Princess Victoria Memorial

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A stone monument of cubic form in a plain and unornamented modern style on a stepped and battered plinth, surmounted by a ship’s anchor which is embedded in its top surface. Built of finely jointed ashlar granite blocks, unmoulded; polished black marble surround to top of plinth. It stands in a concrete paved area surrounded by wrought iron chain-link railings hung from square piers which in turn are surrounded by paving slabs. Sited on an open area of grass on the shore of Larne Lough directly accessible from the main road, and in visual proximity to two other memorials on the same side of the road.

Historical information

Erected in 1980 to the memory of those who lost their lives on the M.V. Princess Victoria which sank en route from Stranraer to Larne on the morning of 31st January 1953, having foundered off the coast of Northern Ireland with the loss of 133 lives of whom 27 were from Larne. Designed by Ronnie Blair, Amenities Officer, Larne Borough Council; contractor, D. McCooke of Ballymena who charged only for the materials for the work, the cost being £3,000. Money was raised by public subscription through an appeal by the Council; Bronze inscription plate donated by Kane's Foundry, Larne; anchor donated by Larne Harbour Ltd. Memorial completed in September 1980.

References - Primary

1. Inscription on memorial.
2. Letter from Ronnie Blair, Amenities Officer, Larne Borough Council to Mr Clifford of Larne Historical Centre, 3rd October 1980, in collection of Larne Historical Centre.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

B. Proportion

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
V. Authorship
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

A modern memorial of local historic interest but which is of little architectural interest. It successfully strikes a sombre tone appropriate to its purpose.