Failswoth War Memorial, Watchcote Park, Oldham Road, Failsworth

FAILSWORTH MEMORIAL UNVEILED BY MOTHER OF FOUR DEAD SOLDIERS – Representing the wives and mothers of our fallen heroes, Mrs Elizabeth Chappell, who lost four sons in the war, yesterday unveiled the Failsworth War Memorial in Watchcote Park, a tiny open space in a congested district on the Oldham Road. The memorial in the form of a cenotaph 13 feet 6 inches high, was designed by Mr J Henry Sellers of Manchester, and consists of an octagonal shaft mounted on a pedestal in Portland stone. The shaft is fluted on each face in coloured and gilt tiles and the whole is surmounted by a gilded bronze replica of the winged figure of victory at Naples. The memorial commemorates the death of 235 Failsworth men in the war, and the committee state that they have adopted exhaustive measures to secure a complete list of the fallen. [Manchester Guardian 11 June 1923 Page 9]

LISTING TEXT First World War memorial, c.1923, Portland stone. Fluted column with coloured decoration surmounted by bronze winged figure and bronze laurel wreath.  Stepped square stone plinth. Octagonal base with inscription on main SE face reads 'Remembrance 1914 1918'. To rear inscription reads 'They died in many lands that we may live here in peace'. Fluted column tapers and curves anti clockwise from mid-point to domed top. Vertical patterning on top part of column of blue/green medallions and red waves within green border. Bronze winged figure of Victory holding laurel wreath and staff surmounts dome. Bronze wreath attached to top of column and figure.

Unveiled    10 June 1923

Reference    Manchester Guardian 11 June 1923 Page 9 Col 4