Historic England; details of Grade II Listing of the memorial on 7/12/2016 include mention that 'Stargate was the pit village for Stargate Colliery. The colliery opened in 1803 and closed in 1963. The war memorial, unveiled on 14 February 1920 by Colonel FR Simpson, was commissioned from Mr W Donaldson of Newcastle by the Welcome Home Association. Eleven local servicemen who died in the First World War are commemorated. Following the Second World War the names of a further 22 men who died in that conflict were added'.
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1440563?section=official-list-entry Blaydon Courier, Saturday 31 January 1920 (page 5) reported: 'STARGATE WAR MEMORIAL A war memorial of polished Aberdeen granite, with a base of Spanish freestone, which has been erected at Stargate, will be unveiled by Col. F. R. Simpson on Feb. 14th. Mr. Herdman is chairman of the committee, and Mr. Gribbins secretary. The monument has been erected by the Stargate Welcome Home Association to the memory of those who fell in the great war, between August, 1914, and Nov. 1918. The names recorded are:—Robert Charlton, John Holliday, John G. Mitchell, George Fairbridge, Jesse Grundy, George W. Heads, William Arscott, Edward Watson, John W Brannan, Thomas Carnaffan, and John Dobby. The monument also bears the words: “May their rewards be as great as their sacrifice ” '.
Newcastle Daily Chronicle, Monday 16 February 1920 (page 3) reported: 'STARGATE WAR MEMORIAL Unveiled by Col F. R. Simpson. A handsome memorial, erected by the people of Stargate to the memory of their sons who fell in the war, was unveiled in the presence of a large number of residents on Saturday afternoon. Standing on a prominent site in the village, it will be a permanent reminder of the gallant deeds of Stargate men. It is a circular monument in Rubislaw grey granite, on an octagonal sub-base of freestone and the inscription, in imperishable lead lettering, reads "Erected by the Stargate Welcome Home Association to the memory of the heroes whose names are recorded below, who served their country and sealed their love by death in the great war, Aug., 1914 - Nov., 1918. May their reward be as great as their sacrifice." The names on the monument are those of John Holliday, Robert Charlton, John G. Mitchell, George Fairbridge, Jesse Grundy, George W. Heads, William Arscott, Edward Watson, John W. Brannon, Thomas S. Carnaffan and John Dobby. The unveiling ceremony was performed by Colonel F. R. Simpson, who commanded the 9th Durham Light Infantry, and the chair was taken by Mr. William Harding, the chairman of the Welcome Home Committee, who at the opening of the proceedings remarked that the unveiling of that memorial marked the closing chapter in the history of the fund. When Colonel Simpson had drawn away the large Union Jack with which the memorial was covered, four buglers sounded the 'Last Post." Speaking later, the Colonel said that on an occasion like that they were bound to think of the past years of war. In August, 1914, there was an enormous response of the young manhood of that district to the appeal for volunteers, but he did not think that anyone realised what those young men had done for us. He hoped that that monument would always be respected. At the present time England was in a more fortunate position than other countries, and we could only think what would have been our fate if the Germans had been successful. He asked them therefore not to forget their lads and what they had done, and also to remember the dependants of the fallen and the disabled. The disabled man was really the man who should have everyone's sympathy. An address was given by Mr. William Whiteley, who said he hoped we should never return to any of the conditions we had had during the last five years. It was pleasing to have a monument their midst, for it reminded them of the sacrifices that had been made on their behalf, but he hoped that nevermore would there be the need for such monuments. In conclusion, he urged the necessity of co-operation for the general good and hoped that militarism had been stamped out for ever. On the proposition of Mr William Banks, seconded by Mr Gribben, a vote of thanks was accorded Colonel Simpson, and the proceedings concluded with the National Anthem, played by the Emma Colliery Band. The memorial was the work of Mr. William Donaldson, of Newcastle, and was from his own design'.
Blaydon Courier, Saturday 21 February 1920 (page 8) printed a more detailed description of the unveiling ceremony.
[The 'Notes and News' column on Page 4 of the same issue commented: 'The residents of Stargate are to be complimented upon the handsome monument which they have erected to the memory of those eleven heroes from the village who fell in the war. It is a beautiful memorial worthy of the village and the gallant sons whose memory it will perpetuate. Lieut.-Colonel F. R. Simpson, whore eldest son made the supreme sacrifice, had a by no means light task on Saturday afternoon in unveiling the monument. It was a ceremony surrounded by sad memories'].
Blaydon Courier, Friday 7 December 1945 (page 2) reported: 'Crookhill Welcome Home Fund. Crookhill Welcome Home Fund, which included Addison and Stargate, has raised £206, after being in existence for only 22 weeks. The fund is to be open for some time, and there are approximately 160 members in the Forces. The committee has raised £3OO during the war for the Red Cross Fund and the Children’s Holiday Fund'.
Blaydon Courier, Friday 17 June 1955 (page 2); article titled 'A History of Blaydon District', by J. Maughan, included mention re Stargate that: 'The village War Memorial consists of a polished granite column surmounted by a Greek classical funeral urn, standing on a base of Spanish freestone. It was unveiled on February 14th, 1920, by Col. F. R. Simpson, and bears the following inscription — WAR MEMORIAL. Erected by the Welcome Home Association to the memory of the following heroes whose names are recorded below who served their country and sealed their love by death in the Great War — Aug. 1914—Nov. 1918. Robert Charlton, John G. Mitchell, Jesse Grundy, William Arcott, John W. Brannen, John Halliday, George Fairbridge, George W. Heads, Edward Watson, Thomas S. Carnaffan. May their reward be as great as their sacrifice.” A fund was raised throughout the district to perpetuate the memory of those who fell in the war of 1939—1945. Aidan Alston, Charles Beaumont, Norman Brown, Norman Cairns, John Cowen, Peter Dixon, John T. Dixon, John Forster, James . Hardy, Ernest Harrison, George Hair, Joseph Pelly, William Liddle, William Marrs, William Parker, William A. Purvis, Thomas C. Purvis, Alex. B, Reed, Robert W. Rochester, Charles V. Spencer, Joseph Watson'.
