Mitcham

Original unveiling - Taken by IWM's Farthing Collection 01 Jan 1920

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MITCHAM - Taken by CHRIS ELLIOTT 07 May 2013

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Mitcham 0001 - Taken by David Larkin 08 Aug 2017

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Mitcham 0002 - Taken by David Larkin 08 Aug 2017

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Mitcham 0003 - Taken by David Larkin 08 Aug 2017

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Mitcham 0004 - Taken by David Larkin 08 Aug 2017

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Mitcham 0005 - Taken by David Larkin 08 Aug 2017

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Mitcham 0006 - Taken by David Larkin 08 Aug 2017

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Mitcham 0007 - Taken by David Larkin 08 Aug 2017

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Mitcham 0008 - Taken by David Larkin 08 Aug 2017

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Mitcham 0009 - Taken by David Larkin 08 Aug 2017

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Mitcham 0010 - Taken by David Larkin 08 Aug 2017

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Mitcham 0011 - Taken by David Larkin 08 Aug 2017

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Mitcham 0012 - Taken by David Larkin 08 Aug 2017

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Setting - Taken by War Memorials Trust 16 Jul 2022

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The William White VC paving stone - Taken by Ruth Mansergh 04 Jun 2023

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WW1 names face 1 - Taken by Ruth Mansergh 04 Jun 2023

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WW1 names face 2 - Taken by Ruth Mansergh 04 Jun 2023

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WW1 names face 3 - Taken by Ruth Mansergh 04 Jun 2023

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WW1 names face 4 - Taken by Ruth Mansergh 04 Jun 2023

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Overall View - Taken by Ruth Mansergh 04 Jun 2023

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Front face - Taken by Ruth Mansergh 04 Jun 2023

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Reference WMO/134315

Address:

Lower Green West

Mitcham

London

CR4 3UD

England

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War Memorials Trust case: War Memorials Trust needs to avoid Contributors changing location/description details as we help to protect and conserve this war memorial through our casework. You can still add photographs, update condition and use the tabs below. If you believe any of the information you cannot edit is wrong or information is missing, please make a note of the reference number and include it in your email when you contact us.

Status: On original site

Type: Freestanding

Location: External

Setting: Within a garden/park/churchyard/enclosure/Marketplace

Description: Latin cross

Materials:

Metal Bronze
Stone Portland stone

Lettering: Incised

Conflicts:

First World War (1914-1918)
Second World War (1939-1945)
Other

About the memorial: Stone cross on plinth and five-stepped octagonal base. Plinth bears inscription and names in relief lettering. Additional plinth bears inscription for WW2. Bronze sword placed on each corner of the plinth. Memorial stands on Lower Green now known as Lower Green West.

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Date Submitted:

Work Proposed:

Replacement or reinstatement of missing, damaged or weathered features

Status:

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Comments:

The Historic England listing record states the following:
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1448269?section=official-list-entry 

First World War memorial, unveiled on 21 November 1920, with Second World War additions

Reasons for Designation
Mitcham War Memorial, which is situated on Lower Green, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Historic interest: * As an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this local community, and the sacrifice it has made in the conflicts of the C20;

Architectural interest: * An elegant wheel-head cross memorial with well-executed carved details and sculpted bronze swords;

Group value: * For its relationship with the Grade II-listed Mitcham Parish Rooms.

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 which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. One such memorial was raised at Mitcham as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 588 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

Proposals for a war memorial in Mitcham commenced in early 1919 with the parish churchyard chosen as the original location. However, this proved an unpopular choice and a temporary memorial was erected on a different site, the Lower Green, for Peace Day on 19 July 1919. Subsequently, it was determined by the War Memorial Committee that a permanent memorial should be erected on the Green and the local community were asked to submit the details of those who died in the First World War; 552 names were originally received. The memorial was unveiled on 21 November 1920, by Major General Sir Herbert Edward Watts at a ceremony attended by 5,000 people.

The memorial was restored in 1962 and an additional panel added with a dedication to those who died during the Second World War.

The current set of railings surrounding the memorial was probably erected around 1950.

Details
First World War memorial, erected in 1920, with Second World War additions.

MATERIALS: Portland stone, bronze.

DETAILS: Mitcham War Memorial is situated on Lower Green opposite the Grade II-listed Mitcham Parish Rooms.

The memorial is of Portland stone and takes the form of a wheel-head Latin cross with a tapering, four-sided shaft. The cross shaft terminates in a square foot of classical design with a Greek key pattern carved into two sides atop a narrow square block. The cross rises from a square plinth with a decorated band to the top, surmounted by a cavetto with cornice. Rectangular panels project from the cavetto to all four sides. The vertical edges of the plinth are chamfered with inverted bronze swords affixed; each sword hilt has six studs down the centre and the pommel is a sculpted St Edward’s crown. The plinth has a three-stage moulded foot and stands on a five-stepped, octagonal base.

All four sides of the plinth carry the names of the 588 members of the local community who died during the First World War. The principal inscription is to the south face of the plinth, beneath the decorated band and reads: TO THE MEN OF MITCHAM/ WHO FALLING, CONQUERED/ IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1919. Directly above on the panel in the cavetto is the dedication: THEIR NAME LIVETH/ FOR EVERMORE. All lettering is incised.

Resting against the plinth foot is a stone panel, added in 1962, with the Second World War inscription in raised lettering: AND/ TO THE MEMORY/ OF THE MEN, WOMEN/ AND CHILDREN OF MITCHAM/ WHO LOST THEIR LIVES/ IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR/ 1939 – 1945. Directly below, on the uppermost step of the base, is a further panel (added later) with a final dedication: AND THOSE KILLED/ IN OTHER CONFLICTS.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: The memorial is enclosed by metal railings*.

* Pursuant to s1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’) it is declared that these aforementioned features are not of special architectural or historic interest.

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Inscription:

On the southern side of the memorial, facing nearest the road Lower Green West on the south western edge of the green, the panel is inscribed as follows:TO THE MEN OF MITCHAM WHO FALLING, CONQUERED IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1919 Above the name block, is a tier with a stone plaque bearing the inscription: THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE Two more stone panels were added when the memorial was restored in 1962. On the fifth plinth step is a stone panel bearing the inscription: AND TO THE MEMORY OF THE MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN OF MITCHAM WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR 1939 – 1945 Between the fourth and fifth plinth steps is a stone panel inscribed: AND THOSE KILLED IN OTHER CONFLICTS

Names:

There are 588 names inscribed on the four memorial panels.

Suggest information

Listing grade:

Grade II (England)

Listing URL:

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1448269

Unique listing reference number:

1448269

Conservation area:

Mitcham Cricket Green Conservation Area

Local list / Historic environment record:

London Borough of Merton

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