Summary of Building
War memorial commemorating the service of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in the Great War.
Reasons for Designation
The Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Trophy is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
- Architectural Interest - a well-crafted and distinctive example of a memorial to the fallen of the First World War deploying maritime emblems such as a ship's bell.
- Historical Significance - the monument has strong historic and cultural significance, on both a local and national scale.
History
The memorial was conceived by Captain Roberts-Wray, and his drawings were worked out by the architect, Mr JA Hale. Mr RH Hawkins was the sculptor, and Mr Philip Roffey carried out the constructional work. All of the above served at the Crystal Palace. It was unveiled by His Highness the Prince of Wales KG on 6 June 1931 and commemorates the service of Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) officers and men in the Great War. These include the 125,000 personnel who were trained at 'HMS Victory VI', a shore station which was located in the Crystal Palace building and grounds between 1914 and 1918. The memorial was damaged during World War II but restored in 1955. It was vandalised in the mid-1970s and consequently, in 1992, it was moved from its original site at HMS Victory Quarterdeck to its current location and restored.
Two dedicatory panels have been removed from the railings. One read:
R.N.V.R Memorial Trophy
This Trophy was unveiled on the 6th June
1931 by H.R.H. the Prince of Wales K.G.
to commemorate the service of R.N.V.R.
Officers and men in the Great War
including 125,000 Officers and men who
were trained for all branches of the
Royal Navy at the Training Depot. HMS
Victory VI at the Crystal Palace 1914-1918.
The trophy was damaged during the
1935-1945 War and was restored in 1955
through the generosity of past and
present members of the R.N.V.R. and
their friends.
The second read:
R.N.V.R. Memorial Trophy
This trophy was damaged again in the mid
1970's [sic] and moved from the site of HMS
Victory VI Quarterdeck to it's [sic] present site.
In 1992 the Trophy was restored through
the generosity of the Old Hands of the
R.N.R. and their friends. It was rededicated
on the 6th June 1992 in the presence of
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Leach G.C.B.
to commemorate all men and women past
and present of the Royal Naval Reserve Forces.
If I should die, think only this of me; that there's some corner of a foreign field
that is forever England. There shall be in that rich earth, a richer dust
concealed. A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware, gave, once, her
flowers to love, her ways to roam, a body of England's, breathing English air,
washed by the rivers
blessed by the suns of home.
Rupert Brooke, SUB LT. R.N.V.R.
By 2000, the medallion, anchors and banner had also been removed from the table. The banner read:
This trophy
was unveiled by
his Royal Highness
the Prince of Wales KG
on the 6th June 1931
to commemorate the service of RNVR Officers, and Men in the Great War.
Details
The structure is of two parts: a hipped-roofed, timber-framed open-sided pavilion and within, a table and a memorial ship's bell. The ship's bell is supported by two large upturned dolphins with swirling tails, standing on a table that has angled legs carved in the form of rope. A bronze medallion depicting a ship in full sail was mounted on the front face of the table and flanked by two anchors but these elements have been removed, along with a banner mounted below the medallion.
The timber pavilion has a concrete platform, three square wooden posts to each corner, and a steeply-hipped slate roof with exposed square cut rafter feet. A series of iron bollards, linked by rope, surrounds the pavilion platform and railings enclose the whole monument, including a surrounding flowerbed. Two inscription panels were originally fixed to the railings, but both of these are missing.