Stoke Cenotaph is located on in front of the Kings Hall on Kingsway in Stoke.
This memorial commemorates those who lost their lives in Korea (1950-1953), First World War (1914-1918), Second World War (1939-1945).
The cenotaph stands in a walled enclosure. It is brick built with a large cross in relief made from lighter brick taking up most of each face. It was unveiled on 07th July 1938 and replaced a First World War memorial of Portland stone, a replica of the Whitehall cenotaph, which had been erected in 1920, funded by public subscription. It was set up in a prominent location outside the Kings Hall.
Stoke-on-Trent new Cenotaph and surrounding walls are Grade II listed.
Description by Historic England:
"A cenotaph of columns of bull-nosed red bricks, with a large cross in relief, of buff brick, to each face, set on a plain red brick plinth with moulded top. The cenotaph steps in towards the top, and has a ball finial at each corner supporting a flat capping stone. A bronze plaque affixed to the front face of the plinth carries the inscription THE / GLORIOUS / DEAD / 1914 – 1918 / 1939 – 1945. Further plaques commemorate the Battle of Normandy (1944, set up by the Normandy Veterans’ Association), Battle of Dunkirk (1940, set up by the Dunkirk Veterans’ Association), the Battle of El Alamein (1942, set up by the Eighth Army Association) and the Korean War (1950-3).
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES
The memorial stands in a square enclosure bounded by low walls of brown brick, with a canted pier with flat stone cap at each corner, and scrolling brick to the openings on each side." Source: (
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A dedicatory inscription on a bronze plaque attached to the front base reads as follows;
THE
GLORIOUS DEAD
1914-1918
1939-1945
Inside a wreath at the top of the opposite side the date 1939-1945 is carved in the stone.
Stoke Dunkirk Veterans memorial plaque - a plain rectangular metal plaque with the inscription in relief and the badge of the Dunkirk Veterans Association. The inscription reads as follows;
"1940
DUNKIRK VETERANS ASSOCIATION
STOKE ON TRENT BRANCH
TO COMMEMORATE THE EVACUATION
OF DUNKIRK AND BEACHES
MAY - JUNE 1940
AND IN MEMORY OF THOSE
WHO NEVER RETURNED
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM"
Stoke Normandy Veterans memorial plaque - a plain rectangular metal plaque with the inscription in relief and two shields. The inscription reads as follows;
NORMANDY VETERANS ASSOCIATION
STOKE ON TRENT BRANCH
TO COMMEMORATE THE BATTLE
FOR NORMANDY/ 8TH JUNE TO 20TH AUGUST 1944
DEDICATED TO THE MEN OF THE
ALLIED FORCES/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THIS AND
OTHER BATTLES TO FREE EUROPE IN
WORLD WAR II
BLESSENT MON COEUR D'UNE
LANGUER MONOTONE
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM
DONATED BY SWEETMORE ENG
The Stoke Eighth Army Veterans plaque is plain rectangular metal with the inscription in white lettering and the badge of the Eighth Army Veterans Associations and Medal in relief. The inscription reads as follows;
EIGHTH ARMY VETERANS ASSOCIATION
STOKE ON TRENT BRANCH
TO COMMEMORATE THE BATTLE OF
EL ALAMEIN
23RD OCTOBER 1942
DEDICATED TO THE MEN OF
THE 8TH ARMY
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE
NORTH AFRICAN AND ITALIAN CAMPAIGNS
DURING WORLD WAR II
"WE WILL REMEMBER THEM"
Korea memorial plaque - is a plain rectangular metal plaque with the inscription in relief and a crest at the centre top. The inscription reads as follows;
REMEMBER THE BRITISH
SERVICEMEN WHO DIED IN
THE FIRST WAR FOUGHT IN THE
NAME OF THE UNITED NATIONS
KOREA 1950 - 1953
THANK GOD FOR THEIR COURAGE
AND ENDURANCE AND PRAY FOR
PEACE AND RECONCILIATION
AMONG THE PEOPLES AND/ NATIONS OF THE WORLD
'NOT ONE OF THEM IS
FORGOTTEN BEFORE GOD'
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The Way We Were: A curious incident at Stoke Cenotaph. A news report in The Sentinel newspaper and a picture of the original cenotaph can be seen at the following link. (
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