Peterborough War Memorial Rethink Along Traditional Lines

Peterborough War Memorial Rethink Along Traditional Lines

PFNW attended along with over 60 citizens of the City of Peterborough, (many representing a diverse number of voluntary and ex-services organisations, families and individual members of the public) wanting to put their own point of view to the Peterborough War Memorial Steering Committee. The meeting was appropriately held in St Johns Church, Church Street on Monday July 4th. The chosen shortlisted designs were shown to the assembled audience to seek approval for one or more of the submissions.

It quickly became clear that none of the designs, all essentially a variation on a theme involving a pyramid core structure had found any approval or in the words of one commentator 'commanded respect.' It was explained that the existing War Memorial situated to the front of the Cathederal, had already been carefully examined by a structural engineer who declared that because of the metal core linking the various elements of the structure together, to move it would cause a great deal of damage, damage that could not be easily repaired.    >>>>>>>>>>>

So the decision was taken to leave it exactly where it is in the care of the cathedral staff and where individuals and relatives of the fallen could continue to engage in quiet contemplation. A new monument would be sited at the front of the Town Hall, so services and parades could be held and members of the public could gain access to the memorial.

The new site also presented problems as central Peterborough has a complex subterranian network of cables, water mains, drains, gas pipes, fibre optic installations, all requiring periodic access and obligatory holes to be dug at irregular intervals in the pavement or road.

After a short slide presentation, an open forum was declared and after a slow start, the comments and advice from the floor quickly became a stream of lucid but clear advice to the committee.

The selected designs were just not appropriate 'didn't command respect', 'didn't feel right','something more traditional' seemingly a setback but in reality a great leap forward, as almost reluctantly five more designs were produced by a Royal British Legion representative, drawn not by an award winning architect, sculptor or designer but a simple rendition of traditional but slightly updated outlines by a monumental mason.

Perhaps this is the missing piece of the jigsaw the committee was seeking all along? The audience immediately warmed to the late produced designs and of the five, two were selected, one with a representation of a maltese style cross at the apex, the other just a classic recognisable monument with a clean traditional design shape.

The material to be used would be granite and armed with the new designs, they will be worked up for another round of consultation and hopefully an installation in 2012. It is also hoped that the traditional design would release some donations which had until now been held back due to the controversial nature of the orignal offering. Chair of the steering group Cllr Irene Walsh declard the evening to be a " useful exercise" and expressed a determination to "get it right."

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