Home » Themes » Conflict » World War One
Merewether Memorial GatesPrint Page 
The gates were erected to commemorate those from the district who served in World War One. The gates were restored and re-opened in 2012.
The ceremony of unveiling the Merewether Memorial Gates was performed on Saturday afternoon in the presence of a large gathering of the public, and in pleasant weather. A detachment of Naval Reservists and a squad of cadets formed a guard of honour in front of the gates, which form the principal entrance to Mitchell Park. They are hung on four massive stone pillars, the names of the soldiers who enlisted from Merewether being worked into the granite slabs on the front of these. On the top of the two larger central pillars are set two marble busts, representing a sailor and a soldier, while the smaller pillars are surmounted with spherical caps, also of marble.
Alderman R. Wells, president of the committee, who presided, said that the gates were erected by the citizens in commemoratlon of the service and sacrifice of the men who fought and fell in the war. Of the 322 men who enlisted 44 had given their lives for the cause of freedom. It was about two and a half years since the movement was initiated, and with the exception of six months during the influenza epidemic in 1919, the committee had met fortnightly. The result of the effort was that a memorial had been erected that would stand as an everlasting tribute to their soldiers. The cost of this was between £400 and £700, and practically all of the money required had been raised.
In unveiling the memorial Brigadler General Paton said he was pleased to be present to take part in the ceremony, because it represented the tangible efforts of the people of the municipality to show their gratitude and appreciation of those who in the Empire's direct trouble, went forth to battle. The memorial was designed by Mr. G. Turner, of Merewether, and erected by Messrs. Pickles and Brougham, of Hamilton. Among the wreaths hung on the gates were three from the proprietors of Newcastle A Colliery, in memory of Privates G. Ruddy, G. M'Leod, and T. Allanson, former employees of the company of its Glebe mine.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW),
14 March 1921.
Location
| Address: | Mitchell Street , Mitchell Park, Merewether, 2291 |
|---|---|
| State: | NSW |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -32.942981 Long: 151.755467 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Gates |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Conflict |
| Sub-Theme: | WW1 |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 04-August-1914 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 28-June-1919 |
| Designer: | G. F. Turner (Merewether, NSW) |
| Monument Manufacturer: | Pickles & Brougham (Hamilton, NSW) |
| Link: | http://www.warmemorialsregister.nsw… |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Saturday 12th March, 1921 |
|---|
(Outer Pillar)
[ Names ]
1914
(Inner Pillar)
[ Names ]
Plaque :
Erected By The Citizens Of Merewether,
In Commemoration Of The Services And
Sacrifices Of The Men Who Fought And
Fell In The World's Greatest War.
____________
War Declared 4th August 1914.
Armistice Signed 11th November 1918
Peace Declared 28th June 1919.
(Outer Pillar)
[ Names ]
1919
(Inner Pillar)
[ Names ]
Plaque :
This Memorial Was Unveiled By
Brig. Gen J. Paton C.B. C.M.G. V.D.
On The 12th March 1921.
Ald R. Wells Esq President, W. R. Adamson Esq Secretary,
Ald J. Campbell Esq Treasurer, G.F. Turner Esq Architect.
Merewether Memorial Gates
The project to restore this memorial which was opened on 12 March 1921 and replicate the original gates was an initiative of the Merewether RSL Sub-Branch.
The project was managed by staff from the City of Newcastle.
These gates were re-opened by
The Lord Mayor of Newcastle,
Councillor John S Tate
and
The President of Merewether RSL Sub-branch,
Mr P J Winney, JP
on 25 April 2012
