FEATHERSTONE'S WAR MEMORIALS
INTRODUCTION
This blog is dedicated to all those Featherstone and District men and youths who gave their life so we could be free. Note: "youths" is used because until 1970 the age of majority was 21 and many of those who died were under that age.
IN THE BEGINNING
At the first Featherstone Council meeting after the Great War of 1914-1918 ended the chairman, Cr Roslyn Holiday, said they should have some lasting memorial to the gallant citizens who had sacrificed their lives for the good of all at home. Something that would abide, and remind Featherstone and Purston people for generations to come of what was done in their behalf by the fallen brave. The Council agreed to hold a public meeting.
At the February 1919 Council meeting Cr Murphy asked the Council what was intended as a war memorial. Something ought to be done beneficial to the young. He was in favour of an institute and free library combined, and a meeting room. He regretted the miners had held a mass meeting and had declined to support a war memorial. Would the Local Government Board allow the Council to spend money on a memorial? Cr Roslyn Holiday said now the miners had made their decision he would call a public meeting.
In April the Local Government Board said a Council scheme would be carefully considered, but before an application for public money to be spent everything possible should be done to raise money by public subscription.
At the February 1919 Council meeting Cr Murphy asked the Council what was intended as a war memorial. Something ought to be done beneficial to the young. He was in favour of an institute and free library combined, and a meeting room. He regretted the miners had held a mass meeting and had declined to support a war memorial. Would the Local Government Board allow the Council to spend money on a memorial? Cr Roslyn Holiday said now the miners had made their decision he would call a public meeting.
In April the Local Government Board said a Council scheme would be carefully considered, but before an application for public money to be spent everything possible should be done to raise money by public subscription.
THE FIRST PUBLIC MEETING
A public meeting was held in North Featherstone Lane Council School presided over by Roslyn Holiday. He said they ought not to come to a decision that night but discuss suggestions. He trusted the memorial would be something more than a mere monument. A cold, hard record on stone or marble would be a permanent record, but a memorial should be something which would result in the making of better men and women.
He then invited Mr M Lancaster, assistant financial secretary in Yorkshire for the YMCA to present a scheme for a YMCA Institute in the town as a war memorial. Other suggestion were a park, an obelisk and a memorial church. Cr Edwards said Purston Hall and 26 acres of land was on the market. The grounds could be made into a park and the hall into an institute.
The meeting decided to elect a committee which met in May 1919 with Roslyn Holiday as chairman. Mr Chesney, the Council surveyor, agreed to prepare a rough plan for a YMCA Institute at a cost of about £10,000, and Mr Carnegie was to be asked if his offer of £3,500 for a library still held good so it could be included in the scheme.
THE SECOND PUBLIC MEETING
At the War Memorial Committee meeting in January 1920 a report was given on an inspection of the Assembly Rooms at the top of Station Lane which had been suggested as a memorial. It was thought it would serve as a club, institute and public hall if alterations, renovating and painting were done. A new entrance could be added facing Station Lane and a cenotaph erected in the space in front. The Assembly Rooms Company offered to sell it for £6,500.
The committee decided to ask if the three local colliery companies would contribute towards the total cost of about £10,000, and if the mineworkers would consent to a weekly deduction of 6d per man for two years.
A packed public meeting in Regent Street Girl's School in February was told a new building could not be provided for £10,000, and the committee's opinion was the Assembly Rooms should be purchased and converted.
Mr Amison disagreed and said they should have two monuments bearing the names of all the fallen. What mother wished to hear billiard balls rattling in memory of her son? Other miners spoke against a 6d levy. My Holiday said it would be voluntary and if the branch meetings turned it down that would be the end of it. Mr McTrusty put forward suggestions for a cottage hospital or a maternity home.
Mr Holiday put the Assembly Rooms proposal to the meeting and it was heavily defeated. In the end Mr McTrusty's suggestion was agreed providing there was some memorial including the names of the fallen.
In June 1920 Mr Holiday reviewed the situation and said all the proposed schemes were too expensive and the miners were reluctant to donate weekly. The committee decided there was no point in going on, no action would be taken with regard to a war memorial and there would not be a further public meeting.
NORTH FEATHERSTONE LANE SCHOOL MEMORIAL
The pupils of North Featherstone Lane Junior Mixed School raised over £40 for a brass and oak plinth containing the names of 27 former pupils who died in the Great War. It was installed in the school in November 1920. Photo - Bill Henderson.
THE BRITISH LEGION TAKES OVER
In September 1921 the Featherstone Branch of the Discharged Soldiers' and Sailors' Association (soon to be called The British Legion) held a meeting and decided they would inaugurate a scheme for a Featherstone War memorial. They agreed the money would have to be raised voluntarily and they would erect a cross on which the names of the fallen would be inscribed.
Because of the recent miners' strike and low wages because of poor trade, the response was poor and by the end of the year they had only raised £82. it was agreed to ask the clubs and hotels to allow collecting boxes to be placed on their premises.
In April 1922 it was announced they had only collected £137. The Express commented "No scheme, however modest, can be carried through with that amount and be at all worthy of the town and its glorious war record, might go without saying. The town has unfortunately a long roll of gallant dead, and it is almost unthinkable the inhabitants will allow an appeal of this nature. the sole object of which is to perpetuate the memory of the grand l;ads, to go by the board.
A new appeal was made from the war memorial committee for church and house to house collections and in June the fund had reached £190. They had to reconsider their plans for a memorial and now hoped to raise £400, much less than originally imagined.
Early in December the fund stood at £217 and a meeting of subscribers decided a cross of granite if the funds would permit would be erected in front of Purston Church. The committee were disappointed at the response and the fund would be kept open until the end of the year. It would not now be possible to inscribe the names of the fallen on the cross.
The committee received 20 designs for a memorial and after the Council gave permission in August 1923 for it to be erected in front of Purston Church they selected the one by local architect Mr W H Fearnley.
By 1924 the fund committee decided their work was ended and with the money remaining it would be fitting to have on the colliery premises a permanent memorial of the part the colliery employees played in those fateful years. It was hoped to have Lord and Lady Masham at the unveiling but Lord Masham died in January and Lady Masham died in May. It was unveiled on 22 June in front of a huge crowd of ex-servicemen and relatives of those who had made the supreme sacrifice.
A platform had been erected against the memorial and from there Mr J J Murphy, president of the Ackton Hall Branch of the Yorkshire Miners' Union opened the proceedings. He expressed sympathy with the relatives of the men who had given their all, and those who were maimed and disabled. He also regretted both Lord and Lady Masham had passed away; they had looked forward to one or both being present. it was only fair the public should know whatever was done for the men on active service, Lord Masham contributed his quota, and he (Mr Murphy) wished to publicly express their gratitude.
Because of the recent miners' strike and low wages because of poor trade, the response was poor and by the end of the year they had only raised £82. it was agreed to ask the clubs and hotels to allow collecting boxes to be placed on their premises.
In April 1922 it was announced they had only collected £137. The Express commented "No scheme, however modest, can be carried through with that amount and be at all worthy of the town and its glorious war record, might go without saying. The town has unfortunately a long roll of gallant dead, and it is almost unthinkable the inhabitants will allow an appeal of this nature. the sole object of which is to perpetuate the memory of the grand l;ads, to go by the board.
A new appeal was made from the war memorial committee for church and house to house collections and in June the fund had reached £190. They had to reconsider their plans for a memorial and now hoped to raise £400, much less than originally imagined.
Early in December the fund stood at £217 and a meeting of subscribers decided a cross of granite if the funds would permit would be erected in front of Purston Church. The committee were disappointed at the response and the fund would be kept open until the end of the year. It would not now be possible to inscribe the names of the fallen on the cross.
The committee received 20 designs for a memorial and after the Council gave permission in August 1923 for it to be erected in front of Purston Church they selected the one by local architect Mr W H Fearnley.
THE ACKTON HALL COLLIERY WAR MEMORIAL
When the war started a joint relief fund was set up at the colliery by the Hon John Cunliffe Lister (later Lord Masham) and his employees to relieve hardship of the families of the workers who had enlisted in the Armed Forces and those who came back wounded. At its peak Mr Lister had contributed £20,000 and the colliery £19,536. By 1924 the fund committee decided their work was ended and with the money remaining it would be fitting to have on the colliery premises a permanent memorial of the part the colliery employees played in those fateful years. It was hoped to have Lord and Lady Masham at the unveiling but Lord Masham died in January and Lady Masham died in May. It was unveiled on 22 June in front of a huge crowd of ex-servicemen and relatives of those who had made the supreme sacrifice.
A platform had been erected against the memorial and from there Mr J J Murphy, president of the Ackton Hall Branch of the Yorkshire Miners' Union opened the proceedings. He expressed sympathy with the relatives of the men who had given their all, and those who were maimed and disabled. He also regretted both Lord and Lady Masham had passed away; they had looked forward to one or both being present. it was only fair the public should know whatever was done for the men on active service, Lord Masham contributed his quota, and he (Mr Murphy) wished to publicly express their gratitude.
The unveiling was by Roslyn Holiday, the
general manager, he said the erection of the memorial was the winding up of the
joint relief fund. To the younger generation the war was almost history, and
this generation and those still to come should not be allowed to forget the
part Featherstone men had played in the war and the sacrifices which had been
made. He hoped the memorial would serve as a reminder of the sacrifices of all
the men, and of the greatest sacrifice of all made by many.
Other speeches were made by the Vicar of Purston, the Revd H S Rogers, and Herbert Smith, the president of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain. A wreath was placed on the memorial by Mr W Hutchinson, chairman of the Featherstone Branch of the British Legion.
Other speeches were made by the Vicar of Purston, the Revd H S Rogers, and Herbert Smith, the president of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain. A wreath was placed on the memorial by Mr W Hutchinson, chairman of the Featherstone Branch of the British Legion.
The ceremony ended with hymns accompanied
by the Featherstone Silver Subscription Band who also played Chopin's
Funeral March, and buglers from Pontefract Barracks played The Last Post. Photo - Featherstone Library Collection.
This photo, probably taken for postcard sales, has had the building behind, seen in the photo above, edited out.
THE FEATHERSTONE AND PURSTON WAR MEMORIAL
The War Memorial in front of Purston Church was unveiled on 31 August 1924. The Express Commented "It says much for the enthusiasm of the committee that despite the failure of previous proposals, and many set-backs to their own project, they persevered, determined that the town should not be without a permanent mark of appreciation of the grand work done by Featherstone and Purston men in the Great War". The cost was about £250.
There was a procession from the council offices led by the Pontefract Depot Band and a guard of honour from Pontefract Barracks followed by all the local organisations, "a procession which did credit to the town".
Dr Finch, president of the memorial committee, opened the ceremony. He said "After many years we are gathered together to do honour to the memory of those brave men who left their homes and all dear to them and made the supreme sacrifice"
The unveiling was performed by Brigadier-General Brooke CMG DSO. he said it was an honour and a privilege to be asked to unveil the memorial to the faithful servants of our King in Featherstone and District. he had served all his life in the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, and he was glad to be present so he could pay tribute to those Featherstone men who served and fell in the KOYLI.
Dr Finch closed the ceremony by saying to Peter Darlington, chairman of the Council, "Mr Darlington, on behalf of the war memorial committee I hand over the memorial to the Urban District Council for safe keeping, and express the hope it will be kept as a sacred spot and maintained in a manner befitting the memories of the brave men whose names will be inscribed in the book of remembrance which I now hand over to yo
Cr Darlington said "On behalf of Featherstone Urban District Council I accept this war memorial from the war memorial committee in trust to preserve and maintain. Also this book of remembrance to keep in safe custody for future reference at any time. You will notice the memorial is not completed, and requires tablets with the names of 352 men and boys. Places in the recesses are left for that purpose, and I feel sure we people of Featherstone will gladly make an effort to have this memorial thus completed". The photo of the unveiling of the War Memorial is from the Featherstone Library Collection, and that showing its position in front of the church is a postcard.
There was a procession from the council offices led by the Pontefract Depot Band and a guard of honour from Pontefract Barracks followed by all the local organisations, "a procession which did credit to the town".
Dr Finch, president of the memorial committee, opened the ceremony. He said "After many years we are gathered together to do honour to the memory of those brave men who left their homes and all dear to them and made the supreme sacrifice"
The unveiling was performed by Brigadier-General Brooke CMG DSO. he said it was an honour and a privilege to be asked to unveil the memorial to the faithful servants of our King in Featherstone and District. he had served all his life in the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, and he was glad to be present so he could pay tribute to those Featherstone men who served and fell in the KOYLI.
Dr Finch closed the ceremony by saying to Peter Darlington, chairman of the Council, "Mr Darlington, on behalf of the war memorial committee I hand over the memorial to the Urban District Council for safe keeping, and express the hope it will be kept as a sacred spot and maintained in a manner befitting the memories of the brave men whose names will be inscribed in the book of remembrance which I now hand over to yo
Cr Darlington said "On behalf of Featherstone Urban District Council I accept this war memorial from the war memorial committee in trust to preserve and maintain. Also this book of remembrance to keep in safe custody for future reference at any time. You will notice the memorial is not completed, and requires tablets with the names of 352 men and boys. Places in the recesses are left for that purpose, and I feel sure we people of Featherstone will gladly make an effort to have this memorial thus completed". The photo of the unveiling of the War Memorial is from the Featherstone Library Collection, and that showing its position in front of the church is a postcard.
Two of the panels on the memorial where it was hoped to inscribe the names can be seen. The memorial column was blown down in a gale in 1956. The Council re-erected it and cemented the pieces together. It was blown down again in 1962. This time it was beyond repair and the Council provided a new slimmer one. Photo - personal.
THE PIT MEMORIAL MOVED
Ackton Hall Colliery ceased coal production in July 1985 and salvage work began. As the time approached to demolish the surface works to make an industrial estate a decision had to be made about the memorial. After the pit offices were severely damaged by fire in June 1991 it was agreed to moved it to the Memorial Gardens next to the pit gates which had once been the site of Mashams Terrace. Photo - Dr J Gatecliff.
THE FEATHERSTONE MEMORIAL GARDEN GROUP COMMITTEE
The plan to put the names on the war memorial failed through lack of money.
It was revived many years later by a committee, called the Featherstone
Memorial Garden Group Committee. They started a campaign in 2005 to
raise £150,000 for a new memorial specially designed for panels
containing the names of the fallen. It was to be built next to the Ackton Hall Memorial. When it was completed it contained the names of 353 men who died in the First World War, 76 for the Second World War and 5 from other conflicts. It was unveiled on 5 October 2008 by
the 6th Baron St Oswald. Photo - Betty Longbottom (Geograph).
The Ackton Hall memorial was provided with a footpath and flowers to make it a better part of the memorial garden. It was re-dedicated on the same occasion as the other memorial by Mark Cunliffe Lister, the fourth Earl of Swinton (Lord Masham). Photo uploaded to Featherstone Bygone Days by Maureen Tennant-King.
This photo showing the proximity of the two memorials is a personal one.
THE THIRD ST THOMAS ROAD MEMORIAL
Over the years the Purston site became dilapidated, especially the steps at the south side and an almost complete re-build was undertaken, the only part remaining being the steps around the memorial shown above. It was ready just in time for Armistice Day 2011.One of the panels on the memorial states the names of the fallen are in a Book of Remembrance in the library in Station Lane. Photos - personal.
MILL POND MEADOW
Mill Pond Meadow is a field halfway between Featherstone and Streethouse. It gets its name from the old mill pond a short distance towards Featherstone which was filled in when the area was an opencast mine int he 1950s. This field was left uncultivated as a nature reserve.
The Friends of Mill Pond Meadow obtained a grant of just over £40,000 from the Big Lottery Fund in 2012 to create pathways, fencing, seats, gates, signage, plus hedge and tree planting. The improved site was opened by the local MP Jon Tricket.
In 2014 the Featherstone Town Council in association with the Wakefield Woodland Trust agreed to plant 353 trees on the site, one for each local resident lost in the 1914-18 World War. Each tree would be identified with the name of a serviceman.
The photos of the preliminary work are from the Featherstone Town Council website. The photo below of the identification system is personal.
THE WAR HORSE
In addition to the trees the Council decided to have a monument styled as a war horse, thousands of which did valiant work in the war. A grant of £50,000 was obtained from funding body WREN. The War Horse was erected on 23 April 2018 and unveiled on 12 May.
_NEW.jpg)
Photo - Personal.
The unveiling ceremony. Photo by Lee Ward.
A view from above taken from a YouTube video by Graeme C.
A national campaign to raise £15 million, called There but not There was started in 2018. Called Tommy Sculptures, six feet high silhouettes were made costing £750 each. Councils were urged to buy them, and Featherstone Council obtained six and installed them in front of the War Horse on 6 March 2019.
Photo by Lee Ward.
Photo by Frank Mulvey.
Photo by Frank Mulvey.
A coat of 4,000 purple poppies was added to the War Horse in 2024 to commemorate the part played by dogs and horses in the First World War. It was made by supporters of the animal charity Murphy's Army. Photo - BBC News.
Photo - Gemma Cransfield.
FIGHTING FROM HOME
In 2020 artist Luke Perry was appointed by Featherstone Town Council to design a new artwork for Mill Pond Meadow. The project was supported by Arts Council England, and after months of research Luke presented Fighting From Home, a series of six sculptures representing the work of civilians on the Home Front in the First World War. They were set around the back of the War Horse and the opening ceremony was on 17 June 2022. Photos - personal.
