Bury War Memorial

First World War memorial. Erected in 1924, by William Kirkpatrick Ltd, and incorporating two bronze plaques by Hermon Cawthra.

MATERIALS: carved in granite, with bronze plaques and sword.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands outward facing from the corner of the parish church of St Mary the Virgin, at the junction of Market Place and The Rock.

The memorial comprises a Cornish granite Cross of Sacrifice, derived from the Imperial War Graves Commission design by Sir Reginald Blomfield, on an octagonal base and with curving flanking walls bearing bronze reliefs by Joseph Hermon Cawthra.

The inscription is on the pedestal below a bronze wreath and reads: TO THE MEMORY OF THE MEN / OF BURY WHO GAVE THEIR / LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR / 1914 / 1918. A later inscription of 1939 / 1945 was added above the original. The memorial bears no names.

The terminations of the curving flanking walls both bear carved shields and a short inscription. The left wall shows the shield of Bury and the words PRO REGE, the right wall shows the county shield and the words PRO PATRIA.

The bronze panel by Cawthra at left depicts military scenes. The figures process from right to left and include representatives of the three armed forces, as well as a nurse and a wounded soldier borne on a stretcher. The panel at right depicts aspects of life on the Home Front. The figures similarly process from right to left. They include individuals in reserved occupations such as coal mining, engineering and munitions, as well as civilians, including children. The fine reliefs exemplify the decision of some artists to avoid heroic or triumphalist depictions and focus on the realistic and sombre. Both are signed ‘H. Cawthra R.S.S. Scul.’