British Thomson-Houston Co Ltd War Memorial

Materials: Portland stone.

Description: The memorial comprises the war cross designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, a slender tapering cross c7.3m tall. The lozenge-sectioned shaft and short cross arms are linked to the base by stop chamfers and cyma moulding. The base consists of four stepped rectangular blocks of unequal heights standing on a square plinth. This whole stands on a square step that, unlike Lutyens’ other war crosses, is raised on a large circular plinth c7.5m in diameter.

The principal inscription incised into the front of the square plinth reads IN MEMORY/ OF THE MEN/ OF/ THE BRITISH/ THOMSON-HOUSTON COY/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WARS with MCM/ XIV/ XIX to one side and MCM/ XXXIX/ XLV to the other. On the square step is carved THEIR NAME LIVETH/ FOR EVERMORE. The names of the fallen are carved around the sides of the large circular plinth.

The memorial now stands in a small garden on Technology Drive. Two wooden benches that were built in the factory have been placed to the north of the memorial at the head of a small paved area.

This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 17 January 2017.