Monument

Reginald Brabazon, 12th Earl Meath

Erection date: 1934

Inscription

{On the south face, below the portrait:}
Vota vita mea
Reginald Brabazon, 12th Earl Meath, KP, 1841 - 1929, patriot and philanthropist.
{The Latin translates as "My vows/prayers are my life".}

{On the west face:}
Duty, sympathy, self-sacrifice

{on the north face:}
To him the British Empire was a goodly heritage to be fashioned unto a city of God.

{On the east face:}
One King, one Empire, Empire Day

The memorial was designed by Hermon Cawthra RA and unveiled in 1934. It is grade II listed.
A City of Westminster information plaque on the ground at the centre of the traffic island provides biographical information about Lord Meath (look under Subjects Commemorated for this), but does not explain the emphasis on the British Empire inscribed on the faces of the memorial. We learn elsewhere that in 1903 Reginald Brabazon created Empire Day, cleverly designed to coincide with Queen Victoria's birthday, on May 24. In 1958 it was renamed Commonwealth Day.

Site: Meath Memorial (1 memorial)

W2, Lancaster Gate

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Reginald Brabazon, 12th Earl Meath

Subjects commemorated i

Empire Day

Created by Reginald Brabazon, cleverly designed to coincide with Queen Victor...

Read More

Reginald Brabazon, 12th Earl Meath, KP

Born near Belgrave Square. The Earl of Meath was actively engaged in social a...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Reginald Brabazon, 12th Earl Meath

Created by i

Joseph Hermon Cawthra

Other work in London includes: the Mother and Child in Bishop's Park, Hammers...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

St John's Hyde Park WW1 Memorial

St John's Hyde Park WW1 Memorial

W2, Hyde Park Crescent, St John's Hyde Park

We took our photos on 25 November.

War dead | WW1
31 subjects commemorated
WW1 memorial cross - from St John's

WW1 memorial cross - from St John's

SW1, Hobart Place, St Peter's Church, Knightsbridge Kindergarten

The cross looks as if the church was designed to hold it, but no. St Peters was built 1824-27 and this section, by Sir Arthur Blomfield, ...

4 subjects commemorated
WW1 Memorial at St John's Waterloo

WW1 Memorial at St John's Waterloo

SE1, Waterloo Road, St John the Evangelist

Unusually this memorial commemorates two quite separate groups of WW1 dead: patients of the local temporary war hospital, and the parishi...

War dead | WW1
54 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Holy Trinity war memorial - WW1 + WW2

Holy Trinity war memorial - WW1 + WW2

N4, Granville Road, Holy Trinity church garden

See our page for the WW1 memorial to which this unusual tablet is affixed for an explanation.

2 subjects commemorated
Westminster School - old boys fallen in Crimean War & Indian Rebellion

Westminster School - old boys fallen in Crimean War & Indian Rebellion

SW1, Broad Sanctuary

The inscription was written by the Rev. T. W. Weare, Under-Master of Westminster 1841-1861. Our information comes from Westminster Abbey...

War dead | Other war
22 subjects commemorated, 3 creators