War Memorial

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A Portland stone memorial by F.W. Pomeroy commemorating the two World Wars, dating from 1923, with bronze (painted) figure of a soldier on a Portland stone obelisk with painted metal (probably bronze) commemorative plaques. Located on a stepped stone plinth surrounded by cast metal bollards (bollards also in centre of one step on each side) at the centre of the central reserve to the south end of Newry Street in Banbridge town centre. Pedestal on a chamfered plinth has various painted metal plaques to each face commemorating those lost in both wars. Plaque to northeast reads “IN MEMORY OF THE MEN OF BANBRIDGE & DISTRICT WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LOVES SERVING THEIR KING AND COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR. 1914-1918 “LEST WE FORGET”. Obelisk has continuous frieze in painted cast metal (probably bronze) relief around base depicting scenes of war. Obelisk is surmounted by bronze statue of soldier with rifle in his left hand and his right arm above his head holding his helmet.

Setting

The memorial sits on a stepped stone plinth in the middle of the central reserve at the south end of Newry Street facing northwest into the town. To northeast is a later granite memorial dated 1997 commemorating members of the security forces.

Material: Portland stone and bronze.

Historical information

Banbridge and District War Memorial was unveiled and dedicated on Saturday 30th June 1923. The bronze statue, surmounting a Portland stone obelisk, is the work of F W Pomeroy, who also designed the bronze reliefs. London-born Pomeroy was an important figure in the New Sculpture movement and much in demand in his day. His work may be seen throughout England, particularly at Vauxhall Bridge and the Central Criminal Court in London and also adorns the pediment of Belfast City Hall. Three memorials by Pomeroy to Belfast luminaries may be seen in the City Hall gardens. Pomeroy completed war memorials for Coleraine and Dungannon which are similar in style, featuring a plinth surmounted by a soldier. However, these lack the dynamism of the Banbridge sculpture which is thought to be among his best work. In Brett’s view, the Banbridge memorial is ‘much better than most’. (Brett; Banbridge Chronicle; www.dia.ie)

The ‘War Memorial’ does not appear on historic County Series OS maps and is first shown, captioned, on the OS map edition dating from the 1960s/70s.

The ceremony of unveiling and dedicating the memorial was to be a ’historic occasion’ in the life of the community in and around Banbridge, a community still grieving over the loss of a generation of young men a few years previously. The date chosen was the day before the commemoration of the Battle of the Somme. By this time, a tradition had already been established of commemorating the battle on 1st July each year. The Chairman of Proceedings was the Rt Hon J M Andrews DL MP and the monument was unveiled by Colonel the Rt Hon R D Perceval-Maxwell, DL DSO , commander of the Down volunteers, in which regiment many of the fallen men had served. The dedicatory prayer was offered by Colonel the Rev D H Hanson one of the chaplains to the Ulster Division and addresses were given by the Bishop of Down and Connor and Dromore, Rt Rev CTP Grierson, DD and Rev Dr George Thompson, Moderator of the General Assembly. The names of the fallen were read by Samuel Fryar, Chairman of Banbridge Urban Council. Also presented to Mr Fryar was a separate Memorial inscribed with a Roll of Honour commemorating those who fought and survived which was subsequently erected in the Free Library and Technical School in Downshire Road. Music was provided by a local massed choir and the Banbridge Amateur Brass Band while the ‘Last Post’ and ‘Reveille’ were sounded by buglers from the Royal Irish Fusiliers. An ex-servicemen’s parade and inspection formed part of the ceremonial but townspeople were urged not to display flags or make demonstrations of rejoicing in view of the solemnity of the proceedings. A request was made for all business premises to close during the ceremonial. (Banbridge Chronicle)

Almost all the inhabitants of Banbridge attended the ceremony and many came from further afield, making it the largest public event ever held in the town or neighbourhood. The emotion of the occasion was conveyed by the local newspaper which reported that “Buried grief was alive again and tugging at [the] heart strings... It must have been a trying hour and a half for many who were present”. The memorial was entrusted to the care of the Urban Council by the subscribers and the Council undertook to maintain and keep it in proper condition and repair. It was hoped that “parents and all who have the care of education in Banbridge will make it their business to teach the children of the town that the base of the monument is not to be used as a place of play; that it is like the resting-place of the departed in the church – a sacred spot”. The memorial, which had been erected at a cost of £2,500 raised by subscription, was widely praised and the Lord Bishop thought the artist had ‘surpassed himself’. The reliefs were 'a picture of the very horrors of war' and the surmounting figure was fancied to be exclaiming ‘Come on the Bann!’ in exhortation to the men and women of Banbridge to follow in the footsteps of their comrade soldiers. The tier of four steps on which the memorial rests were said to symbolise endurance, faith, hope and love. (Banbridge Chronicle; Household Almanac)

The Household Almanac of 1924 reported that the Memorial and Roll of Honour fitly commemorated “the service and sacrifice of the men of Banbridge district in the Great War...In the long sad record of that direful epoch in our history Banbridge and West Down occupy no mean place. The great majority of our men joined the Ulster Division, one of the first units which the war called into being...Many fell in the struggle, and scarcely a day passed but it brought the sad tidings of a Banbridge man “Gone West”. They fell with their faces to the foe, defending the homeland and setting an example of splendid self-sacrifice and devotion”.

A further plaque was added to the memorial in the wake of the Second World War adding the names of those fallen from the Banbridge area. A memorial to members of the Security Services who were killed during the Troubles was erected nearby in 1997.

References:

Primary Sources

1. OS Map No 220
2. Banbridge Chronicle 30th June 1923
3. Banbridge Chronicle 2nd July 1923

Secondary Sources

1. Banbridge Household Almanac 1924
2. Brett, C.E.B., Dunleath, Lady “List of Historic Buildings, Groups of Buildings, Buildings of Architectural Importance in Borough of Banbridge” Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, April-July 1969
3. www.dia.ie

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

A Portland stone and bronze war memorial by F.W. Pomeroy, commemorating the two world wars and dating from 1923. The sculpture depicts a soldier holding a rifle with his right arm raised above his head holding his helmet. A continuous frieze in bronze relief around the base of the obelisk also depicts scenes of war. The memorial is of artistic merit and craft by a celebrated early twentieth-century sculptor. It is well-modelled and, although the bronze has been painted, it is s good example of the type.