Memorial

Bury War Memorial 2: Cross

Memorial

Source: Copyright Barrie Price

1/16

Current Location

St Mary's Churchyard, The Rock, Bury, Bury, Greater Manchester, BL9 0BW, England

SD 80409 10842

Church of England

Send us details and photographs of your local war memorials, to help enhance the information about the people, places and events they commemorate.

This record shows everything IWM currently knows about this memorial. We are continually updating our records.

To share information or photographs, contact us.

Type of Memorial: Cross
WMR Reference Number: 2137
Description: Cornish granite Cross of Sacrifice on a stepped octagonal plinth, with curving flanking walls bearing cast bronze reliefs. The dedication is incised on the three front faces of the base, with the years of WW2 incised on the upper step, above a bronze laurel wreath, below which are incised the years of WW1. The walls terminate in columns which carry the town and County arms and Latin inscriptions on their ends. The subjects of the reliefs are divided between the military on the left panel, and the civilian on the right panel. Both are unusual in depicting the varied roles of women in wartime - as nurse to the military, and in various roles - on the land, in munitions factories, and in the home - as civilians. Children are also prominent among the civilians. There are no names on the memorial. The town's War Memorial was to be the funding of a new Children's Ward attached to the Infirmary (see WMR 105176), however, it was later decided that this Memorial should also be erected in the town centre.
Inscription: 1939/ 1945/ To the Memory of the Men/ of Bury who Gave their/ Lives in the Great War/ 1914/ 1918 On the end of the pillars on the flanking walls: Pro Rege (For King)/ Pro Patria (For Country)

Maker(s): Joseph Hermon Cawthra, Sculptor
Sir Reginald Blomfield RA, Architect
William Kirkpatrick Ltd, Builder
Sponsor Type: private
Sponsored By: The original scheme for a Memorial for the town was the addition of a Children's Ward to the town's Infirmary, for which £50,000 was collected by public subscription. There was, however, still a movement to have a Cenotaph memorial in the town centre. After an anonymous donation of £1000 was made specifically for this, it was agreed that such a memorial be erected. (ref: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1444845).