Memorial
HMS Royal George Memorial Cross
Current Location
JUNCTION OF FRATTON RD AND ST MARYS RD, ST MARYS CHURCH, Fratton Rd, Portsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
OS Grid Reference
SU 634 150
Denomination
Church of England
Names listed on this memorial
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© WMR-40724
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- Type of Memorial
- Other memorial
- WMR Reference Number
- 40724
- Description
- ORIGINAL MEMORIAL WAS AN OBELISK FLANKED BY TWO URNS. THIS WAS SO DILAPIDATED BY 1935 THAT IT WAS DEMOLISHED AND REPLACED BY A CELTIC CROSS. THIS HAS ALSO NOW BEEN LOST
- Inscription
- (ORIGINAL MEMORIAL) READER, WITH SOLEMN THOUGHT/ SURVEY THIS GRAVE AND REFLECT ON THE TIMELY DEATH/ OF THY FELLOW-MORTALS; AND WHILST./ AS A MAN, A BRITON, AND A PATRIOT, THOU READ'ST/ THE MELANCHOLY NARRATIVE, DROP A TEAR, FOR THY COUNTRY'S LOSS/ ON THE TWENTY-NINTH DAY OF AUGUST 1782/ HIS MAJESTY'S SHIP THE "ROYAL GEORGE" BEING ON/ THE HEEL AT SPITHEAD OVER SET AND SUNK;/ BY WHICH FATAL ACCIDENT/ ABOUT 900 PERSONS WERE INSTANTLY LAUNCHED INTO/ ETERNITY AMONG WHOM WAS THAT BRAVE AND/ EXPERIENCED OFFICER REAR ADMIRAL KEMPENFELT./ NINE DAYS AFTER MANY BODIES OF THE UNFORTUNATE/ FLOATED; THIRTY-FOUR OF WHOM WERE INTERRED/ IN ONE GRAVE, NEAR THIS MONUMENT, WHICH/ IS ERECTED BY THE PARISH OF PORTSEA/ AS A GRATEFUL TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF/ THAT GREAT COMMANDER AND HIS FELLOW-/ SUFFERERS/ "TIS NOT THIS STONE, REGRETTED CHIEF, THY NAME,/ THY WORTH, THY MERIT, SHALL EXTEND THY FAME;/ BRILLIANT ACHIEVEMENTS HAVE THY NAME IMPREST,/ IN LASTING CHARACTERS ON ALBION'S BREAST (REPLACEMENT MEMORIAL) (FRONT) THIS STONE IS PLACED HERE IN MEMORY OF/ THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE "ROYAL/ GEORGE" WHICH SUNK AT SPITHEAD ON THE/ TWENTY-NONTH DAY OF AUGUST 1782 WITH/ A LOSS OF ABOUT NINE HUNDRED LIVES./ THE ORIGINAL ROYAL GEORGE MEMORIAL/ STONE, OWING TO ITS DILAPIDATED/ CONDITION WAS REMOVED FROM THE/ SOUTH-EAST CORNER WHEN THE CHURCHYARD/ WAS MADE INTO A REST GARDEN IN 1935 (REAR) "IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO HAVE LOST/ THEIR LIVES IN NEARBY WATERS" REV.CHAP.20. VERSE 13
- War
- Seven Years' War (1756-1763)
- Maintenance History
- THE HERO (NIWM 40623) AND ROYAL GEORGE (NIWM 40724) MEMORIAL CROSSES WERE VANDALISED IN THE 1980S AND ONLY THE BASES REMAIN. CHURCH CURRENTLY (2000) TRYING TO RAISE FUNDS TO REPLACED THEM.
Ceremonies
Rededicated
1935
UNKNOWN
Unveiled
01st January 1782
UNKNOWN
Components
- Cross
Made from: Unknown
Condition: Unknown