The Tunstall War Memorial - The Obelisk & Gardens

The Obelisk & Gardens

In 1919 Tunstall had wanted to commemorate those who fell in the Great War, by building a permanent memorial in the form of a new hospital in Tunstall. Burslem also at that time wanted to extend the existing Haywood Hospital and this caused the two towns to think again. By November 1923 the War Memorial Committee entered in to formal discussions about a joint venture, the outcome being the Burslem Haywood and Tunstall War Memorial Hospital situated at it’s present location on High lane, at the junction with Haywood Rd.. This was formally opened on the 21st October 1930 by Lord and Lady Harrow. The contribution of £10,000 to the project was the main offering to the memory of the fallen from Tunstall.

In addition to the Memorial Park was the erection of ornamental wrought iron gates and railings and four stone piers. This became the main entrance to the gardens in Station Road, now known as the Boulevard. Councillor and Mrs George H Barber commissioned and paid for the gates, which were presented to the City of Stoke-on-TreThe Tunstall War Memorial Obelisknt on 1 August 1929.

The gardens were originally built between 1880 and 1900 as recreation grounds, also part of the Public Baths and Library development. A sketch showing the design of the Tunstall War Memorial Obelisk was prepared by Messrs. Wood and Goldstraw, Architects of Tunstall was first shown in the Sentinal on Wednesday 1 February 1928.

The description states: The Obelisk stands 21 ft high and is of polished, mottled Hollington stone, with a series of steps from a large circle paved with York stone (this has now been replaced). On a bronze panel is the inscription ‘To the Glorious Memory of the Men of Tunstall who gave their lives during the Great War 1914-1918’. Another feature of the Monument will be a boldly modelled Laurel Wreath in bronze (this now has dates 1939-1945 within the Wreath)’.

The unveiling of the Obelisk took place on Wednesday 14 March 1928 by Colonel Harry Clive O.B.E.D.T, Commanding Officer of the 137th Staffordshire InfantrInscription on the Tunstall Obelisky Brigade, whose relatives going back for many generations were born in Tunstall.

Among the wreaths laid at the base of the Memorial was one by the 11 year old son of the late Serjeant John H Rhodes V.C D.C.M and Bar of Pittshill, who died on November 27th 1917 from wounds received in action.