A square base surmounted by a plinth and obelisk. Dedicatory marble tablets are placed on the sides of the plinth.
Inscription -
Face 1: THIS MONUMENT WAS ERECTED BY THE INHABITANTS OF BEESTON TO PERPETUATE THE MEMORY OF THOSE WHO LEFT THIS VILLAGE TO SERVE THEIR COUNTRY AND DIED IN THE DISCHARGE OF THEIR DUTY IN THE CRIMEAN WAR
Face 2: SERGEANT W. JOWETT,/ ROYAL FUSILIERS. ENLISTED/ JANUARY 8TH 1847/ FOUGHT AT ALMA, INKERMAN/ TWICE AT THE/ REDAN BATTERY, WHERE HE/ WAS STRUCK BY A SHELL/ SEPT 8TH 1855 WHICH/ NECESSITATED AMPUTATION/ OF THE RIGHT LEG AND/ DIED FROM ITS EFFECTS AT/ PLYMOUTH HOSPITAL/ OCT 11TH 1856/ AGED 26 YEARS
Face 3: PRIVATE JOHN LEES/ 17TH LANCERS,/ ENLISTED APRIL 26TH 1846/ AND WAS SLAIN IN THE/ CAVALRY CHARGE AT/ BALACLAVA,/ OCTOBER 23RD 1854/ AGED 30 YEARS./ PRIVATE THOMAS/ TOULSON,/ 17TH LANCERS./ ENLISTED APRIL 26TH 1846,/ WAS IN THE CHARGE AT/ BALACLAVA,/ AND DIED OF DIARRHOEA AT/ SCUTARI HOSPITAL,/ DECEMBER 15TH 1854/ AGED 32 YEARS.
Face 4: PRIVATE JOSEPH/ OLDHAM,/ 95TH REGIMENT./ ENLISTED SEPTEMBER 1840./ FOUGHT AT/ ALMA AND INKERMAN,/ AND DIED OF DIARRHOEA AT SCUTARI HOSPITAL,/ DECEMBER 17TH 1854./ AGED 31 YEARS/ "NO FARTHER SEEK THEIR/ MERITS TO DISCLOSURE OR/ DRAIN THEIR FRAILTIES FROM/ THEIR DREAD ABODE"/ D. A. CHALL/ BEESTON/ JUNE 1857
"In the Churchyard at Beeston, by the path near to the Church Street entrance, stands a memorial to the men from the village who died in the Crimean War. Memorials to that war are very unusual and this one at Beeston is almost unique in terms of its format and for a community of this size. Elsewhere, there are larger scale memorials in more urban centres - notably in London, Sheffield, Southsea and at Bath Abbey - several regimental memorials, some at public schools and other institutions, personal memorials, several commemorative windows - including one in St Marys, Nottingham - and plaques and stones inside churches - such as the remembrance stone at North Collingham, Nottinghamshire. But, only the memorial at Southam, Warwickshire, another at Holywell in Wales and one at Balmaclellan, Scotland appear to be outdoor memorials of a similar format and on the same scale in a community of a similar size to Beeston.
Sergeant William Jowett, the son of Enoch and Jane Jowett, was born at Breaston, Derbyshire on 9th January 1830. When he was about five, his parents moved with their family to Beeston seeking work in the lace trade. When he was 12, his mother died leaving his father with seven children. Two years later he married again and, five further children were added to his family. After a typically unhappy experience as a child worker in the lace trade, and not wishing to be burden on the family, he set off from Beeston to seek other opportunities and soon settled for a career in the Army, enlisting on January 8th 1847.
The story of William's early life, his diary and letters written by him while serving in the Crimean and during his time in hospital after being wounded, were published in his memory after his death. They tell the moving story of a hard-working. thoughtful, devout and loyal young man who maintained his spirit and courage despite the deplorable conditions he found himself in at the Crimea. He fought courageously at Alma, Inkerman and twice at the Redan Battery before being struck by a shell on September 8th 1855 which necessitated the amputation of his right leg. Despite being brought home to England, he died - maintaining his courage to the end - at Plymouth Hospital on October 11th 1856, aged 26 years
Private John Lees, born about 1824, appears to have been the son of James, a boatman, and Hannah, his wife who lived on Church Lane, Beeston. In 1841 he was a brickyard worker but enlisted in the Army on 26 April 1846. As a private in the 17th Lancers, he took part in the famous cavalry charge at Balaclava and was killed in action, aged 30 years. Although the memorial gives the date as October 23rd 1854, the more likely date was two days later when the famous charge of the Light Brigade - which included the 17th Lancers - took place.
Private Joseph Oldham, was born about 1823, the son of Samuel, a framework knitter, and his wife Mary who were living on the Turnpike at Beeston in 1841. No doubt determined to escape the relative poverty of framework knitting, he enlisted in September 1840. He fought with the 95th Regiment at Alma and Inkeman and died "of diarrhoea" - no doubt, the ever present dysentery - at Scutari Hospital on December 17th 1854, aged 31 years
Private Thomas Toulson, was the son of Joseph Toulson, a framework knitter and Elizabeth (née Clifford), his wife of Nether Street, Beeston. He was born about 1822 and enlisted on April 26 1846. With the 17th Lancers, he took part in and survived the charge at the Light Brigade at Balaclava but was another fatal victim of "diarrhoea" at Scutari Hospital on December 15th 1854, aged 32 years
There seems little doubt that the extreme circumstances of this war - rapidly relayed, for the first time, by war correspondents - must have had a profound effect on the population back in Beeston. But it was probably the account, written so vividly in his diary by William Jowett, that brought about a determination to erect this permanent memorial to its fallen sons. While, no doubt, some - not understanding - may be tempted to smile at the description of two of the deaths, those who do understand the men's bravery and dedication, despite the conditions and the squalor, understand the reality and the awfulness they suffered. This would have been the motivation of those who were determined to remember their dead. We hope sincerely that this account assists in the same understanding and proper recognition today, of those from Beeston who served and suffered in the Crimea.
This understanding of the suffering of those who fought and died would have been felt all the more by the presence amongst them of the one man from Beeston who returned from service in the Crimea, albeit severely wounded, and who was to live out a respected life as an Army pensioner in the village:
Robert Oldham, who was born at Beeston in about 1831, the son of John, a framework knitter and Hannah who were living in Poor Row, Beeston in 1841. After following his father's trade for a few years, Robert enlisted into the Coldstream Guards at Grantham on 19th September 1853, at the age of 22.
When he landed in the Crimea he was a "raw-un" or recruit, and one of the older soldiers thought he could impose on the young man from Nottinghamshire, so he stole Oldham’s rations, but, young as he was, Oldham could stick up for himself, and fought the thief for three hours until they were both black and blue. Col. Hoften coming on the scene stopped the fight, remarking "you have come out to fight for Queen and Country and not to kill each other."
He was to go on to fight at Alma, was present at Balaklava. Inkerman and Sebastopol, receiving the Crimean medal with four bars and the Turkish Medal. At Inkerman, that memorable "Soldiers’ Victory," - when "7,464 English troops and 8,219 French, or 15,683 in all, defeated the Russians completely, although they numbered 120,000" - Oldham was wounded three times, but he, with his comrades, fought on through attack and counter attack; it was a hand-to-hand fight, and "one of the most memorable feats of arms accomplished by British troops - taking rank with Agincourt. Plassey, or Waterloo".
Robert Oldham memorial On another occasion, during the assault on Sebastopol, the enemy attacked and were repulsed, the Coldstreams were so earnest in the attack that Oldham and some others pursued them into the streets of Sebastopol. As Oldham said, "If we had not been ordered to retire we should have taken the place."
On one occasion, when Florence Nightingale herself became ill while in the Crimea, Oldham was one of a party of six from the Coldstreams who carried her to Castle Hospital. Later in life he would recall her qualities, "She was a grand lady to us soldiers, a regular mother, so kind, so gentle, and we often wondered if she ever went to sleep, because she was always at work among the sick day and night. We were glad to hear of her recovery."
While serving in the trenches Oldham was severely wounded in the left foot which resulting in his discharge on a pension of 8d per day. He had served in the Army for 1 year 114 days.
On his return to Beeston, the inhabitants of Beeston presented him with an arm chair with a suitable inscription on a silver plate. He had been very lucky to return, for after the battle of lnkerman he was the only one left in his tent, and out of 500 who marched to meet the enemy only 32 men and three officers returned.
Robert married Jane Hufton in 1857 and together thay had ten children, all but one living into adulthood. He found work at the silk mill in the village.
In the last years of his life he lived at 29 Derby Street, Beeston and died on 17th March 1908. He was buried on Sunday 22nd March at Beeston General Cemetery with full military honours. The Bearer. Firing, and Bugle party was provided by the Robin Hood Rifles and the Beeston Humber Silver Band, under Mr. J. E. Irons, joined the funeral cortege and played the Dead March. The Rev. Rufus Jones officiated. His memorial (shown right) survives in Beeston Cemetery in memorial of this Beeston hero."
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