Second World War memorial and associated pavilion shelters, Ilkley Memorial Gardens, Ilkley, Bradford

Summary

Second World War memorial of about 1953, and Pavilion shelters of 1950, designed as a group, possibly by Sir Edward Maufe. Portland stone and sandstone.

Description

Second World War memorial of about 1953, and Pavilion shelters of 1950, designed as a group, possibly by Sir Edward Maufe. Portland stone and sandstone.

PLAN: the Second World War memorial and pavilion shelters form part of a memorial garden located at the west end of The Grove, Ilkley's principal shopping street. The garden has an irregular hexagonal shape with the narrowest part at the east end and the second narrowest part at the west end bordering a stream. A First World War memorial (separately listed at Grade II) is located to the centre of the garden, at the end of a tree-lined processional path that runs east-west from a gated main entrance at the east end of the garden. Further secondary gated entrances lie on the north and south roadsides of the garden. The Second World War memorial lies on the same axis as the First World War memorial and is located towards the west end of the garden. It is flanked on each side by shelter pavilions; the three structures arranged around an arcing path.

DESCRIPTION:
SECOND WORLD WAR MEMORIAL: this memorial is constructed of Portland stone and takes the form of a classical triumphal arch-style memorial shrine with a flat roof and a tripartite east front and set upon a large irregular-hexagonal shaped plinth. The centre bay of the east front is taller and also projects forwards with a tall round-arched opening that forms the shrine's main entrance. The entrance incorporates a prominent keystone and decorative wrought-iron gates that rise just above halfway height. The two flanking bays are narrower and include tall round-arched unglazed window openings in the same style, with wrought-iron railings in the same style and rising to the same height as the entrance gates. The two side returns of these flanking bays each have two further arches (one of which on each side is a doorway), railings and gates in the same style. The rear wall incorporates two tall slender, square-headed windows containing leaded and stained glass. Projecting out from the rear wall on each north and south side are low Portland-stone walls that then turn 90 degrees and run east to the corner of the plinth.

The shrine interior, including flooring, is entirely of Portland stone and has a near full-height inscribed tablet to the centre of the rear wall that incorporates the inscription: TO THE GALLANT/ MEN OF ILKLEY/ WHO FELL IN THE/ 1939- WORLD WAR/ THIS MEMORIAL/ IS DEDICATED/ LET THOSE WHO COME AFTER SEE/ THAT THEIR NAMES BE NOT FORGOTTEN. Below the inscription are the 69 names, rank and regiment of those killed. At the foot of the tablet is a further later inscription: OTHER CONFLICTS and below is the name, rank and regiment of a soldier who was killed in Cyprus in 1956. The tablet is flanked by the two square-headed leaded and stained-glass windows, which incorporate the badges of the Army, Royal Navy, Merchant Navy and Royal Air Force (RAF), along with images of a cross and the white rose of Yorkshire. The two outer bays of the rear wall each have two full-height decorative wrought-iron rails fixed to the wall, to which memorial wreaths are attached. In front of the rear wall are two deep full-width steps and narrower stepped ledges to the corners that are used to display memorial crosses.

PAVILIONS: flanking the Second World War memorial and set on the edge of paths that radiate out from the First World War memorial, are two pavilion shelters constructed of sandstone 'bricks' with hipped tiled roofs. The shelters, which face towards the First World War memorial, are identically styled. Each one is of four-bays to the front and rear elevations, and of two-bays to each end elevation. The front elevations each have four square-headed door openings containing multi-paned steel-framed doors, whilst the end elevations and rear elevations are lit by multi-paned steel-framed windows. Internally the shelters have concrete floors, pebbledash walls, pine-clad ceilings, and benches that are not fixed.

History

In the early 1950s a Second World War memorial was erected in the gardens, in the form of a triumphal arch-style shrine and two pavilion shelters. The memorial took several years to construct as the Minister of Works, R R Stokes, prevented the memorial from being completed in 1950 as the war memorial committee had started works without the relevant permission. The committee wanted the shelters erected in time for the Remembrance Day service in 1950 and already had the support of the Ministry of Health, so they commenced work in the spring of 1950, believing that they could spend up to £500 at this initial stage. However, this was not the case and the Ministry of Works refused the granting of a licence (the Ministry had already exceeded their ceiling and overspent on a new embassy in Rio de Janeiro and the acquisition of a Constable painting). The local people were outraged and the MP took up the case, forcing Stokes to subsequently agree to reconsider the decision. However, in the end the pavilions were completed without a licence.

The Second World War memorial was unveiled on 26 April 1953 by Lieutenant-General Sir Philip Maxwell Balfour, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command. The dedication was led by Canon A H Wellington, Vicar of St Margaret's Church, Ilkley. The ceremony, which included a parade through the town led by ex-service men and women, was attended by local councillors, clergy, military representatives, emergency services, and other dignitaries, and a guard of honour was provided by the Army Apprentices' School, Harrogate.

The identity of the shrine's architect is unknown although it has been suggested that it was designed by Sir Edward Brantwood Maufe (formerly Muff), but this is unconfirmed. Sir Edward Brantwood Maufe (1882-1974) was born in Ilkley and was the younger son of Henry Muff, a linen draper and partner in the Bradford department store of Brown, Muff & Co, and his wife Maude Alice Smithies, the niece of Sir Titus Salt, founder of Saltaire. Maufe trained under the London architect William A Pite and studied at St John's College, Oxford before setting up in practice on his own. He went on to become a highly successful architect designing buildings, such as the Cathedral Church of the Holy Spirit, Guildford (Grade II*) and the Playhouse at Oxford (Grade II*, forms part of a group). From 1943-1969 Maufe was first principal architect UK and then chief architect and artistic adviser to the Imperial (later Commonwealth) War Graves Commission, where he designed, amongst many others, the Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede, Surrey. The family changed their name to Maufe in 1909, and Maufe's cousin Thomas (detailed above) unveiled Joass' First World War memorial (separately Grade II listed) in Ilkley's memorial gardens in 1922.

Reasons for Listing

The Second World War memorial and associated pavilion shelters in Ilkley Memorial Gardens are listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Historic interest:

* they have strong cultural and historic significance within both a local and national context, and are an eloquent witness to the impact of tragic world events on this local community and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* the memorial's striking triumphal arch-style, shrine design, and the flanking shelter pavilions with their more domestic classical treatment, provide an impressive arcing ensemble at the western end of the garden.

Group value:

* they have strong group value with the other structures in Ilkley Memorial Gardens, including the First World War memorial and gate piers, gates, railings and steps (all recommended for listing at Grade II), and with the garden itself, which is being separately recommended for registration at grade II.

External Links

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