The Mitcham War Memorial on Lower Green West was cleaned in 1962.

The contract for the cleaning was awarded to Neonore Stone Cleaning Co. Two extra inscription panels were added during this work.

On the fifth plinth step:

AND
TO THE MEMORY
OF THE MEN, WOMEN
AND CHILDREN OF MITCHAM
WHO LOST THEIR LIVES
IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR
1939 – 1945

and between the fourth and fifth plinth steps

AND THOSE KILLED
IN OTHER CONFLICTS

From the Mitcham News & Mercury

10th August 1962 : Face-lift for war memorial

MITCHAM’S 40-year-old First World War Memorial is to have a face lift.

In their 1962 estimates Mitcham Council have put aside ” a certain amount of money ” for the restoration of the memorial, which has been affected by the weather.

According to the borough engineers’ department the face-lift is expected to take place some time during October.

Since the memorial was built in the early 1920’s many of the names and inscriptions have faded—some have been worn completely away—and now the local council feel it is time for a restoration.

A spokesman for the borough engineers’ department said this week: ” The memorial is quite weather-beaten and we are planning to re-cut the names and inscriptions.”

17th August 1962 : Weather erases names

MITCHAM COUNCIL have had quite a job deciphering the names on the First World War Memorial at Lower Green West, near the fire station.

During the 40 years the memorial has been standing it has taken quite a beating from the weather so that now most names can hardly be read. A spokesman for the borough engineer’s department said that it was the initials causing the most bother. Same of them had worn off completely. A list of the names has been taken off the memorial which will be cleaned and smoothed so that the names can be recut. The council hope to have the work completed before Armistice Day on November 11.

10th October 1962 : £118 bill for memorial work

The restoration of the war memorial, Lower Green, Mitcham, is to cost Mitcham Council £118 plus 1s. 2d. for the re-cutting of each letter.

It has also been decided by the council to incorporate suitable wordings with the restoration work so that the memorial shall also serve for those who died in World War II.

Until now the memorial has been solely for the First World War.

Adjusted for inflation, £118 in 1962 is around £2,400 in 2016 values. The number of letters re-cut is not known as no records were kept of this work. Adjusted for inflation, each letter at one shilling and twopence is around £1.20 in 2016.

From the minutes of the Corporation of Mitcham Volume 22 1962 to 1963

Finance Report 25th September 1962 page 295

Resolved –
War Memorial, Lower Green –

(i) That the quotation of the Neonore Stone Cleaning Co., in the sum of £118, plus 1s. 2d. for the re-cutting of each letter, be accepted; and

(ii) That, while the restoration of the War Memorial is in progress, the Borough Engineer be authorised, in consultation with the Chairman and Town Clerk, to incorporate suitable additional writing to those that died in World War II.

Finance Report 15th January 1963, page 634

War Memorial, Lower Green – The Borough Engineer submitted the following report:-

11th January, 1963

To the Chairman and Members of the Finance, Rating and Valuation Committee
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen,

War Memorial, Lower Green

I have to report that the cost of providing an additional tablet referring to the dead of the second world war is £28.

Yours obediently,
J. W. Turner,
Borough Engineer and Surveyor.
Resolved, That the report be received.

Minutes of meetings held by the Mitcham Borough Council are available on request from the Merton Heritage and Local Studies Centre at Morden Library.