Memorial to Heroic Self-Sacrifice
Introduction alt=A long dark wooden structure. On the wall of the wooden structure, parallel rows of pale tiles are visible.Audio description of the memorial by Sir Nicholas KenyonThe '''Memorial to Heroic Self-Sacrifice''' is a public monument in Postman's Park in the City of London, commemorating ordinary people who died saving the lives of others and who might otherwise have been forgotten. It was first proposed by painter and sculptor George Frederic Watts in 1887, to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. The scheme was not accepted at that time, and in 1898 Watts was approached by Henry Gamble, vicar of St Botolph's Aldersgate church. Postman's Park was built on the church's former churchyard, and the church was at that time trying to raise funds to secure its future; Gamble felt that Watts's proposed memorial would raise the profile of the park. The memorial was unveiled in an unfinished state in 1900, consisting of a  wooden loggia designed by Ernest George, sheltering a wall with space for 120 ceramic memorial tiles to be designed and made by William De Morgan. At the time of opening, only four of the memorial tiles were in place. Watts died in 1904, and his widow Mary Watts took over the running of the project.In 1906, after making 24 memorial tablets for the project, William De Morgan abandoned the ceramics business to become a novelist, and the only ceramics firm able to manufacture appropriate further tiles was Royal Doulton. Dissatisfied with Royal Doulton's designs, and preoccupied with the management of the Watts Gallery and Watts Mortuary Chapel in Compton, Surrey, Mary Watts lost interest in the project. Work to complete it was sporadic and ceased altogether in 1931 with only 53 of the planned 120 tiles in place. In 2009, the Diocese of London consented to further additions to the memorial, and the first new tablet in 78 years was added. ''The Everyday Heroes of Postman’s Park'', a now discontinued mobile app, was published in 2013.It provided a detailed account of the fifty-four incidents commemorated on the Memorial when a visitor scanned its plaque with a handheld device.
Tablets alt=Memorial tablets arranged in three rows on a wall. Those in the centre are in the green and white Arts and Crafts Movement style, while those above and below are in the more recent design. There are empty rows above and below the three filled rows.The tablets are arranged in three rows, with 24 tablets to De Morgan's original design in the third, central, row, the 24 tablets added in 1908 directly below in the fourth row, and more recent additions above the original tiles in the second row. The first and fifth of the five rows remain empty.The first four tablets, designed and manufactured by De Morgan and installed in 1900, were each made from two large custom-made tiles. Nine further De Morgan tablets, installed in 1902, were made using standard tiles to reduce costs, and were the last tiles whose installation was overseen by Watts. Eleven more De Morgan tablets, along with T. H. Wren's memorial to Watts, were added in 1905, completing the central row of tablets.All 24 tablets of the fourth row, designed and manufactured by Royal Doulton, were added as a single batch in August 1908.A single Royal Doulton tablet to PC Alfred Smith was added in June 1919, followed in October 1930 by similar Royal Doulton tablets to three further police officers, and a replacement tablet with the correct details of the East Ham Sewage Works incident of 1895.A single tablet made by Fred Passenger in the original De Morgan style, honouring schoolboy Herbert Maconoghu, was added in April 1931 to fill the gap in the centre row left by the removal of the original, incorrect tablet to the victims of the East Ham Sewage Works incident. In 2009 a 54th tablet was added, in the style of the Royal Doulton tiles, to commemorate print technician Leigh Pitt, the first addition to the wall for 78 years. Unveiled Commemorates Date of death Row/Col Image Designer Inscription Notes  Thomas Griffin  3/A alt=A tablet formed of two large tiles, bordered by green flowers in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement William De Morgan Thomas GriffinFitters LabourerApril 12, 1899In a boiler explosion at a Battersea sugar refinery was fatally scalded in returning to search for his mate   Walter Peart,Harry Dean  3/B alt=A tablet formed of two large tiles, bordered by green flowers in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement William De Morgan Walter Peart, Driverand Harry Dean, Firemanof the Windsor Expresson July 18, 1898Whilst being scalded and burnt sacrificed their lives in saving the train   Mary Rogers  3/C alt=A tablet formed of two large tiles, bordered by green flowers in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement William De Morgan Mary RogersStewardess of the ''Stella''Mar 30 1899Self sacrificed by giving up her life belt and voluntarily going down in the sinking ship   George Stephen Funnell  3/D alt=A tablet formed of two large tiles, bordered by green flowers in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement William De Morgan George Stephen FunnellPolice ConstableDec 22 1899In a fire at the Elephant & Castle, Wick Road Hackney Wick, after rescuing two lives went back into the flames, saving a barmaid at the risk of his own life   Elizabeth Boxall  3/E alt=A tablet formed of six standard sized tiles, bordered by green flowers in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement William De Morgan Elizabeth BoxallAged 17 of Bethnal GreenWho died of injuries received in trying to save a child from a runaway horseJune 20, 1888   Herbert Peter Cazaly  3/F alt=A tablet formed of six standard sized tiles, bordered by green flowers in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement William De Morgan Herbert Peter CazalyStationer's clerkWho was drowned at Kew in endeavouring to save a man from drowningApril 21, 1889   Frederick Mills,A. Rutter,Robert Durant,F. D. Jones  2/H alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton Frederick Mills · A RutterRobert Durant & F D JonesWho lost their lives in bravely striving to save a comrade at the Sewage Pumping Works East HamJuly 1, 1895   Samuel Rabbeth  3/H alt=A tablet formed of six standard sized tiles, bordered by green flowers in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement William De Morgan Samuel RabbethMedical OfficerOf the Royal Free HospitalWho tried to save a child suffering from diphtheria at the cost of his own lifeOctober 26, 1884   Alice Ayres  3/Q alt=A tablet formed of six standard sized tiles, bordered by green flowers in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement William De Morgan Alice AyresDaughter of a bricklayer's labourerWho by intrepid conduct saved 3 children from a burning house in Union Street Borough at the cost of her own young lifeApril 24, 1885   John Cranmer Cambridge  3/R alt=A tablet formed of six standard sized tiles, bordered by green flowers in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement William De Morgan John Cranmer CambridgeAged 23 a clerk in the London County CouncilWho was drowned near Ostend whilst saving the life of a stranger and a foreignerAugust 8, 1901   G. Garnish  3/S alt=A tablet formed of six standard sized tiles, bordered by green flowers in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement William De Morgan G GarnishA young clergymanWho lost his life in endeavouring to rescue a stranger from drowning at PutneyJanuary 7, 1885   John Clinton  3/T alt=A tablet formed of six standard sized tiles, bordered by green flowers in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement William De Morgan John ClintonAged 10Who was drowned near London Bridge in trying to save a companion younger than himselfJuly 16, 1894   Joseph William Onslow  3/X alt=A tablet formed of six standard sized tiles, bordered by green flowers in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement William De Morgan Joseph William OnslowLighterman · Who was drowned at Wapping on May 5, 1885In trying to save a boy's life   David Selves  3/I alt=A tablet formed of six standard sized tiles, bordered by green flowers in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement William De Morgan David Selves aged 12Off Woolwich supported his drowning playfellow and sank with him clasped in his arms.September 12, 1886   William Goodrum  3/J alt=A tablet formed of six standard sized tiles, bordered by green flowers in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement William De Morgan William GoodrumSignalman · Aged 60Lost his life at Kingsland Road Bridge in saving a workman from death under the approaching train from KewFebruary 28, 1880   Mrs Yarman  3/K alt=A tablet formed of six standard sized tiles, bordered by green flowers in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement William De Morgan Mrs Yarman wife of George YarmanLabourer at BermondseyRefusing to be deterred from making three attempts to climb a burning staircase to save her aged motherDied of the effectsMarch 26, 1900   Alexander Stewart Brown  3/L alt=A tablet formed of six standard sized tiles, bordered by green flowers in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement William De Morgan Alexr Stewart Brownof BrockleyFellow of the Royal College of SurgeonsThough suffering from severe spinal injury the result of a recent accident died from his brave efforts to rescue a drowning man and to restore his lifeOctober 9, 1900   Richard Farris  3/M alt=A tablet formed of six standard sized tiles, bordered by green flowers in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement William De Morgan Richard Farris LabourerWas drowned in attempting to save a poor girl who had thrown herself into the canal at Globe Bridge PeckhamMay 20, 1878   George Lee  3/N alt=A tablet formed of six standard sized tiles, bordered by green flowers in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement William De Morgan George Lee FiremanAt a fire in ClerkenwellCarried an unconscious girl to the Escape falling six times and died of his injuriesJuly 26, 1876   William Drake  3/O alt=A tablet formed of six standard sized tiles, bordered by green flowers in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement William De Morgan William DrakeLost his life in averting a Serious Accident to a Lady in Hyde ParkApril 2, 1869Whose horses were unmanageable through the breaking of the carriage pole   Ellen Donovan  3/P alt=A tablet formed of six standard sized tiles, bordered by green flowers in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement William De Morgan Ellen Donovanof Lincoln CourtGreat Wild StreetRushed into a burning house to save a neighbours children and perished in the flamesJuly 28, 1873   Sarah Smith  3/U alt=A tablet formed of six standard sized tiles, bordered by green flowers in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement William De Morgan Sarah Smith pantomime artisteat Prince's TheatreDied of terrible injuries received when attempting in her inflammable dress to extinguish the flames which had enveloped her companionJanuary 24, 1863   Robert Wright  3/V alt=A tablet formed of six standard sized tiles, bordered by green flowers in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement William De Morgan Robert Wright Police Constableof CroydonEntered a burning house to save a woman knowing that there was petroleum stored in the cellar – an explosion took place and he was killedApril 30, 1893   Henry James Bristow  3/W alt=A tablet formed of six standard sized tiles, bordered by green flowers in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement William De Morgan Henry James BristowAged eight – at WalthamstowOn December 30, 1890 – saved his little sister's life by tearing off her flaming clothes but caught fire himself and died of burns and shock   George Frederic Watts  N/A alt=A dark terracotta relief of a man holding a long partly unrolled scroll T. H. Wren The Utmost for the Highest In memoriam George Frederic Watts, who desiring to honour heroic self-sacrifice placed these records here   Joseph Andrew Ford  4/A alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton Joseph Andrew FordAged 30 · Metropolitan Fire Brigade · Saved six persons from fire in Gray's Inn Road but in his last heroic act he was scorched to deathOct 7 1871   Amelia Kennedy  4/B alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton Amelia KennedyAged 19Died in trying to save her sister from their burning house in Edward's Lane Stoke Newington Oct 18 1871   Edmund Emery  4/C alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton Edmund Emery of 272 King's Road ChelseaPassengerLeapt from a Thames steamboat to rescue a child and was drownedJuly 31, 1874   William Donald  4/D alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton William Donald of Bayswater aged 19Railway clerkWas drowned in the Lea trying to save a lad from a dangerous entanglement of weedJuly 16, 1876   Frederick Alfred Croft  4/E alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton Frederick Alfred CroftInspector aged 31Saved a lunatic woman from suicide at Woolwich Arsenal station but was himself run over by the trainJan 11 1878   Harry Sisley  4/F alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton Harry Sisley of Kilburn aged 10Drowned in attempting to save his brother after he himself had just been rescuedMay 24, 1878   James Hewers  4/G alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton James HewersOn Sept 24 1878Was killed by a train at Richmond in the endeavour to save another man   George Blencowe  4/H alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton George BlencoweAged 16When a friend bathing in the Lea cried for help went to his rescue and was drownedSept 6 1880   Ernest Benning  4/I alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton Ernest BenningCompositor aged 22Upset from a boat one dark night off Pimlico PierGrasped an oar with one hand supporting a woman with the other but sank as she was rescuedAug 25 1883  Thomas Simpson  4/J alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton Thomas SimpsonDied of exhaustion after saving many lives from the breaking ice at Highgate PondsJan 25 1885  William Fisher  4/K alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton William FisherAged 9Lost his life on Rodney Road Walworth while trying to save his little brother from being run overJuly 12, 1886  George Frederick Simonds  4/L alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton George Frederick Simonds of IslingtonRushed into a burning house to save an aged widow and died of his injuriesDec 1 1886  Samuel Lowdell  4/M alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton Samuel LowdellBargemanDrowned when rescuing a boy at BlackfriarsFeb 25 1887He had saved two other lives  William Freer Lucas  4/N alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton William Freer LucasM.R.C.S. L.L.D. at Middlesex HospitalRisked poison for himself rather than lessen any chance of saving a child's life and diedOct 8th 1893  Edward Blake  4/O alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton Edward BlakeDrowned while skating at the Welsh Harp Waters Hendon in the attempt to rescue two unknown girlsFeb 5 1895  Edward Morris  4/P alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton Edward MorrisAged 10Bathing in the Grand Junction CanalSacrificed his life to help his sinking companionAug 2 1897  Godfrey Maule Nicholson,George Elliott,Robert Underhill  4/Q alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton Godfrey Maule NicholsonManager of a Stratford distilleryGeorge Elliott andRobert Underhill, workmenSuccessively went down a well to rescue comrades and were poisoned by gasJuly 12, 1901  Solomon Galaman  4/R alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton Solomon GalamanAged 11 died of injuriesSept 6 1901 after saving his little brother from being run over in Commercial Street"Mother I saved him but I could not save myself." James Bannister  4/S alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton James BannisterOf Bow aged 30Rushed over when an opposite shop caught fire and was suffocated in the attempt to save life Oct 14 1901  Elizabeth Coghlam  4/T alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton Elizabeth CoghlamAged 26Of Church Path Stoke NewingtonDied saving her family and house by carrying blazing paraffin to the yardJan 1 1902  Arthur Regelous,Alice Maud Denman  4/U alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton Arthur RegelousCarman ("Little Peter") aged 25 who withAlice Maud Denman aged 27Died in trying to save her children from a burning house in Bethnal Green April 20, 1902  Arthur Strange,Mark Tomlinson  4/V alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton Arthur StrangeCarman of London andMark TomlinsonOn a desperate venture to save two girls from a quicksand in Lincolnshire were themselves engulfedAug 25 1902  John Slade  4/W alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton John SladePrivate 4th Batt Royal Fusiliers of StepneyWhen his house caught fire saved one man and dashing upstairs to rouse others lost his lifeDec 26 1902  Daniel Pemberton  4/X alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton Daniel PembertonAged 61Foreman L.S.W.R.Surprised by a train when gauging the line hurled his mate out of the track saving his life at the cost of his ownJan 17 1903   Alfred Smith  2/A alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton Alfred SmithPolice ConstableWho was killed in an air raid while saving the lives of women and girlsJune 13, 1917   Harold Frank Ricketts  2/E alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton P.C. Harold Frank RickettsMetropolitan PoliceDrowned at Teignmouth whilst trying to rescue a boy bathing and seen to be in difficulty11 Sept 1916  Edward George Brown Greenoff  2/F alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton P.C. Edward George Brown GreenoffMetropolitan PoliceMany lives were saved by his devotion to duty at the terrible explosion at Silvertown19 Jan 1917  Percy Edwin Cook  2/G alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style Royal Doulton P.C. Percy Edwin CookMetropolitan PoliceVoluntarily descended high-tension chamber at Kensington to rescue two workmen overcome by poisonous gas7 Oct 1927  Herbert Maconoghu  3/G alt=A tablet formed of six standard sized tiles, bordered by green flowers in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement Fred Passenger Herbert MaconoghuSchool boy from Wimbledon aged 13His parents absent in India, lost his life in vainly trying to rescue his two school fellows who were drowned at Glovers Pool, Croyde, North DevonAugust 28, 1882   Leigh Pitt  2/B alt=A tablet formed of five tiles of varying sizes, bordered by yellow and blue flowers in an art nouveau style and decorated with two stylised fish Royal Doulton Leigh PittReprographic operatorAged 30, saved a drowning boy from the canal at Thamesmead, but sadly was unable to save himselfJune 7, 2007
In other media ''Monument'' (1980-81), a multimedia installation by the artist Susan Hiller, consists of enlarged photographic replicas of 41 tablets arranged into a new formation, and points towards the neglect and overlooked status of the Memorial at the time. Viewers are invited to sit on a park bench with their back to the photographs and listen on headphones to a soundtrack of the artist speaking on notions of death, memory and heroism. The soundtrack also includes a litany of the commemorated names, noting the time each spent ‘in the body’ versus time ‘as a representation’. ''Monument'' is considered a key work of British conceptual art of the period, and has been part of Tate’s collection since 1994.The tiles dedicated to Alice Ayres became a plot point in the 2004 film, ''Closer''.In 2010 Canadian band Woodpigeon (band) released the song 'An Entanglement of Weeds'on their BALLADEER / to all the guys i've loved before album. The song was inspired by the monument and references the story of David Selves.
Notes  Although the memorial had been designed with space for 120 tablets, the Watts Gallery had been hostile to plans to complete it beyond the 53 tablets existing at the time of Mary Watts's death, considering the monument in its unfinished state to be a symbol of the Watts's values and beliefs, and that its status as a historic record of its time is what made it of value. The last tablet made using custom tiles; subsequent tablets used standard  tiles to reduce costs. The original William De Morgan tile installed in 1902 incorrectly gave the location as West Ham rather than East Ham, and the date as 1885 instead of 1895.On 15 October 1930, the tablet was removed, and replaced by a tablet made by Royal Doulton that displayed the correct information. As the Royal Doulton tablets were in a different style to those of William De Morgan, the replacement tablet was installed in the second row alongside other Royal Doulton tiles. Rabbeth was a doctor at the Royal Free Hospital, treating a four-year-old diphtheria patient. The child was suffering an obstruction to the throat, which doctors were unable to clear, and Rabbeth put his own lips to the tracheotomy tube and sucked the obstruction free despite knowing that he would himself contract the disease as a result. Both Rabbeth and the child died. The case of Alice Ayres was the example cited by Watts when he first publicly proposed a memorial to ordinary heroes. The memorial tablet to Alice Ayres forms a key plot element in the 2004 film ''Closer''. The last of the tablets to be added in George Frederic Watts's lifetime The last tablet designed by William De Morgan, who in 1906 gave up the ceramic business to become a novelist Commissioned by Mary Watts and Henry Gamble, vicar of St Botolph's Aldersgate. Designed by T. H. Wren, a student of the school of arts and crafts established by Watts in Compton, Surrey. The plaque is situated on a central column, in the third row between the tablets to Alexander Stewart Brown and Richard Farris. The last tablet to be added from the list of names proposed by George Frederic Watts before his death Commissioned by Mary Watts from Fred Passenger, a former employee of De Morgan who had set up his own ceramics business using De Morgan designs, to fill the gap in the third row left by the removal of the original tablet to the victims of the East Ham Sewage Works accident. The last memorial to be installed in Mary Watts's lifetime. The exact date of installation is unknown. Leigh Pitt, a print technician from Surrey, had died on 7 June 2007 rescuing nine-year-old Harley Bagnall-Taylor, who was drowning in a canal in Thamesmead. His colleague Jane Shaka approached the Diocese of London to suggest that Pitt would make a suitable addition to the memorial, and despite previous opposition from the Watts Gallery to proposals to complete the memorial, on 11 June 2009 this tablet was added to the Memorial to Heroic Self-Sacrifice, the first new tablet added to the memorial since that of Herbert Maconoghu 78 years earlier.
References '''Citations''''''Bibliography'''*
External links *  The Everyday Heroes of Postman’s Park mobile app