Historic War Memorial Relocated to Dudley Council House
A significant piece of local history has found a new and permanent home within Dudley's civic heart. A commemorative plaque honouring fifty-three former pupils of a borough school who lost their lives during the First World War has been installed in a prominent position at Dudley Council House.
Campaign Secures Memorial's Future
The historic plaque was originally situated at the former Sir Gilbert Claughton School on Blowers Green Road in Dudley. Its relocation to the Council House is the direct result of a dedicated campaign spearheaded by local historian John Hale, who championed the need for the memorial to be publicly accessible and respectfully displayed.
"I am delighted to see this war memorial restored and placed back on public display," said Mr Hale. "The 53 former pupils named on the plaque served their country and paid the ultimate price. Although many are buried far from home, they remain lost sons of the borough of Dudley, and it is only right that they are remembered here more than a century later."
A School's Legacy and the Plaque's Journey
The school itself has a rich history, having opened in 1904 as the Dudley Upper Standard School. It underwent several name changes before being named after Worcestershire-born businessman and politician Sir Gilbert Claughton in 1957, becoming the Sir Gilbert Claughton Grammar Technical School. The institution closed its doors as a school in 1990.
The building was subsequently used by the council as The Claughton Centre before falling vacant and into disrepair. After being sold for development in 2019, it was severely damaged by an arson attack the following year. The memorial plaque, originally unveiled on the school campus in 1921, had been in storage since the school's closure, awaiting a suitable new home.
Cross-Party Support for the Relocation
The plan to relocate the plaque received strong backing from St Thomas's ward councillors Shaukat Ali, Adeela Qayyum, and Shazna Azad. In a joint statement, the councillors expressed their pride in supporting the campaign.
"We are proud to have supported this campaign," they stated. "It was important that the memorial was placed in a prominent position so the contribution of these former pupils from our ward is properly recognised at the heart of civic life."
The installation at the Council House ensures that the sacrifice of these local men is honoured and remembered by the community for generations to come, securing their place in Dudley's enduring historical narrative.
