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Memorial to war dead is stolen

25/ 4/2008

MOVES are being made to replace a stolen bronze plaque in memory of World War Two heroes.

The memorial, commemorating the lives of 27 staff from the Ferguson Palin engineering firm in Openshaw, was recently wrenched from the wall of Philips Park visitor centre.

Locals and historians fear it could be melted down and lost forever and are pleading for its safe return.

Now the city council say they will seek out funding for a replacement if the original is not found.

The plaque was only moved to Philips Park last November from Debdale Park in Gorton after a campaign by historians from across Greater Manchester who thought it would be safer there.

The plaque was commissioned by bosses at Ferguson Palin, which made electrical substations, and first put up the company headquarters in Buckley Street, Openshaw, in 1949.

It lists all those who died, beneath the inscription: "This tablet is erected in grateful memory of employees of the company who made the supreme sacrifice in the World War 1939 - 1945."

When the company was sold in the 1950s the plaque was salvaged and fastened to a slab of concrete at Debdale.

It was stolen sometime over the weekend of 12-13 April.

Former Ferguson Palin employee Trevor Williams, 73, rang round scrap merchants across Greater Manchester to alert them to the theft.

He said: "All the former employees of Ferguson Palin were delighted that the plaque was being placed somewhere where we thought it would be safe - and now it's gone.

"My greatest fear is that it will be melted down and lost forever."

Historian Albert Leach said: "It is just disgraceful to defile the memory of those men who died for their country by stealing this plaque.

"I was among a group of local historians who campaigned to have this plaque placed on the side of the Philips Park visitor centre last year.

"Items like this are an integral part of Manchester's history and I hope that whoever stole it will now hand it in."

Anyone with information about the plaque can call police on 0161 872 5050 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.