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    © Imperial War Museums 2026

    Memorial

    Birkenhead Institute Memorial Playing Fields - WW1 (including Wilfred Owen-War Poet) relocated

    stone plaque

    Source: Pauline Mawdsley

    1/3

    Current Location

    At the junction of Hamilton Square and Duncan Street, Hamilton Street, Birkenhead, Wirral, Merseyside, CH41 5ER, England

    OS Grid Reference

    SJ 32580 88900

    Names listed on this memorial

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    © WMR-15527

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    Type of Memorial
    Park / Sports field
    WMR Reference Number
    15527
    Description
    Playing fields and pavilion opened in 1926 as a memorial to the students of Birkenhead Institute who were killed in the First World War. In 1933, poplar trees were planted in memory of the fallen. The pavilion on site has a mounted rectangular tablet bearing the inscription. Ornamental memorial gates were also added in 1933. In 1938 a bell was donated by Mr and Mrs Luton in memory of their son killed in the First World War. The fallen of the school include the poet Wilfred Owen. See also our reference 79793 for the new memorial, to replace these fields, which are bring redeveloped in 2018 to 2019.
    Inscription
    BIRKENHEAD INSTITUTE/ WAR MEMORIAL/ THIS STONE WAS LAID BY/ ALDERMAN GODFREY ALLAN SOLLY J.P./ APRIL 17TH 1926
    War
    First World War (1914-1918)
    Maker(s)
    • MR TALIESIN REES, Architect

    Costs
    c£1500
    Sponsor Type
    private
    Additional Cost/Sponsorship Information
    The architect, Mr Taliesin Rees, gave his services for free. £1,000 was initially collected and an additional £300 was raised by a school bazaar. A fund-raising play and concert was also held in 1932.
    Maintenance History
    2018-2019; Redevelopment scheduled for residential use; 2015: Graffiti apparent on memorial (see images). ; 2013: Aboricultural survey confirms that no Poplar trees remain on site. ; 2012, November: Government halts planning application, pending investigation by Secretary of State.; 2012, October: Wirral Council's planning committee gives approval to outline application to build from Tranmere Rovers Football Club.; 2012, June: Tranmere Rovers Football Club re-submit a planning application to build 90 houses on the site.; 2012, February: Tranmere Rovers Football Club withdraw their planning application to develop the Ingleborough site; 2011: The current owners, Tranmere Rovers Football Club, apply for planning permission to build 90 houses on the site.; 2007: Discussion to propose the site for sale for development.; 2001: Pavilion boarded up and no longer in use. Windows broken. Graffiti on memorial tablet. ; 1995, 30 August: Tranmere Rovers Football Club acquired the fields from Wirral Borough Council. ; 1995: Closure of the school. Playing fields acquired by Wirrall Borough Council.; c1980: The ornamental gates with archway inscription: 'Birkenhead Institute/ Playing Fields', were removed. The current whereabouts of the gates is unknown. ; 1938: A bell was donated by Mr and Mrs Luton in memory of their son killed in the First World War. The bracket was donated by R. N. Smith.; 1933: According to the school magazine, The Visor, poplar trees were planted to honour pupils who lost their lives in the First World War. A film was shown to raise money for the tree planting and shown to an audience of parents, friends and Old Boys. ; Funds from the Playing Field Fund were used to erect an ornamental archway and gates. Remaining funds were used to set up the Old Boys Memorial Prize to be awarded every speech day.; 1930: Flag staff erected.; 1926: a Playing Field Fund was established by Old Boys to build a pavilion and landscape the land as a memorial playing field in memory of Old Boys killed in the First World War. The funds allowed for the laying of the foundation stone of 17th March 1926. The fields were opened as the 'Mount Road Memorial Ground Ingleborough Road'.; 1925: Seven acres of land owned by the Birkenhead Corporation was appropriated under a ministerial order pursuant to the Education Act 1921 to be used as a playing field for the Birkenhead Institute.; 1920, 17th May: Land on Ingleborough Road purchased by Birkenhead Corporation.

    Ceremonies

    Foundation Stone

    17 April 1926

    ALDERMAN G A SOLLY JP

    Opened

    6 November 1926

    MAYOR OF BIRKENHEAD

    Previous Location(s)

    • Playing Fields, Ingleborough Road, Prenton Birkenhead, Wirral, Merseyside, CH42 6RH, England

      OS Grid Reference

      SJ 317 867

      Reason for move

      The plaque has been moved to Hamilton Street, CH41 5ER. See ID 79793

    Custodian
    Tranmere Rovers Football Club, which bought the land from Wirral Borough Council on 30 August 1995, following the closure of the school.

    Components

    Playing / Sports field

    Made from: Stone


    Condition: At Risk


    Tablet

    Made from: Stone


    Condition: At Risk


    Pavilion

    Made from: Wood


    Condition: At Risk


    Tree

    Made from: Wood


    Condition: Unknown


    Bells

    Made from: Metal


    Condition: Unknown


    Gates

    Made from: Metal


    Condition: Poor


    • The Visor: A History of Birkenhead Institute 1889-1949 pp33; 38-39; 40; 46-49; 52-56; Appendix The School Magazine of the Birkenhead Institute. This collective edition contains the history of the Birkenhead Institute memorial playing fields, pavilion and trees.
    • ITV News http://www.itv.com/granada/tranmere-training-row54876/
    • Local Publication/Booklet Autumn 1996 BIRKENHEAD HISTORY SOCIETY NEWSLETTER
    • Other website http://bivisor.webs.com/
    • Wirral News 20 September 2006 Report of the proposals to sell and redevelop the playing field land.
    • Other website http://www.freewebs.com/birkenheadinstitute/pupils.htm
    • Private Eye No. 1301 p.30 (11-24 Nov. 2011)
    • Other website http://www.freewebs.com/birkenheadinstitute/earlydays.htm
    • Other website http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2012/10/26/tranmere-rovers-bid-to-build-on-ingleborough-road-memorial-field-is-approved-by-councillors-in-wirral-100252-32106397/
    • Other website http://www.wirralnews.co.uk/wirral-news/local-wirral-news/west-wirral-news/2012/11/07/old-boys-seek-last-remembrance-service-at-ingleborough-80491-32176891/
    • Other website http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2012/11/13/government-halts-tranmere-rovers-fc-s-plan-for-memorial-field-sell-off-100252-32220428/