A historic war memorial at one of Liverpool's oldest cemeteries will not be ready in time for Remembrance Day. The monument at Anfield Cemetery has been closed off for months after deterioration meant it was deemed unsafe.
There had been hopes a redesigned memorial would be built to mark this year's Remembrance events after the levelling of the original landmark. The city council said it had hoped to complete renovations by this month.
New installation delayed until next summer
Now a new installation will not be completed until next summer, expected to coincide with the anniversary of the Blitz attack on Liverpool in May 1941. It is expected further work will continue throughout 2027.
Anfield Cemetery on Priory Road stretches over 110 acres with a French design, by Edward Kemp. Opened in 1863, the grade II listed cemetery has three chapels and entrances, designed by the Liverpool architects Lucy and Littler.
Back when it was known as the Liverpool Corporation, the city council built a Blitz memorial at a cost of £4,400 in 1951. It was proposed by Alderman Alfred Ernest Shennan, who also designed the Abbey Cinema in Wavertree.
Memorial's history and current state
When it was first built, the memorial read: “Erected by the citizens of Liverpool to the memory of all those who gave their lives during the attacks from the air upon the city whom five hundred and fifty four are buried in this communal grave 1939-1945.”
In 1949, city architect Dr Ronald Bradbury was instructed to invite tenders for the work which the Liverpool Daily Post said presented a problem. It said: “Existing conditions in the cemetery surrounding the communal grave, which is extremely long and narrow, limit the form the memorial can take.” The communal grave is 170 feet long and three feet wide.
The site remains cordoned off by fencing, with hardstanding and gravel all that remains of the former memorial. A Friends group working alongside the city council wants to restore the memorial to its rightful state.
Restoration plans and next steps
Friends of Anfield Cemetery helps to preserve the history around the site and the stories of those laid to rest within. Last year, Alan Sheldon, Liverpool Council head of bereavement services said around £50,000 would be spent to reimagine the site.
Mr Sheldon said there were also plans to line the memorial with poppies, a symbol of remembrance. It is understood around 370 of the bodies in the communal grave have been identified over time, with more than 100 unaccounted for.
Because of the nature of the damage over the last two decades, the memorial is to be replaced. Earlier this year, a Liverpool Council spokesperson said: “We will be starting work shortly, with ground works and landscaping taking place over the next few months. The aim is to have the memorial ready for commemorations this November. There has been an extensive lead in period due to the time taken to produce the granite memorial.”
The ECHO has now confirmed a target date has been set for May next year. A Liverpool Council spokesperson said the 86th anniversary commemorations of Luftwaffe attacks on the city would represent the most appropriate time to open the newly crafted memorial. The next stage will be installing paving in preparation of the final fixing of the memorials, and further work for installation next year.
