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    © Imperial War Museums 2026

    Memorial

    Bedford School - Memorial Hall

    Board with 1926 dedication statement War Memorial Hall

    Source: Copyright Andrew Tatham

    1/15

    Current Location

    Next to the main building: it was formerly the school library., Bedford School , Burnaby Road, Bedford, North Bedfordshire, Bedfordshire, MK40 2TU, England

    OS Grid Reference

    TL 05178 50338

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    Names listed on this memorial

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    © WMR-7648

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    Type of Memorial
    Hall / Institute
    WMR Reference Number
    7648
    Description
    A two storey brick building. Set into the external, upper face of the North Wall is a stone niche with two plain round pillars supporting an unbroken pediment and a fluted canopy within which is a bronze figure of a young man in medieval plate armour, bare headed and holding a reversed, unsheathed sword. Below the figure is a rectangular stone tablet with the legend "1914-1918 " incised. There are various plaques, boards and framed document extracts relevant to both the original dedication in 1926 and the re-dedication in 2011 within the Hall which also contains a number of memorials which are separately listed: IWM 99984 (WW1 Books of Remembrance), IWM 99443 (WW1 Boards), IWM 99983 (WW2 Boards).
    Inscription
    Memorial Board - THIS BUILDING WITH THE/ CLOISTERS AND THE WEST PORCH/ WAS GIVEN BY THE OLD/ BEDFORDIANS CLUB IN MEMORY/ OF THOSE OLD BEDFORDIANS/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN/ THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918/ THE EQUIPMENT AND FURNITURE/ THROUGHOUT WERE PRESENTED BY/ OLD BEDFORDIANS MASTERS AND/ THEIR FRIENDS, EITHER AS/ PERSONAL GIFTS OR IN MEMORY/ OF PAST MEMBERS OF THIS SCHOOL/ THIS BUILDING WAS OPENED ON/ JULY 26TH 1926 BY HIS ROYAL/ HIGHNESS PRINCE HENRY K.G. Brass Plaque - PRESENTED BY/WG CMD R W GAMBLIN AFC COL ,SAG ABRAHAMS TD/PRESIDENT CHAIRMAN/ THE OLD BEDFORDIANS CLUB/ 2007-2011/ ON THE OCCCASION OF THE /RE-DEDICATION OF THE MEMORIAL HALL/ 12 NOVEMBER 2011 Statements by the President of the Old Bedfordians Club and Prince Henry , Duke of Gloucester on the dedication of the Memorial Hall in 1926 . The statements are too lengthy to be recorded in full and can be viewed in the images section Re-dedication of the Memorial Hall 12th November 2011 . A detailed statement by The President Old Bedfordians Club on the occasion of the re-dedication in 2011 . The statement is too lengthy to be recorded in full and can be viewed in the images section . Extract from "AFTER TEN YEARS " by the Monitors of Bedford School 1928 .The statement is too lengthy to be recorded in full and can be viewed in the images section . Main door top lintel: THIS MEMORIAL BUILDING WAS OPENED BY/ HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS K.G. G.C.V.O./ ON 26TH JULY 1926
    War
    First World War (1914-1918)
    Maker(s)
    • Mr Oswald Partridge-Milne, Architect

  • Messrs Samuel Foster, Builder

  • Sponsor Type
    private
    Sponsored By
    The site was given free by the Harpur Trust and the money for the construction cost was raised by Old Bedfordians and their friends.
    Maintenance History
    2011: The hall was refurbished and the ground transformed into the school’s main staff room: the upper floor is now a meeting and reception venue. 11 November 2014: Glazed and framed speeches from the hall opening (1926) and re-dedication (2011) were hung on the hall's wall.

    Ceremonies

    Opened

    26 July 1926

    HRH Prince Henry

    Dedicated

    26 July 1926

    Dr. J. A. F. Gregg, Lord Archbishop of Dublin

    Rededicated

    12 November 2011

    Mr Roy Gamblin

    Custodian
    School

    Components

    Plaques / Panels with names

    Made from: Wood - Oak


    Condition: Good


    Board

    Made from: Wood - Oak


    Condition: Good


    Hall

    Height: 17½ feet

    Width: 25 feet

    Depth: 45 feet long


    Made from: Brick


    Condition: Good


    • Biggleswade Chronicle - Friday 30 July 1926 PRINCE HENRY AT BEDFORD. Opening of Bedford School War Memorial Building. HEARTY WELCOME TO ROYAL VISITOR.
    • British Public Schools War Memorials by Kernot, C F 24. Source: Image Library NIWM Published: Roberts and Newton, 1927, London.
    • https://www.bedfordschool.org.uk/marking-the-re-dedication-of-the-memorial-hall/ Re-dedication speech: https://www.flickr.com/photos/129646782@N07/15888041131/in/photostream/