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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Memorial for sale


tightrock

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tightrock,

a difficult one, off course it should really stay where it was meant to be, however these memorials do often surface on the market from time to time as buildings are demolished etc, personally I would rather see it go to a good home where someone will look after it and pass it on to future generations.

I actually recovered a small wooden memorial plaque from a 'skip' about 20 years ago after it had been discarded as unwanted from a box of goodies from an auction, it now hangs proudly on my wall!

Regards,

Scottie.

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With you on this Scottie

The link to my website in the signature below details the memorial I inherited.

Andy

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The trouble is with a lot of people, if they can see a dollar in it and they have no interest in the history and significance of the item, off it goes to

e-b*y and try for the maximum. One would hope that the item goes to a good home.

David

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.........One would hope that the item goes to a good home.

I would hope it stays locally to Manchester but it's all about who pays the most. Having said that with local pick up or arrange your own courier it will most likely stay local to the seller

Andy

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Ideally, it should be back where it belongs or in a museum. The trouble is, will it now be bought by somebody with a genuine interest in it, or by another dealer who will hope to make even more of a profit than the first vendor?

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We've discussed this sort of thing before. Give it to a museum, and what are the chances of it being displayed to the public? I would think that the sort of bidder it would attract would appreciate it and give it a good home. (Why else bid for it?)

Moonraker

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We've discussed this sort of thing before. Give it to a museum, and what are the chances of it being displayed to the public? I would think that the sort of bidder it would attract would appreciate it and give it a good home. (Why else bid for it?)

Moonraker

Museums won't want it & the price is already above that which a dealer would be willing to pay for a bronzed plaster cast so it will be going to someone who appreciates it

Andy

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Better it be sold rather than dumped or scrapped. Putting it 'back where it belongs' is a little naive as its probably architectural salvage and the building no longer exists. As Moonraker alludes it may be difficult, if not impossible, to find a museum interested (especially as most are on extremely restricted budgets these days). It's quite easy to build up a sense of indignation over these things but what makes such memorials what they are is the context in which they appear and if the building no longer exists it is cast adrift so to speak and a sale to someone who will look after it is better than the alternatives.

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The frame the memorial listing is in is actually a contemporary commercial frame. I have seen many of them over the years; they usually have a photograph of a soldier in the middle. It was probably recovered from a building long since demolished.

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I agree that selling it guarantees that it will be looked after. I am sure that this Forum could find out the identity of the "depot" it came from and maybe find it a home with a modern day organisation associated with the old one.

It is a nice item in a pleasantly naive style. I suppose it will make £100 plus - but what does money matter. I would certainly subscribe towards buying it if a Forum member in the Wrexham area could pick it up. We could then attempt to re-home it. Anyone else interested?

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The trouble is Ian, what happens when its new home is one day demolished and it ends up in a skip yet again?

Yes, I agree Paul and therefore tend to agree that it going to a collector is not too bad a fate. However, remembering the CWS Manchester memorial that has been recently rehomed it would perhaps be better if this sort of relocation was achieved if possible. I agree this is a tricky problem.

It was in a "depot" so may well have local government or big company links.

The memorial is currently in Wrexham but seems to have links with NW England.

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Paul

the NMA seems to have taken on a lot of unwanted war memorials from place of work

Chris

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There is one, it's the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas in Staffordshire. They have taken in quite a number of memorials that have been removed from buildings that have been demolished. An approach to the organisation might well prove fruitful.

TR

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It was in a "depot" so may well have local government or big company links.

Or transport, a bus company, railway company etc. A dairy with lots of milk rounds would possibly have a depot

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There is one, it's the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas in Staffordshire. They have taken in quite a number of memorials that have been removed from buildings that have been demolished...

TR

Interesting. How accessible are they are to visitors?

Moonraker

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Interesting. How accessible are they are to visitors?

Moonraker

I can't vouch for all of them but certainly many are on display.

Roy

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Paul

many of the memorials that I have seen at the NMA are from insurance or shipping companies; those that are just plaques are near the entrance building & are easily accessible

Chris

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The only two identifiable via cwgc are Henshaw (Birkenhead) and Gregory (Wigan) - - a depot in Liverpool may be a possibility

edited for mistake

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I actually have one of these;they are made of painted plaster & were a contemporary commercial mounting for KiA,etc;usually found with the details of just a solitary individuals details on them;the one I have has a Bronze Commemorative "Death Plaque" in a wooden mount atop the Oak frame that surrounds the Plasterwork;it also has the Gentleman in questions BWM & AVM Pair mounted each side of his Biographical details.I would suspect that the one on offer was from a small Business or Company; whose employees were Casualties,& now long since defunct,Certainly an excellent research project for someone & I can see no reason why it shouldnt be sold so that someone can preserve it research the names & enjoy being its curator for the next few decades!

Far better to be purchased by someone who will treasure it that it ended up on a skip somewhere & was smashed!!!~Lost for ever....

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