Throckley War Memorial

Sitting at the centre of the village outside of St Mary's Church, Throckley War Memorial is one of the village's most well known landmarks. The memorial was unveiled in 1921 in memory of 56 local men killed in the First World War. Throckley Workmen's Band marched from Bank Top to the site to mark the unveiling.

The below poem by Audrey Nelson captures the significance of the memorial while the painting by Margery Curwen imagines the inauguration ceremony.

Throckley War Memorial

a poem by Audrey Nelson

The inscription reads,

“Greater love hath no man than this

That he lay down his life for his friends”

Where have all railings gone?

Gone to the war effort, every one.

Railings narrow, railings wide

With a chained and padlocked gate to one side

Unveiled in nineteen twenty-three,

Paid for by local people who gave so generously.

Fifty-six names are shown in all,

No one left to remember whether they were short or tall

For some, every son a mother bore,

They were called to be soldiers

And they went to war.

Potter, Watson ad Hepple

All etched out in brilliant gold

Fathers, brothers, cousins, sons

Young men not allowed to grow old.

Every year a blood red wreath is laid

To remind us of the sacrifice they made

Autumn leaves form a carpet on the spot where I stand

As the poppies of Flanders in that far off land.

A proud but lonely monument

Standing in a place of prominance

Passed by many of us every day

Without a fleeting glance.

2020

'Inauguration of Throckley War Memorial' by Margery Curwen