This memorial stands in the main quadrangle of Oxford University Press, which is situated on the corner of Walton Street and Great Clarendon Street.
It lists the 45 workers at the Press who were killed in the First World War. The memorial originally stood just inside the Great Gate of Oxford University Press (see postcard, left), facing eastwards towards its former main entrance in Walton Street.
By mid-1919 a decision had been made to commemorate the Oxford University Press war dead, and on 21st July 1919 the Dean of Christ Church conducted a memorial service in the Press Quadrangle.
Then in October 1919 the Food Production & Floral Show Committee of the Press resolved itself into a War Memorial Committee, and the unspent balance of £23 from the Christmas Comforts Fund became the nucleus of the War Memorial Fund; collections made in various the departments realized over £58; and a further £57 came in from the second Food Production & Floral Show.
Eventually the required sum of £176 was completed by a share of the proceeds of the Third Show.
The war memorial was unveiled by Admiral Sir Reginald Hall on Tuesday 5 October 1920, in the presence of many relatives and friends of the men commemorated, and the Revd W. E. Sherwood offered dedicatory prayers. The ceremony concluded with the singing of “Fight the good fight” and the sounding of the “Last Post”.
In November 1955 the war memorial was moved out of the way of the entrance to Oxford University Press from Walton Street. In November 2008 it was moved again, this time to its present more prominent position (below) at the other side of the quadrangle, and was rededicated by the Vicar of St Barnabas's Church, Jericho.
The front of the memorial has a general inscription, and the back is blank. The names of the dead are listed on the left and right sides, as shown below. The names of the dead of the Second World War were added at the end of the right-hand side.
For a very brief biography of all 356 men from the Press who served, including those who died, see War Record of the University Press, Oxford (OUP, 1923).
Many boys are listed on other war memorials: here is a key to the abbreviations below.
- AS: All Saints' Church (Highfield) war memorial, Headington
- BB: Balliol Boys' Club war memorial (relocated to Balliol Archives, former St Cross Church)
- CBS: Central Boys' School, Gloucester Green war memorial (relocated to Oxford Spires Academy)
- CStJ: Cowley St John war memorial, Ss Mary & John Church, Cowley Road
- HQ: Holy Trinity Church war memorial, Headington Quarry
- HT: Holy Trinity Church war memorial, St Ebbe's
- OH: St Andrew's Church war memorial in Old Headington
- NM: The New Marston village war memorial on the Marston Road
- StB: St Barnabas Church war memorial in Jericho, Oxford
- StF: St Frideswide Church, Osney
- StM: St Matthew's Church, Marlborough Road
- StP: St Paul's Church war memorial, Walton Street, Oxford (relocated to St Barnabas' Church in Jericho)
- StT: St Thomas the Martyr's Church war memorial in Becket Street, Oxford
Where possible the men's names have been linked to biographies.
Front side of memorial,
now facing west
[University of Oxford crest
with DOMINUS ILLUMINATIO MEA]
TO THE MEMORY
OF THE MEN FROM
THE OXFORD
UNIVERSITY PRESS
WHO DIED FOR
THEIR COUNTRY IN
THE GREAT WAR.
1914–1918
The memorial is made of Portland Stone.
|
Left side of memorial, CHARLES M. BARFOOT (CBS) |
|
|
Right side of the memorial, ALBERT W. RAWLINGS (StB) 1939–45 ALFRED A. ADAMS |
|
Oxford University Press War Memorial on the Database of the Imperial War Museums and on War Memorials Online This war memorial was awarded Grade II listed status on 1 June 2017: List entry Number 1447151 Oxford Journal Illustrated, 13 October 1920, p. 6: Photographs of Admiral Sir Reginald Hall For more information about the war memorial, see A photograph of a large crowd of people gathered around the War Memorial at the Oxford University Press Oxford University Press during WW1 A Publisher in Wartime (You-Tube) |
|
