Stourbridge War Memorial

The Stourbridge War Memorial, constructed in 1923 and later expanded, is a First World War memorial situated in Mary Stevens Park, south of the Grade II-listed north gates. The memorial is built from granite, Darley Dale stone, and bronze and is of a Classical design.

The memorial comprises a tall pier rising from a three-stepped granite platform, which supports a Darley Dale stone base and pier. Pilasters flank the north and south faces of the pier, terminating below the pier’s cap, which features a Greek key design below its capitals. Bronze lion’s heads project outwards on either side of the pilasters. The shaped cap of the pier supports a bronze allegorical figure, Victorious Peace, who kneels on one knee, leaning forward to hold out a wreath in her right hand and supporting herself on the pole of a partly-furled flag in her left. The sculptor John Cassidy’s signature and the date 1922 are inscribed on the front of the statue’s base.

The main bronze panel on the front face of the pier is adorned with a laurel wreath encircling the badge of the Worcestershire Regiment. The principal inscription reads: IN/ GRATEFUL MEMORY/ OF THE MEN OF/ STOURBRIDGE WHO/ GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 - 1918/ (NAMES). A low relief bronze depicting a plumed helmet, fasces, and a wreath of stylised palm leaves is positioned at the base of this panel. A similar panel and bronze reliefs on the rear face of the pier lists additional names with dates from 1914 to 1918.

Bronze plaques on the north and south faces of the base and pilasters contain commemorative names and inscriptions, including the record: THIS MEMORIAL WAS ERECTED BY PUBLIC/ SUBSCRIPTION TO COMMEMORATE THE/ HEROISM OF THE MEN OF THIS BOROUGH/ & WAS UNVEILED BY THE RIGHT HON./ THE EARL OF COVENTRY FEB. 25TH 1923. The south-facing plaque also includes the inscription: THESE MEN FOUGHT AND DIED/ IN MANY LANDS AND SEAS./ FRANCE BELGIUM ITALY RUSSIA/ GREECE TURKEY MESOPOTAMIA/ PALESTINE THE NORTH SEA. A later plaque commemorating casualties from the Iraq War is fixed to the south face of the base.

Two rectangular bronze reliefs on the middle stage of the base depict detailed military scenes. The front panel shows marching infantrymen, soldiers with communications equipment, a team laying barbed wire, a dispatch rider on a motorcycle, and a tank. The rear panel depicts sailors at work on board ship, including a boy carrying a bucket, men moving shells, an officer looking through binoculars, a gun team loading shells, and two men using ropes and tackle.