Local News
12
100 Years of Iconic Clock Tower
Written By Dennis Pindar, Stocksbridge History Society
On November 12th, in conjunction with the Remembrance Sunday service at 10:45 am, a special re-dedication service will mark the centenary of the iconic Clock Tower. Stocksbridge Town Council, with the support of the Stocksbridge and District History Society, has prepared a commemorative leaflet for this significant anniversary. These leaflets will be available during the service and at various locations throughout the town, allowing people to reflect on this Remembrance Day and the enduring legacy of the Clock Tower Memorial. The history of the Clock Tower dates back to a visionary proposal in October 1916 when Mr Joseph Sheldon put forth a motion at a Stocksbridge Urban District Council meeting. His motion aimed to create a scheme to honour the men who had left the district and lost their lives defending the country. Following this, in November of the same year, Councillor Sheldon suggested calling a public meeting to form a committee responsible for devising a memorial plan. A public meeting was convened at the Stocksbridge Works School, where a committee was appointed, and a resolution was passed to commemorate the local heroes who had fought and fallen in the war. However, progress on the memorial in Stocksbridge faced a two-year hiatus, with no significant developments until after the end of the First World War. In May 1919, a public meeting proposed the construction of a Pub-
lic Memorial Hall, estimated to cost £10,000, to be funded by subscriptions. A committee was formed, with Mr. J. Sheldon as chairman, tasked with raising the necessary funds. In contrast, the Bolsterstone Memorial was realised much more swiftly, with the unveiling of a beautiful Saxon Cross in May 1920, honouring 31 local men who had lost their lives in the war. Meanwhile, local churches in Stocksbridge took the initiative to commemorate their fallen heroes, starting with the Stocksbridge Wesleyans in October 1920, followed by Stocksbridge Parish Church (St. Matthias) and the Primitive Methodists (Prims) in subsequent months. It wasn't until January 1921 that a public meeting in Stocksbridge decided on a Clock Tower as the war memorial, with an estimated cost of £2,000. Approximately £1,000 had already been pledged, and Mr F. Coultas appealed to the community of nearly 9,000 residents to contribute the remaining £1,000 through smaller subscriptions. Despite financial challenges and some uncertainty, the Clock Tower Memorial project persevered. In April 1922, Councillor Sheldon reassured the community that work on the Clock Tower would commence "as soon as possible." Notably, R.H.R. RimingtonWilson generously donated the land for the Clock Tower and later sold an adjacent field to the Council to create an attractive garden space around the Memorial. Architect Mr Waynard Dixon's design was selected, and Messrs. Wm. Potts of Leeds was chosen to provide the clock with four faces and bells featuring Cambridge Quarter Chimes, along with the inscription on the largest bell, "At the going down of the sun, we will remember them."
Finally on July 14th, 1923, the Foundation Stone was laid by F. S. Scott-Smith, General Manager of Fox's Works, in front of a large gathering of 3000 people, including members of the British Legion and prominent community figures. The Memorial Tower was unveiled on December 1st, 1923, by Rimington-Wilson and the Bishop of Sheffield performing the dedication service. This enduring Clock Tower, constructed from Greenmoor stone, now features two bronze plaques bearing the names of 106 men and one woman from WW1 and 57 names from WW2, ensuring that
their memory lives on. "We Will Remember Them."
Appeal: Please join us at Johnson Street at 10am to commence the Parade to the Clock Tower, for this Historic 100th anniversary.
