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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

RSPCA THE ANIMALS WAR MEMORIAL DISPENSARY Kilburn


hudsonswhistle

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Located at 10 Cambridge Avenue, just off the Kilburn High Road, you will find the RSPCA WW1 MEMORIAL DISPENSARY

The building itself dates to the early 1930's. Formally opened in March 1931 it treated over 6,000 animals in its first year.

The front of the building has a large bronze plaque above the door as a memorial to animals killed in the first world war. It's an impressive piece of bronze sculpture by F Brook Hitch of Hertford.

It illustrates a depiction of a winged victory holding wreaths to the left and the right and then pairs of animals that saw action and gave service - horses, mules, oxen, dogs, elephants, camels and pigeons

Animal_dispensary-1.jpg

Animal_bronze_plaque.jpg

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Either side of the door there is also the marble tributes to those animals who fell with some pretty scary and impressive numbers:484,143 animals killed by enemy action, disease or accident in the war and of 725,216 treated by the RSPCA during the war.

The tablet on the left of the building reads

Animal_plaque.jpg

And the one on the right reads

Animal_Plaque_1.jpg

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The dispensary is still incredibly busy even today, I have passed this building for the past twenty years,and I never gave it a thought so I would like to share it with you all now,and if your ever in the area please give it a look up its an amazing memorial.

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Thanks for this, Hudsons, it's certainly a fine bronze plaque whilst the marble tablets are both poignant and stark in the thoughts and hopes expressed and the cold figures shown.

I wonder, do these figures include those dealt with by the RAVC through the Veterinary and Remount Service, or is there a further number to be added.

Good photographs. I'll make a point of looking for the hospital next time I drive down to Hackney.

Chris

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  • 5 months later...
I don't know Kilburn well but is it anywhere near Kilburn tube station?

It is actually closer to Maida Vale station which is in Elgin Avenue, if you turned right out of the station and walk to the lights and turn left you are on Maida Vale, continue for approx 400 to 500 yards and the road becomes Kilburn High Rd, Cambridge Avenue is on the left and the hospital is a short way down on the left.

Stuart

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It is actually closer to Maida Vale station which is in Elgin Avenue, if you turned right out of the station and walk to the lights and turn left you are on Maida Vale, continue for approx 400 to 500 yards and the road becomes Kilburn High Rd, Cambridge Avenue is on the left and the hospital is a short way down on the left.

Stuart

Thanks

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