Monument | War dead | WW1, WW2

Crockett's Leathercloth Works war memorial

Inscription

{On the front:}
In memory of those who gave their lives for freedom, 1914 - 1919.
{list of 16 names}

{On the lower base, quite worn by the weather:}
This memorial was erected by the directors of the Leather Cloth Company Ltd in memory of those who fell fighting 1914 - 1919.

{On the back:}
In memory of those service and civilian employees who lost their lives, 1939 - 1945.
{list of 10 names}

{On both front and back the dates of both wars are given at the top and bottom of the pilasters, WW1 at the top, WW2 at the bottom.}

We hope you agree that it's a reasonable assumption that the people named on the monument worked for the Leather Cloth Company. Comte Robert de Lesseps is the first name on the monument (the others being in alphabetic sequence) so one would expect to find he was the owner, director or chairman - he certainly was not operating a machine, or hauling supplies. Kitwintt is ahead of us on this but their investigation has failed to find any connection between de Lesseps and the Leather Company. And the listing entry says that his "connection with the company is unclear." We asked our French consultant, John Hartley, to search the Gallic corner of the web but there also the only link between de Lesseps and Crocketts is this memorial. Bit of a mystery.

Site: Crockett's Leathercloth Works war memorial (1 memorial)

E15, Abbey Road

From Abbey Gardens we learn that the residential area to the north-east of this memorial is the Leather Gardens Estate. In 1725, a parish workhouse was built here. This was converted in 1850 to a Gutta Percha (Rubber) Works. 1947 aerial photo of the site. Then this was taken over by the Crocketts Leather Cloth Factory, which closed in the early 1960s. The area was then developed for housing.

This memorial originally stood within the factory premises, c100m to the north of its present position, on a triangle of lawn enclosed by railings. Here it was raised on two steps and a pavement, and included round stone balls at each corner of the pavement. When the factory was demolished the monument was moved here, what had been the southernmost part of the premises.

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Crockett's Leathercloth Works war memorial

Subjects commemorated i

World War 1

We'd always assumed that this war was known as the Great War until WW2 came a...

Read More

World War 2

Sorry, we've done no research on WW2, it's just too big a subject. But do vis...

Read More

Show all 28

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Crockett's Leathercloth Works war memorial

Created by i

Crocketts Leather Cloth Company Ltd

Odd that the monument does not use the name "Crocketts" but all the sources g...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Henry Fawcett

Henry Fawcett

WC2, Victoria Embankment Gardens

Bronze. The delightful dolphin spout is very similar to that at St Dunstan's. The initials H and F appear to either side of the dolphin.

1 subject commemorated, 3 creators
Liverpool Street Station restoration

Liverpool Street Station restoration

EC2, Liverpool Street, Liverpool Street Station

Unusually high quality plaque, for the date.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
24th London Division - memorial

24th London Division - memorial

SW11, East Carriage Drive, Battersea Park

These 3 figures are said to be modelled on the soldier poets: Robert Graves, Wilfred Owen, and Siegfried Sassoon but the carved faces are...

2 subjects commemorated, 2 creators
Royal Artillery Boer War memorial

Royal Artillery Boer War memorial

SW1, The Mall

Bronze statue depicts War being controlled by Peace. Unveiled by the Duke of Connaught. The pillars at each end carry bronze panels, a t...

3 subjects commemorated, 3 creators
11 Group Operations Room

11 Group Operations Room

UB10, RAF Uxbridge

Unveiled by Lord Dowding.

4 subjects commemorated, 2 creators