St. Matthew's Church War Memorial on Ridgeway Street in Douglas.This memorial once memorialised those lost in both WWI and WWII.
The original, pre-refurbishment memorial, was designed by Archibald Knox and was built by a Douglas stonemason Thos. Quayle.
The names were listed in an Art Nouveau style lettering, on two plaques of red sandstone and Manx rough stone. Both plaques were mounted either side of a crucifix made of white sandstone. The Crucifix was the work of Harry Emms from Exeter in the England.
The memorial was renovated in 1994 when granite replaced the original sandstone which had weathered badly in the Manx climate. The nesw memorial was designed by Ashley Pettit and the sculpture was David Gregg of Gegg Memorial. The Douglas Developement Parnership, as part of the Douglas 2000 initiattive provide some of the funding.
The renovated memorial list the names across the two panels and the quote from "Dies Irae" is now split between the two panels.The words:
"who scarificed
their lives in
1914 Great War 1918"
appear towards the foot of the right hand panel. There is no apparent reference to those who gave their lives in WWII.
On the original memorial the left hand panel read:
To the Glory
of God and
in memory of
[41 names listed]
first World War
and on the right hand panel beneath the list or names, were inscribed the last two lines of J. M. Neale's translation of the Latin hymn "Dies Irae", which reads as follows:
"Lord all pitying Jesu blest
Grant them eternal rest"
War Memorials Online website show the following information:
Status:On original site
Type:Non freestanding
Location:External
Setting:Attached to a building/structure
Description:Calvary
Materials:
Stone Stone (any)
Lettering:Inscribed on a plaque
Conflicts:
First World War (1914-1918)
About the memorial:
Crucifix with limestone Christ figure set into an arched recess in a freestanding wall, with flanking name panels. Set on paved area with raised brick flower beds. The sculptor of the crucifix was Harry Emms of Exeter. Names are listed in art nouveau style lettering by Archibald Knox, on two plaques which were originally of red sandstone and Manx rough stone. The memorial was unveiled on 28th July 1921 by Lieutenant Governor Major General Sir W. Fry and dedicated by Reverend H.S. Taggart on 28th July 1921. It was sponsored by private donation from the congregation of St Matthew's Church. It was built by Thos Quayle, a stonemason of Douglas to a design by Archibald Knox. In 1994, the memorial name tablets were renovated in granite, due to the excessive weathering of the original sandstone. Fuding for the refurbishment was partly provided by the Douglas Development Partnership, as part of the Douglas 2000 initiative. The new memorial was designed by the architect Ashley Pettit and the work completed by David Gregg of Gregg memorials. Isle of Man National Inventory of War Memorials: IOM_NIWM_DOU_00010_1
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