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    © Imperial War Museums 2026

    Memorial

    Employees Of John Smedley Ltd WW1

    Dedication & Names

    Source: Copyright Peter Alhadeff

    1/2

    Current Location

    To the west of the road, on the external wall near the main entrance to the mills, under the works bridge., John Smedley Ltd, Lea Mills, Lea Road, Lea Bridge, Amber Valley, Derbyshire, DE4 5AG, England

    OS Grid Reference

    SK 31861 56412

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    Names listed on this memorial

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    © WMR-14534

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    Type of Memorial
    Board / Plaque / Tablet
    WMR Reference Number
    14534
    Description
    A rectangular grey slate tablet, with a moulded border and three decorative limestone brackets. The inscription is in upright (mainly capital) Roman letters, coloured white.
    Inscription
    IN MEMORY OF THE MEN WHO WENT FROM LEA MILLS/ AND DIED FOR THEIR COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1918/ (Names)/ "They were a wall unto us both by night and by day."
    War
    First World War (1914-1918)
    Number Commemorated
    10
    Died
    10
    Information shown
    Rank, forenames, surname, Regiment, place of death, date of death
    Order of names
    Listed chronologically by date of death
    Maintenance History
    The memorial lies within the Dethick, Lea and Holloway Conservation Area.

    Ceremonies

    Placed

    January 1921

    Custodian
    John Smedley Ltd

    Components

    Tablet

    Height: 775mm

    Width: 2040mm

    Depth: 45mm


    Made from: Slate


    Condition: Good


    Detail

    Height: 65mm

    Width: 140mm

    Depth: 45mm


    Made from: Stone - Limestone


    Condition: Good


    • Derbyshire Courier 22/1/1921 (page 8) reported: 'A memorial tablet which has been erected at Lea Mills to the memory of the employees who made the supreme sacrifice during the war bears the following names:—Sergt. F. Fox, Lce.-Cpl. W Keeling, Privates A. Brown, J. Fletcher, C. Holmes, H. Petts, W. H. Thorpe, B. Sheldon, and F. Gregory. Underneath is the inscription; - “They were a wall for us both day and night."' https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000395/19210122/169/0008
  • Local Publication/Booklet Undated: 'Dethick, Lea and Holloway, Derbyshire. For your tomorrows ... 2nd Edition', edited by George Wigglesworth. Page 5 mentions this memorial; some biographies of casualties are also included in the booklet. http://www.wigglesworth.me.uk/local_history/pdf/For your tomorrows.pdf
  • https://www.crichparish-ww1.co.uk/leamillspages/memorialleamills.html
  • The memorial is listed on the the Derbyshire War Memorials website, which is noted with the following information regarding the memorial being moved from : its original location on the east side of Lea Road: 'Spring 2016: The buildings to the east of the road were vacated by the company and the memorial was removed prior to the property being put on the market. 9th November, 2016: The memorial was installed on the face of the building on the west side of the road'. https://www.derbyshirewarmemorials.com/amber/14534/14534.html