Memorial to Harry Spencer Paramor, St John's Cemetery is a Grade II listed building in the Thanet local planning authority area, England. First listed on 24 January 2011. Memorial.
Memorial to Harry Spencer Paramor, St John's Cemetery
- WRENN ID
- seventh-wall-grove
- Grade
- II
- Local Planning Authority
- Thanet
- Constituency
- East Thanet MP: Ms Polly Billington (Lab)
- Country
- England
- Date first listed
- 24 January 2011
- Type
- Memorial
- Address
- Memorial to Harry Spencer Paramor, St John's Cemetery, Manston Road
- OS grid reference
- TR 350 692
- Coordinates
- 51.37376, 1.37646
- Source
- Historic England listing
Description
The memorial is a Gothic Revival stone cross erected in 1918 in St John’s Cemetery. The cross features straight arms with diagonal supports resting on a square, pyramidal base with a decorative zigzag band and a stepped square plinth. The shaft of the cross is decorated with a woven, rush matting-like pattern and reeding, topped with a foliate capital and a pyramidal cap. The horizontal crossbar is carved to resemble bound strips, and at the intersection is a roundel bearing the intertwined initials HS.
A bronze plaque affixed to the base commemorates Harry Spencer Paramor, noting his service in France and Europe during 1914-1918 and his death in France on November 7th, 1918, aged 30. He is interred at Terlincthun British Cemetery, Plot 9, Row B, No. 12. Above this plaque is a Memorial Plaque issued by King George V to families of British Empire service personnel killed in action during the First World War. This circular plaque depicts Britannia holding a laurel wreath, with a lion at her feet, and includes the inscription "HE DIED FOR FREEDOM AND HONOUR" along with the name Harry Spencer Paramor. The plaque also incorporates two dolphins, representing Britain's naval power, and a second lion attacking an eagle, symbolizing Germany's imperial emblem. Later inscriptions dedicated to other members of the Paramor family have been carved into the lower part of the base.
The Memorial Plaque, often referred to as a "Dead Man's Penny," was accompanied by a scroll sent by the King to acknowledge the families of those who lost their lives. The plaques included the names of the deceased but not their rank, emphasizing the equal sacrifice made. The memorial is designated at Grade II for its sculptural interest, stemming from the inventive treatment of the traditional memorial cross, resulting in a handsome and unusual monument, and for its historical interest due to the presence of the King's Memorial Plaque, a significant symbol of remembrance for those lost during the First World War.
Local climate
Memorial to Harry Spencer Paramor, St John's Cemetery sits in a drier-than-average part of the UK, with an average of 710 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 87% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 67% of listed buildings.
It experiences an average of 8 freeze-thaw cycles a year, fewer than 94% of listed buildings. Of these, 4 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.
Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.
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- No EPC on record for this property
- No sale records on file
- No related consent applications matched
- Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
- Flood risk assessment
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