- Type of Memorial
- Allegory (eg: Victory)
- WMR Reference Number
- 12141
- Description
- Life-size bronze figure of 'Victory' (her arms reaching upwards, and her wings spreading horizontally), triumphing over evil, which is depicted as a serpent on the sphere at her feet. The figure's cylindrical stone plinth stands at front-centre of a limestone wall, which is surmounted by 'Anthemion' scrolls and flanked by simple volutes, and is set on a three-stepped base. Attached to the wall's front face are two plaques, bearing the names of employees who died in WW1 and WW2. Attached to the wall's reverse-face is bronze panelling, bearing the dedicatory inscription and names of all employees who served in WW1.
[N.B.:
1) The names of employees who died in WW1 are listed on both the front AND reverse faces of the wall (i.e. on the front as having died, and on the reverse as having served).
2) The plastic WW1 and WW2 plaques that are now attached to the front face (bearing the names of those who died) are replacements for the original bronze plaques, which were stolen.
3) This war memorial stands in the grounds of 'Livesey Memorial Hall', which was built in 1911 in memory of the South Suburban Gas Company's Chairman (Sir George Livesey) as a social club for its employees; i.e. the building is a 'separate entity' from the war memorial. (That building, now known as 'Tudor Livesey Halls', was acquired by Kier Property, and run as a self-funding venue].
- Inscription
- [Original inscription, front-left plaque]: IN THE GREAT WAR OF 1914-19 FOR/ THE FREEDOM OF THE WORLD, 458/ OF THE CO-PARTNERS AND EMPLOYEES/ OF THE SOUTH SUBURBAN GAS COMPANY/ TOOK PART. THEIR NAMES APPEAR/ HEREON: ON THE ADJOINING TABLET BEING RECORDED THE NAMES OF/ THOSE WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES. / THIS MEMORIAL TO THEM IS ERECTED/ BY THEIR GRATEFUL EMPLOYERS, FELLOW-WORKERS AND CO-PARTNERS./ "AND THESE - OH. NOT FOR NOUGHT/ OUR BURDEN BORE"
[Replacement panel, lower-left front]: ON THE TABLETS ABOVE ARE RECORDED THE NAMES OF THOSE/ CO-PARTNERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE SOUTH SUBURBAN GAS COMPANY/ WHO MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE IN THE WORLD WARS 1914-1919/ AND 1939-1945. THIS MEMORIAL TO THEM IS ERECTED BY THEIR/ GRATEFUL EMPLOYERS AND CO-PARTNERS./ "AND THESE - OH NOT FOR NAUGHT OUR BURDEN BORE"
[Replacement panel, upper-left front]: In The Great War of 1914-1919/ For The Freedom of The World, 458/ Of The Co-Partners And Employees/ Of The Southern Suburban Gas Company/ Took Part. The Names Appear/ Heron: On The Adjoining Tablet Being Recorded/ The Names Of Those Who Laid Down Their Lives./ this Memorial To Them Is erected./ 1914-1919/ MEMBERS OF H.M. FORCES/ (58 WW1 names)
[Replacement panel, front-right]: "If I Should Die, Think Only This Of Me,/ That There's Some Corner Of A Foreign Field/ That Is Forever England. There Shall Be/ In That Rich Earth A Richer Dust Concealed."/ Rupert Brooke/ 1939-1945/ Members of H.M. Frcs [sic]:/ (36 names)/ Civilians/ (13 names)
[Rear face, bronze panel]: NAMES OF THE CO-PARTNERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE SOUTH SUBURBAN GAS COMPANY/ WHO TOOK PART IN THE GREAT WAR OF 1914 - 1919:/ (458 WW1 names)
