Group around War Memorial

Thatcham War Memorial receives a Face-Lift

The 105-year-old community war memorial located on the Bath Road in Thatcham was recently given a facelift. The Memorial was relocated to its present site from Thatcham Broadway in the 1960’s and is now cared for by Thatcham Memorial Foundation – a peculiarity as most community memorials are the responsibility of the local council or church.

The works were undertaken by Simon Gibbins of Infinite Memorial Maintenance based in Basingstoke. First the memorial was bathed in a solution of Mr Gibbins special recipe and shortly afterwards decades of grime and pollution from the neighbouring main road began to lift. After a few coats of the solution and gentle rubbing of those harder areas the tribute to Thatcham’s Fallen revealed itself for the first time in decades. The works were completed with all of engraved named getting a lick of black gloss.

Trustees and veterans gathered on Thursday 24th October to inspect the work with craftsman Mr Gibbins.

“it looks amazing, its positively glowing now, and who would have thought it was really that colour. I am so pleased that the works were completed in time for Remembrancetide, and it will shine on November 10th at the Parade” remarked Ian Borland BEM, Vice Chairman of the Thatcham Branch of The Royal British Legion.

Thatcham’s War Memorial takes the from of a wayside cross designed by Sir Charles Nicholson and completed in Doulting Stone, this comes from a small quarry in the Mendip Hills, Somerset; the first Doulting Quarry was believed to be opened by the Romans and is argued to have supplied material for the bathing complex in Bath Spa. The stone is characterised by its warm honey-butter colour. This Jurassic oolite has been rarely used since the 1950’s due to its high level of water absorption and porosity. After the sandstone panels had begun to erode and a crack appeared to the main cross substantial repair works were undertaken in 1990, at this time Karin Grey Granite was chosen, and the two materials can now clearly be seen.

Chairman of the Foundation, Mr Nathan Gregory commented “It has been a long process identifying the material of the structure and the most sympathetic was to restore the War Memorial, we are grateful to Simon’s expertise and his work really has shown the monument in a different light. It is rather harrowing we now see the memorial as it was seen in 1920 when it was unveiled by the mothers, widows and daughters of those men who’s sacrifice it commemorates.” The works costing £800 were solely funded by Thatcham Memorial Foundation through its fundraising activities.