee was established, which represented local volunteers rather than regular serving men. The committee asked the Crewe Borough Council for a site in Queens Park, and the council gave them the most prominent position in the park. At the time a bandstand stood there, but this was demolished. The money for the memorial was raised by public subscription. It is thought that the London & North Western Railway Company gave nothing, although they had been generous to the town in other ways, including donating the park. The total donations amounted to £1,050. The memorial was designed and made by Joseph Whitehead and Sons of Westminster. It was unveiled on 8 August 1903 by Lord Stalbridge, chairman of the railway company.

1. Description

The memorial consists of a bronze statue of a soldier dressed in the uniform of the period standing on a marble column on a stone pedestal. The whole memorial, including the statue, is about 9 metres (29.5 ft) high. The soldier is standing to attention, holding a rifle, and dressed in what was known as "foreign service dress". This includes a slouch hat, a bandolier belt, a pouch, and a water bottle. The pedestal is in Aberdeen granite, and the column is in grey marble with a sandstone cap. The base is square, and carries a chamfered plinth with a pediment at the top on each side. From this rises a marble column with an Ionic cap. On each side of the plinth are bronze memorial plaques carrying lists of names. On the north pediment are the arms of the former borough, the motto "Never Behind", and the date 1899–1902. Originally at the base of the memorial was a bronze model of a locomotive named King Edward VII, which had been designed by Francis Webb. The model had been made by P. H. Lightfoot, and it stood on rails with 19 sleepers. The model was 1.2 metres (4 ft) long and weighed over ten tons. It has since been removed and replaced by two stone lions.

1. Appraisal

The monument was designated as a Grade II listed building on 14 June 1984. Grade II is the lowest of the three grades of listing and is applied to "buildings of national importance and special interest".

1. See also

Listed buildings in Crewe

1. References

Nearby Places View Menu

Queens Park, Crewe

Queens Park in Crewe, Cheshire, is a 44.5 acre (18ha) Grade II* listed public park opened in 1887, little changed from its original plan.

Park

Clock Tower, Crewe

The Clock Tower stands near the north entrance to Queen's Park, Crewe, in Cheshire, England. The park was given to the residents of the town by the London and North Western Railway Company, and the clock tower was paid for by its employees. It was unveiled on the same day the park was officially opened in 1888. The tower is built in sandstone and brick, and contains medallions with the heads of Queen Victoria and officials of the company. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building.

Landmark

Crewe Works

Crewe Works is a British railway engineering facility located in the town of Crewe, Cheshire. The works, which was originally opened by the Grand Junction Railway in March 1843, employed around 7,000 to 8,000 workers at its peak. In the 1980s much of the engineering works were closed. Most of the site has been redeveloped, but the remaining parts are owned and operated by Alstom. During the late 19th century, the London and North Western Railway used Crewe Works to produce many famous locomotives such as the Webb 2-4-0 Jumbo class and the compounds, the Whale Experiment and Precursor classes, and the Bowen-Cooke Claughtons. In particular, Whale's 1912 superheated G1 Class 0-8-0 developed from a locomotive introduced by Webb in 1892, lasted, in many cases until 1964, near the end of steam in 1968. After grouping, the works were taken over by London, Midland and Scottish Railway which was the successor to the LNWR. It was during this period that the works reached its zenith in size and output. Creating notable steam engines such as Sir William Stanier's locomotives as well as the 'Jubilee' and Class 5 4-6-0s, the 'Princess Royal' and the 'Princess Coronation' 4-6-2s. The works continued to produce engines under British Railways such as the Britannia 4-6-2s and the Franco-Crosti boilered Class 9 freight locomotives. In the 1980s, a large part of the works was sold for redevelopment. Due to the scale of the works, it had its own internal narrow gauge tramway, the Crewe Works Railway, which was used from 1862 until 1932.

Industrial

St Barnabas' Church, Crewe

St Barnabas' Church is in West Street, Crewe, Cheshire, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Nantwich, the archdeaconry of Macclesfield, and the diocese of Chester. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building.

Church