Woking War Memorial

First World War memorial unveiled on 24 May 1922 with a bronze statue by the sculptor Francis William Doyle Jones.

MATERIALS: sandstone and bronze.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial is located in the centre of Jubilee Square to the west of Christ Church (Grade II).

It comprises a bronze statue of a winged Victory, rewarding the worthy victors with glory and fame, symbolized by holding up a wreath of laurel leaves in her right hand, and holding a palm branch in her left hand. The figure stands upon a globe on a pedestal with carved foliate details. The base of the pedestal steps down in two stages and is set upon a tall, square column. The column is of sandstone and rises from a plinth on a two-stepped base. On the front (south-east) face of the column is an inverted Sword of Sacrifice carved in relief, which is suspended from a scroll draped over two carved badges with foliate designs to the centre. Beneath is the inscription which reads THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919/ REMEMBER WITH THANKSGIVING/ THE TRUE AND FAITHFUL MEN/ AND WOMEN OF THIS TOWN/ AND COUNTRYSIDE/ WHO IN THESE YEARS OF WAR/ WENT FORTH/ FOR/ GOD AND THE RIGHT./ THE NAMES OF THOSE/ WHO RETURNED NOT AGAIN/ ARE HERE INSCRIBED/ “THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE”. The other faces of the column carry the names.

On the front face, at the base of the column is a small, carved wreath. Inscribed on the plinth underneath is the Second World War dedication AND/ THE WORLD WAR/ 1939 – 1945.

To the rear (north-west) face, there is another inscription at the base of the column which reads DEDICATED IN VICTORIA GARDENS/ 1922/ REMOVED TO TOWN SQUARE/ 1975.

All lettering is incised and painted black.