War Memorial

In remembrance of the brave men of Althorne who fell in the first and second world wars.

To get the full details of those from Althorne in the great wars visit the Roll of Honour.com web site.

History of the Memorial

The war memorial was designed by a local man Mr Barrett who lived at Ridge House. The style is that of a lych-gate made of oak with a tiled roof.  On 7 July 1924 The London and North Eastern Railway Company gave the Parish Council the right to position the memorial on their land with a condition that it should be kept tidy. (click here to see copy of agreement)

The labour to construction the memorial was entirely voluntary and took two years and nine months to complete. The material cost then was £252. The base is of granite concrete with 1 ⁵/₈ diameter tie rods. John Sadd & Sons supplied the oak at a cost of £140. The roof tiles were given by Mr Howard Flanders and fixed by Mr. W. Stammers. The plaque itself was founded in bronze by The Crittal Manufacturing Co. and weighed one and a half tons. It is said to be a structure to last 1,000 years.

The memorial was unveiled and dedicated at noon on Sunday 11th July 1926  by Lt. Col. Sir Arnold Wilson, C.M.G, D.S.O. The dedication was performed by Rt. Revd. Dr. J. T. Inskip, Bishop of Barking. On parade were a detachment of B. Company, 4th Battalion, Essex Regiment under the command of Capt. L. J. Dilliway, - Ex-Servicemen under Major de Manby D.S.O. - The 4th Maldon Girl Guides under their captain Miss Nash. - The Maldon Ironworks Band under the baton of bandmaster J. H. Jackson.- The St Andrews Church Choir and vicar Dr Shaw Stewart.

Theft of the plaque.

In 1973 the plaque from the original memorial was stolen. The then Parish Council had no record of the design and names of the fallen on the original plaque and were disposed to just put a stone in it's place stating that it had been stolen. However, Mr Ron Fairman a local lay reader and historian undertook to do some research and pledged to restore the plaque to it's original design. It took Ron more than two years to find the details of the design and names of the fallen. With help from and old photograph given by Mrs J Robinson, which was enhanced by the R.A.F photography section, and an old friend Mr George Clarke who was editor and printer of the Burnham-on-Crouch and Dengie Hundred Advertiser, Ron was able finally to get all the details. Mr Robert Harvey of Maldon an ex R.A.F man spent more than 150 hours in a neighbours shed making a pattern from which a new cast iron plaque could be cast. The plaque was eventually cast by Booth and Brookes of Burnham at cost price. The carpentry for the jointing and secret bolting to fix it into the frame was done by an expert carpenter working for Mr Challis the builder, using timber supplied by Brian Patten. The final cost to replace the plaque was £300.

I think everyone who sees it will agree that it is a wonderfully crafted memorial befitting those that fell defending our liberty.

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Last modified: May 05, 2010