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Western Road war memorials


Calvin72

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Western Road in Crookes has a World War One memorial plaque by the school and also has several trees planted in memorial to the local fallen. These trees are currently the subject of controversy between the council and campaign groups. Does anyone have any information or contemporary accounts of the planting of memorial trees? There appear to have been several other streets in the city where such memorials were planted too. Was it a cross city programme?

Many thanks.

 

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This situation has been going on now for quite a while. When the trees were planted motor traffic was virtually none existent and , I wonder, if the planters imagined the trees would still be around a century later and in a world as changed as is 2017?  Should they be removed then the trees must be replaced and wouldn't a memorial arboretum be suitable? I have to confess I haven't come across any other streets with memorial trees.

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Of the over 700 Sheffield War Memorials listed by the Imperial War Museum the following include trees...Their locations are:-  Meersbrook Park Primary School; Devonshire Green; Western Road; Weston Park;  Frecheville Community Centre; Tay St/Oxford St, Ecclesfield Park ;  the former Crookes Congregational Church,Springvale Rd; Cherry Tree Orphanage; Endcliffe Park and All Saints Church, Ringing low Road. Most are for WW1 or 2  and the one in Endcliffe Park consisting of American oaks is for the crew of the B17 which crashed there...killing all the crew.

I can see no pattern as to why trees were planted and certainly no suggestion of a City wide scheme.

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Heathfield Road at Frecheville has memorial tree's but has since had a proper War Memorial put in place to soldiers from the area, I'm not sure if the trees actually got taken down or if they still stand but you can see them on Google Street View going up the road from Birley Moor Road.

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An appeal was started in 2014 for a new memorial commemorating those Frecheville estate men who gave their lives. There is a  commemorative plaque for the trees which were re-dedicated with the names of those who had fallen.

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8 hours ago, Nathan J. Staniforth said:

Heathfield Road at Frecheville has memorial tree's

I never knew that, and im local to that area. Ive just had a look at them on Google street view and noticed the information board at junction with Churchdale Rd. I shall have a ride over there this week to see them.

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There doesn't seem to be much mention in the papers of memorial tree schemes, but here's an article about the Tay street planting that lysander mentioned:

58eb607e56c04_MemorialTreesTayStreet.png.154d2cf6509a3624940607c3873c4609.png

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