Tibenham War Memorial

Tibenham War Memorial, crafted in marble imported from Tuscany, was created and installed in 1920, and paid for by public subscription. As a result, it has never been clear who was responsible for the upkeep of the memorial. For many years, the PCC took responsibility for periodic maintenance and cleaning, but with changing circumstances, the PCC is no longer ideally placed to look after it, and so the Parish Council recently accepted responsibility for it.

Since then, the War Memorial has been listed with Historic England at Grade II, as being of historic interest, and we have had the memorial professionally cleaned and maintained by Bierton and Woods of Scole. When budgets allow, we also plan to have the lettering renewed – it has started to deteriorate, and is in danger of disappearing altogether if we do not have it attended to soon.

The following text is taken from a recent entry on the British Listed Buildings website:

Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled in 1920, with later additions.

Description

First World War memorial, unveiled in 1920, with later additions.

DESCRIPTION: the war memorial is octagonal in plan, and comprises a Latin cross, plinth and base, executed in Carrera marble (imitating the Cross of Sacrifice design by Sir Reginald Blomfield), bearing a small metal cross on its front (west) elevation, and standing on a Portland stone platform. The eight sides of the plinth are inscribed: ‘1914-18 / THESE WERE / OUR CHILDREN / WHO DIED / FOR OUR / HOMES THEY / WERE DEAR / IN OUR SIGHT’. The names of the fallen of the First World War (1914-18) are inscribed on the four western sides of the plinth, and the three names of the fallen of the Second World War (1939 – 45) were added to the base of the front (west) elevation. The war memorial stands in the churchyard of the Church of All Saints (listed at Grade I), and is prominently located along the path from Church Road.

History

The aftermath of the First World War saw the biggest single wave of public commemoration ever with tens of thousands of memorials erected across England. This was the result of both the huge impact on communities of the loss of three quarters of a million British lives, and also the official policy of not repatriating the dead: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. One such memorial was raised at Tibenham as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

The names of 23 local men of Tibenham who fell during the First World War are remembered on a war memorial in the churchyard of the Church of All Saints, and includes the names of three bell ringers of the church. The memorial was executed and erected by Mr R F Perfitt of Diss, and the cost of around £100 was paid by public subscription. The memorial was unveiled in a ceremony in April 1920 by Mr H Betts of Channonz Hall, Tibenham, and dedicated by the Reverend Canon Pelham of Norwich. The war memorial is shown in its current location on the 1928 Ordnance Survey map. The names of three local men who fell during the Second World War were later added.

Reasons for Listing

Tibenham War Memorial, unveiled in 1920, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Historic interest:

* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

• as a modest but well-executed memorial.

 If you have any more information, or family memories involving the memorial, please get in touch.