Ilford 1914 To 1918 War Memorial

The Ilford 1914-18 War Memorial is a small, single-storey octagonal structure built in 1927 to commemorate Ilford soldiers who died in the First World War. It was originally attached to the children's wing of the King George Hospital and was designed by C.J. Dawson & Allardyce, architects. The building is constructed of red brick with stone dressing, and features no windows. There are two doorways, one facing the memorial gardens and one opposite on the hospital side. The entrances have stone door surrounds and a cornice, along with foundation stones and a tablet. The roof features a concrete coping and a metal and glass ceiling dome, with metal doors. A tablet above the entrance reads, 'ILFORD WAR MEMORIAL/ CHILDREN'S WING/ ERECTED A.D. 1927.’ A foundation stone to the right of the entrance is inscribed 'This stone was laid by Lady Wise, wife of Sir Frederic Wise, member 1926.’ A stone to the left of the entrance reads: ‘This stone was laid by Walter H. Stevens Chairman of the Ilford War Memorial Fund 6 Nov. 1926.’ Inside, the doorways on two sides of the octagon have moulded stone surrounds, while the remaining six sides are covered with marble slabs inscribed with the names of the dead. A minimal ceiling cornice is present. A tablet above the doorway to the hospital side notes, ‘Wing opened in 1927 by Lady Patricia Ramsay, H.R.H Princess Patricia.’ The floor is of white marble tiles with a central black tile design and a black border, and the door frames are metal with glazed panels. The fittings consist of two pairs of crossed flagpoles placed on facing sides.

Separately, the Memorial Gardens War Memorial was unveiled in 1922 to commemorate soldiers from Ilford who died in the 1914-1918 war. It consists of a stone obelisk surmounted by a cross, standing on a tall stone plinth raised on three steps. A bronze, life-size figure of a soldier by Newbury Abbot Trent is located on the south side of the obelisk. The memorial was paid for by public subscription and unveiled November 22 by Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll. An identical copy of the figure by the sculptor Newbury Trent (1885-1953) is located in Tredegar, Gwent.