Blaydon Courier, Saturday 12 June 1920 (page 4) reported: 'RYTON'S TRIBUTE TO THE FALLEN. Ryton's war memorial will take the form of a stone cross, with tablets bearing the names of the fallen, to be erected on the north side of the road leading to Ryton Station. The estimated cost is £1,250. Between £800 and £900 has been raised'.
Blaydon Courier, Saturday 25 September 1920 (page 4) published the following letter: 'RYTON URBAN DISTRICT WAR MEMORIAL. To the Editor. Sir,—The committee in connection with the above would be very grateful if you could possibly find space in the columns of your paper to insert the following :—A list of names has been completed of the men of H.M. Forces who fell on active service during the war, for the purpose of recording on the war memorial, and copes have been publicly displayed throughout the district on large posters. It is essential that this list shall be as complete and accurate as possible before the bronze tablets, on which they are to be recorded, are cast, as no alteration can afterwards be made. In the circumstances would the relatives or friends of men who lost their lives on active service, who are still resident in the urban district, or who were residing in the urban district at the time of their loss, kindly examine the list and notify the hon. secretary, Mr. Pearson Knowles, 10, St. Mary's Terrace, Ryton, of any errors or omissions, not later than 16th October next.—Yours, etc., PEARSON KNOWLES, Hon. Sec'.
Blaydon Courier, 1 January 1921 (page 4) reported: 'A commencement has been made with the work of preparing the foundation for the memorial cross to be erected at Ryton to the fallen. The site is immediately opposite the Parish Hall'.
[ibid, 6/8/1921 (page 8) printed the following letter: 'RYTON WAR MEMORIAL. To the Editor. Sir, As queries have been raised on the seeming delay in the completion of this work, perhaps you would be good enough, by the insertion of this letter in your paper, to inform those interested that the delay has arisen owing to great pressure of work with the firm who are executing the bronze tablets on which the names are being recorded. It is hoped, however, to be able to announce the date of the unveiling ceremony in the near future, and as it is thought that many are willing to subscribe to the cost of the memorial who have not already done so, perhaps they would kindly forward their donations to the Treasurer, Lloyds Bank, Ryton, or to the hon. secretary, at their earliest convenience. Yours, etc, FRANK R. SIMPSON, Chairman, Hedgefield, Blaydon-on-Tyne. PEARSON KNOWLES, Hon. Sec., 10, St. Mary’s Terrace, Ryton'].
Blaydon Courier, Saturday 12 November 1921 (page 4) reported: 'MEMORIAL CROSS UNVEILED AT RYTON. "To the memory of the men of Ryton Urban District who died in the cause of righteousness and freedom in the great European war, and with thanks to Almighty God for the gift of such splendid sons.” “Now sleep the brave who sink to rest, By all their country’s wishes blest.” In the sharp. November air on Saturday, hundreds of people surrounded a tall, simple Saxon cross standing on a mound facing a church in the picturesque vale of Ryton. The memorial, which has been erected by public subscription at a cost of £1,600, is approached by a flight of steps, and is walled on three sides. On five bronze tablets are inscribed the names of nearly 300 sons of the village who had fallen, and in whose honour the service was now commenced. Military officers, clergy, and memorial committee proceeded to the spot, surpliced choristers moved into place, and prayer was opened by the Rev. J. G. Benson (Wesleyan). The ceremony began with a brief address by Lieut. Colonel F. R. Simpson. As chairman of the committee, he said that many beautiful memorials stood in the neighbouring parts, but it was felt that one should be provided in the ancient centre of the district. The site had been given by the Rector of Ryton. The unveiling was then performed by Major-General Sir Percy Wilkinson, K.C.M.G., C.B. “It was my proud privilege,” he said, “to have under my command a number of North. country regiments, and among them was your own local one, the 9th D.L.I. From what I knew of them, 1 think their motto should be “second to none,” for they were the most gallant fighters I met in France.” One of the days that remained ever in his memory, he proceeded, was the fight at Arras, when they were set what seemed almost an impossible task, in April, 1917. They were hopelessly outnumbered, and could expect no assistance from right or left, yet captured the German positions to a depth of over a mile, took several hundred prisoners, and held the ground against all counter-attacks. That was but one of their achievements. They might well be proud of them. Many went out, too, and faced the same dangers and suffered the same hardships and were spared safely to return, England was going through a very difficult time, and there was only one way in which they could meet and overcome the difficulties. It was the duty of all, irrespective of class, to exercise self-sacrifice in order to make England fit for its children to live in. Surely it was for this end that men gave their lives, and it was up to those who remained to see that their sacrifice was not in vain. Assigning the care of the memorial to the Ryton Urban District Council, Mr. John Cocks said: "We have overcome our enemies in the war, let us overcome our internal enemies in peace.” Coun. R. Wren (chairman of the Council) accepted the custody for all future time. Dedicatory prayer was offered by the Rev. C. B. R. Hunter (rector), and an address was delivered by the Archdeacon of Durham, who said the cross represented an offering and constant prayer and devotion, confined not to themselves alone but extending to the whole Empire. “Be proud of them,” he exhorted, “and live worthily of them." The Rev. M. F. Ffrench (Congregational) also spoke, emphasising that the memorial was not erected in a vainglorious moment of triumph, but as a monument of love and sorrow, hope and memory. The “Last Post” and “Reveille” were sounded by buglers of the 4th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, and there was two minutes’ silence. A long queue of distressed relatives filed past the cross depositing beautiful wreaths at the base'.
SHIELDS DAILY NEWS, 7th November 1921.
Carter Postcard Collection
North East War Memorials Project (ref 33.01); photos and further details of the memorial. [These include a note that: 'On this memorial the two Innes-Hopkins brothers have a hyphen between their two surnames. There is a mistake with the initials of the two brothers: one is C.R. which is correct (Charles Randolph) but the other reads C.L. and it should be C.P. (Castell Percy)]. :
https://www.newmp.org.uk/memorial/cross-1914-18-1939-45-station-bank-r33-01/Blaydon Courier, Friday 16 January 1948 (page 2); report re matters raised at the monthly meeting ot Ryton Urban District Council on the previous Wednesday evening, included the following: 'The Clerk submitted to the members the cost of placing the names of those who had fallen during the last war on the war memorials in the area and added that he would like the fullest publicity given to the matter as he was of the opinion that the list of names in his possession was not complete. Councillor Riddell said that the matter should be raised in the Press and relatives concerned are asked to forward the fullest information to the council offices as soon as possible'.
[ibid, Friday 4 June 1948 (page 6) published the following: 'Ryton War Memorial Names Wanted To the Editor. Sir—Ryton Urban District Council have decided to add to the War Memorials in the Urban District the names of the men and women from the area who fell in the late war. In order that the list of names shall be as complete as possible, next of kin are requested to forward to me full particulars (including rank. full name, etc.) of any names to be inscribed. Yours, etc., F. HAVIS, Clerk of the Council. Council Offices, Ryton Towers, Ryton-on-Tyne, 1st June 1948'].
Blaydon Courier, Friday 11 November 1949 (page 2) reported: 'Ryton Remembrance and Memorial Panel Unveiled. One of the best Remembrance Day parades ever seen in the Ryton district took place on Sunday when over 300 people took part in that organised by the Ryton and Crawcrook branch of the British Legion. Headed by the Wardley Colliery Silver Band and the bands of Boys Brigades from Crawcrook and Heddon, the parade was led by Colonel R. Boys-Stones and the Rev. M. Shorthouse, the legion padre. They were followed by members of the men's and women's sections of the legion, Ryton Girls Life Brigade, Crawcrook Boys' Brigade ,ex-servicemen members of the West Ryton R.A.O.B. Social Club and the West Ryton and Crawcrook Social Club, Toc H, first and second Crawcrook Boy Scouts and the Ryton Boy Scouts. The route from the Fox and Hounds, Crawcrook, was lined with hundreds of spectators and Sir Basil R. J. Simpson took the salute at the Emma Memorial Hall. The service at Holy Cross Church, Ryton was conducted by the Rector of Ryton, the Rev. W. C. Dolan Fedden and the Rev. M. Shorthouse, the lesson being read by Sir Basil Simpson. The Rev. W. H. Robinson, M.A. and the Rev. M. Shorthouse officiated at the service at Ryton War Memorial and the Rev. Fedden gave the blessing. The new panels on the memorial were unveiled by Colonel Boys-Stones who said, “To the glory of God in the midst of all you people, I unveil this memorial to those who gave their lives during the 1939-1945 war.” The ceremony ended with the sounding of the Last Post. Sir Basil Simpson, president of the men's section and Lady Simpson, president of the ladies’ section of the legion laid wreaths. Councillor Mrs. Atkinson represented the Crawcrook Ward, Couns. Johnson and Mrs. Charlton the Ryton Ward and Mr. Nigel M. F. Smith, the Blaydon Conservative Association, who loaned the public address equipment'.
