InkyBill Posted 14 April , 2004 Share Posted 14 April , 2004 Hi Pals I Bring you sad news, In Richmond Road, Hackney, London E8 their stands the sadest site i've ever seen. Situated on the north side of the road it a totally neglected War Memorial, it once appears to have been a grey granite cross, now the top is knocked off, the names on the side are completly faded and the ground around it over grown. I wish my scanner worked and i'd take a picture to show just how bad it is. Any London based pals in the area could perhaps do the honours of a photo and then maybe we can do something to rectify this sheer state of neglect. I know Hackney is a poor borough but please, it's disgraceful not to mention disrespectful. Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pete Wood Posted 14 April , 2004 Share Posted 14 April , 2004 This has just been reported to the conservation officer of Friends Of war Memorials, on your behalf. Thank you. But it is up to you, Marc, to follow this up. The only way to get a repair is to badger the local authority - that is who FoWM will be contacting. Friends of War Memorials has more information about what to do in these situations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 14 April , 2004 Share Posted 14 April , 2004 Well done RT, beat me to it. Mr Gaspar, FOWM Conservation Officer will no doubt get the nearest Regional Volunteer on the job. The London Metropolitan Gardens people are now giving grants to do such projects. Aye Malcolm FoWM RV East Scotland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InkyBill Posted 14 April , 2004 Author Share Posted 14 April , 2004 Thanks Teapots for reporting the matter and thanks Malcolm for being willing to do the same, i must admit i had no idea FOWM existed. I am going to contact Hackney council to see what they intend to do about it, it may take a while but watch this space. Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleur Posted 15 April , 2004 Share Posted 15 April , 2004 Good luck Marc, let's hope that Hackney Council get there fingers out to repair this memorial. Fleur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john w. Posted 15 April , 2004 Share Posted 15 April , 2004 Inky Any news on a photo? John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john w. Posted 18 April , 2004 Share Posted 18 April , 2004 All is not lost.. a friend of mine has been today to take a photo and will scan in and send as soon as possible (on film and not digital) Hope its the right one Inky John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InkyBill Posted 18 April , 2004 Author Share Posted 18 April , 2004 Hi John, I took some photo's on Friday and was going to develop them tomorrow, was then going to ask for a volunteer to scan them. If your friend will take care of it that would be great, i'm still working on Hackney Council. Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InkyBill Posted 23 April , 2004 Author Share Posted 23 April , 2004 I now have the photo's of the memorial however i need a volunteer to take reciept of them and scan them in, any offers ? Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john w. Posted 26 April , 2004 Share Posted 26 April , 2004 Photos due tomorrow.. hopefully of the right one John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john w. Posted 30 April , 2004 Share Posted 30 April , 2004 Right here it is... two to show what its like... and it is in a sorry state.. esp the names Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john w. Posted 30 April , 2004 Share Posted 30 April , 2004 Close up on the names.. wearing away John Thanks to Rose for the photos and the time taken to get them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthony Posted 30 April , 2004 Share Posted 30 April , 2004 A disgrace that the memorial has been allowed to fall into neglect. Lets hope that a little bit of pressure will force the Council to now do the right thing and restore it properly. Makes you wonder how many memorials are left to crumble and rust away. A far cry from the sentiments that led to these reminders being erected post 1918. Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InkyBill Posted 1 May , 2004 Author Share Posted 1 May , 2004 Well Done John for arranging the Photo's, you are right it is in a sorry state. Its funny you know, i wonder why it wasn't resited when the council estate it sits on was built. Have had a busy week and must confess, haven't had much time to chase up the council, but rest assured i will. Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john w. Posted 2 May , 2004 Share Posted 2 May , 2004 Inky Have more photos if you want .. email me off forum and I will send em to you, should you want more John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john w. Posted 2 May , 2004 Share Posted 2 May , 2004 By the way Marc Is there a record of the names anywhere? Maybe we can make up a virtual one until the council make a decision. Least ways the names are still available.. the photo shows that they are past seeing... What do you think? John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 3 May , 2004 Share Posted 3 May , 2004 This foreigner thinks a virtual memorial is no substitute at all. Are the names readable or available? Good luck guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john w. Posted 3 May , 2004 Share Posted 3 May , 2004 Paul I agree, but as I wrote, until the council make a decision. A virtual memorial at least keeps their memory alive until the real world catches up John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jasonacool Posted 14 November , 2004 Share Posted 14 November , 2004 Has there been any progess with Hackney Council? It isn't in the greatest of locations being on the grounds of a council flat - prime location for hulligans to damage it. It would be a very good thing to have that memorial restored. To be able to see the names that were once there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedley Malloch Posted 14 November , 2004 Share Posted 14 November , 2004 Has there been any progess with Hackney Council? It isn't in the greatest of locations being on the grounds of a council flat - prime location for hulligans to damage it. It would be a very good thing to have that memorial restored. To be able to see the names that were once there. Why does everyone assume that it is the Council's responsibility? As for being in the grounds of council flats - well, that's absolutely terrible. I mean, I bet some of the people who live there cannot even spell. It needs to be moved to a nice, middle-class area as soon as possible. It's a well-known fact that people who lived in low-cost public housing made no contribution to the great wars in which our nation has been engaged. War memorials must only be located in socially-cleansed areas. Yes. Definitely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andigger Posted 14 November , 2004 Share Posted 14 November , 2004 It needs to be moved to a nice, middle-class area as soon as possible. It's a well-known fact that people who lived in low-cost public housing made no contribution to the great wars in which our nation has been engaged. War memorials must only be located in socially-cleansed areas. Are you serious? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leigh Posted 15 November , 2004 Share Posted 15 November , 2004 I'm with Andigger on this one, Hedley if that was tongue in cheek then its not too obvious and my Gt Uncle would have had something to say about it. Since he is in an unknown grave somewhere in the vicinity of Givenchy and cant defend himself I will do it for him, and proudly. The army was his way out of deprivaion in Woolwich and he served well for 6 years. He was a bit of a scally wag in Cairo but that must have been his social housing upbringing L. Tounge in cheek accepted and hope that the memorial gets sorted out soon (edit) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Nulty Posted 15 November , 2004 Share Posted 15 November , 2004 Guys I think Hedley's tongue is firmly in his cheek, so let's not get too wound up, eh? It takes our sight away from the original purpose of the posting. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Maier Posted 15 November , 2004 Share Posted 15 November , 2004 It is perfectly plain that Hedley is being serious but not literal. Ironic in other words. He is saying that public housing is a fit and proper place for a memorial, because the people living there do not keep coal in the bath and do figure prominently in armies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedley Malloch Posted 15 November , 2004 Share Posted 15 November , 2004 No, of course I wasn't being serious - but I think Jasoncool was. I forgot that irony does not travel well on the internet. No offence intended, guys. This is a serious problem repeated many times up and down the country. It's going to get worse; most of the WW1 memorials were built at roughly the same time, to the same standard and budget and often by the same people. It follows that they are all going to give out together. This is both a threat and an opportunity. The formulaic public WW1 memorial (a piece of masonry, a statue, a plaque and a plinth) worked well enough for our grandparents and it clearly works well for many of us. But is this what we want to pass on? Memorials can and do take many shapes and forms; libraries, public meeting places, schools, parks. Think about it. If you are running Hackney with all its problems then restoring or erecting a new 'traditional' memorial is not going to come high on your list of priorities. It's costly, there will be few votes in the project as the families of the blokes on the memorial will all have moved on. But if a memorial could be tied to something with a clear, tangible social purpose - well, that sits up and talks. It also makes fund raising easier; in a community like Hackney people are much more likely to cough up for a new school-room, or a multi-faith prayer centre than they are for a statue of St. George. This, and other symbols of the British military effort, have a low level of ... well, how can I put it? - cutural robustness (yes, that's how I can put it) especially at the present moment. And, yes, I did see all the Sikhs and Muslims at the Menin Gate on Armistice Day. Such a project would also be more attractive to corporate sponsors and the Lottery. No, I don't like it either, but that's the way the world is going. Just some thoughts ..; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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