Summary

War memorial erected 1920 and moved to its present site in 2013.

Description

War memorial to postal workers, 1920.

MATERIALS: Portland stone.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial is in the form of an aedicule with Ionic columns and a broken semi-circular pediment. It frames a stone tablet inscribed with the names of 130 men. Within the tympanum is a gilt wreath and sword, inscribed within: ‘PRO PATRIA / ET LIBERTATE; a plaque beneath is inscribed: TO THE HONOURED MEMORY OF / OUR HEROIC COMRADES WHO FELL / IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1919. The base is inscribed: ‘SUBSCRIBED FOR AND ERECTED BY THEIR COLLEAGUES / OF THE WESTERN POSTAL DISTRICT / AS A LASTING TRIBUTE TO THEIR SELF-SACRIFICE’. The plinth has a metal plaque commemorating those lost in the Second World War, inscribed ‘1939-1945’ with the names of 56 men.

This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 16 February 2017.

History

The memorial, commemorating London’s Western District postal workers who fell in the First World War, was erected in 1920 at the Wimpole Street Post Office. Funds were raised from the staff of the district, and the memorial was unveiled on New Year’s Day, 1920.

When the post office closed in 1981 the memorial was moved to the delivery offices at Rathbone Place, and then, on its closure in 2013 to the sorting offices and postal museum at Mount Pleasant.

Reasons for Listing

The Mount Pleasant war memorial, 1920, is listed at Grade II, for the following principal reasons:

* Historic interest: the First and Second World Wars often had an extreme impact on particular communities; this memorial illustrates that impact on the Western Postal District ;
* Architectural interest: as a well-crafted memorial using good-quality materials of an elegant Classical design.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q27087658

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
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  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
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  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
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  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)