Work on St Helier First World War memorial gets under way

Work on St Helier First World War memorial gets under way

Hoardings are now in place around a section of Parade Gardens where the memorial, which will feature the names of the fallen, will be installed.

The design of the memorial, being built where the former St Helier substation stood, was chosen following a public competition.

Siobhann Macleod’s concept of two low monoliths, one in concrete and the other in Corten steel, featuring the names of those who died as well as quotes from letters from the time, was the winning design.

A total of £250,000 – which came from the parish’s sale of a section of Westmount Gardens to Jersey Electricity for their new substation – has been allocated for the project.

It is hoped that the memorial – which will be lit at night – will be completed in time for Remembrance Sunday on 11 November.

St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft said the idea for the memorial came after he and local historian Ian Ronayne discussed the fact that St Helier was the only parish not to have a tribute to the parishioners who had died during the war.

‘It does fill a gap in remembrance in regards to the First World War,’ he added.

‘St Helier gave the greatest number of its residents to the conflict so it has been important to the parish to achieve this.

‘At the same time it helps achieve another aim – to restore the view across the Parade Gardens with the removal of the ugly pagoda which concealed a substation. The war memorial will make the gardens look
better and links closely to the Cenotaph, which remembers all who have died during conflict.’

– Advertisement –
– Advertisement –