Readers asked to solve mystery of war memorial plaque

A WAR memorial plaque discovered in the back garden of a home in Highgate is shrouded in mystery which Ham&High readers are being asked to shed some light on. Lucy Darwin, who lives in Wood Lane, contacted the War Memorial Trust after she discovered the m

A WAR memorial plaque discovered in the back garden of a home in Highgate is shrouded in mystery which Ham&High readers are being asked to shed some light on.

Lucy Darwin, who lives in Wood Lane, contacted the War Memorial Trust after she discovered the metal slab in her garden.

But the trust has been unable to find out the origin of the piece, which bears the inscription "in grateful memory of the men connected with our church congregation, brotherhood and school who answered the call of the country and of whom the following laid down their lives in our righteous cause".

This is followed by the names of 31 servicemen including E S Stanbridge from Hampstead and W A Steward from Kilburn.

In a letter to Mrs Darwin, the trust explained that after painstaking research they had not been able to trace the church where the plaque was originally placed - probably when it was created in the 1920s.

But a number of churches in north west London have since been closed down, demolished or re-developed over the years.

Mrs Darwin said: "The trust has worked hard and established the providence of some of the men but I would like to find out if anyone knows of the church where the memorial was placed. That would help to have it returned to the right place, or if necessary to a new home but in the right location."

o Do you know the origin of the war memorial or the men named on it? If so contact the Ham&High by emailing editorial@ hamhigh.co.uk or call the newsdesk on 020-7433 6217.