The John Travers Cornwell VC Memorial and Family Grave Marker

MATERIALS: white marble, metal lettering.

DESCRIPTION: the Cornwell family grave is at plot 13, section 55, of the Manor Park Cemetery. It stands at the junction of Centre Drive and Cornwell Crescent, facing the main entrance from Sebert Road. The monument comprises a large white marble plinth, square on plan with a carved rope ornament to the front arrises, dying back via an offset to the representation of a rock from which rises a plain Latin cross. A large anchor with a chain is carved on the front face of the rock. The plot is surrounded by a moulded kerb with corner posts, also in white marble, raised on a sandstone base. The inscriptions, in applied metal letters, are recorded on the faces of the plinth.

(north face) ARTHUR FREDERICK/ CORNWELL./ BORN ON 30TH DECEMBER 1887./ KILLED IN ACTION IN FRANCE/ ON 29TH AUGUST 1918.

(west face) IN MEMORIAM/ FIRST CLASS BOY JOHN TRAVERS/ CORNWELL. V.C./ BORN 8TH JANUARY 1900/ DIED OF WOUNDS RECEIVED AT/ THE BATTLE OF JUTLAND/ 2ND JUNE 1916./ THIS STONE WAS ERECTED/ BY SCHOLARS AND EX-SCHOLARS/ OF SCHOOLS IN EAST HAM./ “IT IS NOT WEALTH OR ANCESTRY/ BUT HONOURABLE CONDUCT AND A NOBLE/ DISPOSITION THAT MAKE MEN GREAT.” OVID.

(south face) ELI CORNWELL. FATHER OF/ JOHN TRAVERS CORNWELL. V.C./ DIED ON 25TH OCTOBER 1916./ AGED 63 YEARS./ ALICE CORNWELL./ WIFE OF THE ABOVE/ DIED ON 31ST OCTOBER 1919./ AGED 54 YEARS.

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