The Restoration of the Memorial Boards

Following the closure of the school in 1985 the wherabouts of the boards memorialising those from the school who gave therir lives during the two world wars was unknown. Hal Giblin, Bill Carroll, Paul Spenley and David Evans have all played important parts in chasing these Boards and we are well on the way, thanks to the efforts of these fine gentlemen, to having them re-instated within the building.

Here's the story as reported by John Snelson:

"Liobian David Evans (L.I. 1948 - 1953) discovered the WW II memorials languishing in a junk shop which was a recognised Mecca for memorabilia collectors, especially publicans who sought alternative furnishings for their bars. David, who is the Secretary of the Liverpool Scottish Regimental Association, purchased them handed them over to the Liverpool Architectural and Design Trust. The memorials are held (March 2001) by the LADT, while they are being restored for eventual display at LIPA. It is not clear yet who is funding this restoration work.

Hal Giblin found the WW I memorial. Hal was the person who wrote the letter to The Times concerning the memorials in the junk shop, appeared on TV, and who had the initial discussion with LIPA for the re-installation of the Memorials. Hal has carried out the discussions with LIPA and with the Liverpool Corporation to have the WW I memorials restored, but has met with a lot of difficulties in achieving positive actions. As of July 2000, the position seemed to be that the First and Second War Memorials were in the one place - for the first time in many years. The Second Year ’name plates’ have been cleaned and are looking quite presentable.

How these memorials came to be in a junk shop, and who made any money from their removal from our school, has never been determined.

Well done David and Hal!"

The Tablets

The brass plaques list the names of Liobians who perished in the Army during the 4 year course of the war. The memorial was funded by the school's Old Boys in memory of the sacrifices made during the First (Great) War. Thw WW II plaques were added following an appeal to Old Boys to provide for a memorial to those Liobians who perished in any of the three services between 1939 and 1945.

With regards to Korea, a silence was sometimes called at the conclusion of Assembly in the early fifties for a Liobian who had been killed in Korea - often one who had been serving the two years obligatory National Service. The names of those who died during that conflict are not currently known to us.

The WW II tablets were dedicated at the Institute on Monday 21st May 1951 which Paul Spenley attended, as did his parents, as a family who had lost a near relative in the conflict.

The Liverpool Institute War Memorials situation as of April 2001, as reported by Bill Carroll:

"Dave Giblin, whose diligence resulted in the rescue of the WW2 memorial, and I met today at both the Liverpool Architectural and Design Trust and LIPA. Also present were John Coady of LIPA and Dave Halliwell, whose company, based at Seaforth, are experts in the field of restoration etc.

Both the WW I and WW II memorials are in the building. The brass plates listing the names of those killed in action have already been restored. Work has still to commence on the brass/bronze headers and surrounds, most, if not all, of which also appear to be present. The whole memorial is huge, about 10 square metres, and extremely heavy.

Before the end of April all constituent parts of the memorial will be transferred to Dave Halliwell’s company premises. There they will be laid out, an assessment made of the work still needed to be done to effect full restoration, and a budget figure produced for that work and the cost of re-erection at LIPA.

LIPA have made available for re-erection a wall of the original building in the atrium at the north west(Mount Street/ Pilgrim Street) corner of the building.

Dave Halliwell has offered his company’s services at cost only i.e. no profit will be taken, while a senior officer of the council has promised financial support from the council.

We will update, as appropriate.

Bill Carroll, 10th April 2001"

and the on 27th April:

"The War Memorials have now (April 27 2001) been succesfully transferred to the premises of Cadgrange Ltd, 38 Sandy Road, Seaforth. Hal Giblin and Bill Carroll held a meeting there with John Coady of LIPA and Jon Richardson, a senior education officer from the city council. Everything seems in order to complete restoration and re-instatement in the Mount Street building."

The memorials were re-dedicated at a special ceremony on 4th November 2001.