Memorial Title
Employees of Midland Railway Chemical Laboratory
Summary
Derbyshire War Memorials: a description of a war memorial plaque to the Employees of the Midland Railway Chemical Laboratory now mounted on Platform 1 of Derby Midland Railway Station.
Images
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Locations
| Last known location: Platform 1 Derby Midland Railway Station Railway Terrace Litchurch Derby |
Nearest postcode: DE1 2RU NGR: SK 36195 35638 ±5m |
Location details: On a brick wall near the northern end of platform 1. |
| Previous location: Caxton House RTC Business Park London Rd (A5194) Litchurch Derby |
Nearest postcode: DE24 8UP NGR: SK 36821 34744 (From online digital mapping) |
Location details: Caxton House is one of the buildings of the former British Rail Technical Centre. The memorial was stored there for a few months until it could be affixed at its new permanent location. |
| Previous location: Hartley House 500 London Rd (A5194) Litchurch Derby |
Nearest postcode: DE24 8BQ NGR: SK 36468 34870 (From online digital mapping) |
Location details: Hartley House had been the location of Scientifics Ltd, the privatised successor to the British Rail Scientific Section. The memorial had been mounted on a wall in the foyer. |
| Previous location: Midland Railway Chemical Laboratory (Demolished) Calvert St Litchurch Derby |
Nearest postcode: DE1 2RQ NGR: SK 36030 35659 (From online digital mapping) |
Location details: A new laboratory was developed on Calvert Street to replace the one at the Locomotive Works. It occupied the premises of the former Midland Electric Light Generating Station on the western side of Calvert St opposite the junction with Midland Place. The date of removal to those premises has not yet been established and it is not known which of the buildings originally housed the memorial. |
| Previous location: Chemical Laboratory (Demolished) Midland Railway Locomotive Works Railway Terrace Litchurch Derby |
Nearest postcode: DE24 8JE NGR: SK 36317 35610 (From online digital mapping) |
Location details: The works were next to Derby Midland Station, between Railway Terrace, London Rd and Deadmans La. The area now forms part of the Pride Park development and the site of the original chemical laboratory is on the northeastern side of the roundabout at the western end of Roundhouse Road where the gatehouse to the college was subsequently built. However, a new laboratory was established on Calvert St shortly after WW1 and it is not known which building originally housed the memorial. |
Type
| Overall type: Plaque. |
Overall condition: Good. The inscription is legible and the memorial is well cared for. |
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| Description: A nowy-headed cast bronze plaque on a wooden backboard. The plaque has a raised decorative border and a wyvern in relief in a roundel at the head. The incised inscription is in upright capital block lettering originally infilled in black but now lost. The names are in a single column. The wooden backboard has a moulded edge. |
Components:
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Inscription
| ROLL OF HONOUR OF MEN FROM THIS LABORATORY WHO SERVED IN H. M. FORCES DURING THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1918 |
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| F. ECCLESHALL J. W. GARDOM G. A. HAYNES E. HINKLEY + J. J. JOHNSON E. D. KNIGHTS E. C.LANCASTER W. A. P. MAYCOCK J. STUBBS |
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+ DIED IN THE SERVICE OF HIS COUNTRY CHEMICAL LABORATORY |
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Administration
Custodian: Presumed to be Scientifics Ltd (as successor to British Railways Scientific Section) who arranged for it to be mounted at the station which is owned by Network Rail and Managed by East Midland Trains.
Local authorities:
From WW1: Derby County Borough Council (Derby Corporation)
From 1974 to 1997: Derby District (later Borough and from 1977 City) Council and Derbyshire County Council.
From 1997: The unitary authority has been Derby City Council.
History
c1922: The memorial would have been procured by the workers of the Chemical Laboratory, probably represented by a small committee or designated representative.
c1922: The memorial is believed to have been installed in the Midland Railway Chemical Laboratory. The original laboratory was on the main site, just to the northwest of the roundhouse but it is believed that a newer laboratory was later developed in the premises of the former Midland Electric Light Generating Station on Calvert Street. It has not yet been established which of these originally housed the memorial.
1 January 1923: The Midland Railway became part of the London Midland and Scottish Railway and some subsequent reorganisation took place.
December 1935: A new London Midland and Scottish Railway Scientific Research Laboratory was opened on London Rd and later renamed Hartley House.
1 January 1948: The railway industry was nationalised and assets were transferred to British Railways. Further reorganisations took place subsequently.
1964: The Chemical Laboratory left the Calvert St premises and joined the other scientific sections in Hartley House. It is presumed that the memorial was transferred at that time. The Scientific Services Department subsequently became part of the Research Division of British Rail.
1994-1997: British Rail was privatised and the Scientific Section became Scientifics Ltd.
October 2010: Scientifics Ltd left Hartley House and it became vacant. The memorial was photographed there, probably by Geoff Todd, and it was in good condition.
2011-2012: Attempts to have Hartley House listed were unsuccessful.
November 2012: Hartley House was to be sold and the memorial was removed to Caxton House for secure storage pending the identification of a permanent site.
19th March, 2013: The memorial was recorded and photographed by Andy Savage and Roy Branson during its storage at Caxton House. It was in good condition.
Early November 2013: The memorial was installed on Platform 1 of the Midland Station.
13th November, 2013: The memorial was photographed on Platform 1 by Roy Branson. It was in good condition.
References
Derby Telegraph; 12th November 2013, pp5-6: A photograph of a cluster of memorials includes this one at the end.
Comments
The wyvern is a mythical winged serpent which forms the crest on the Midland Railway's armorial bearings and was widely used by the company as a badge.