GKN War Memorial, Smethwick

Image: © Richard Law Taken: 20 May 2019

Erected in 1924, designed by the architects Osborn, Pemberton and White and sculpted in bronze by Albert Toft. On each side is a plaque commemorating the employees of the company's factories in the Midlands who did not survive WWI. Guest Keen and Nettlefolds was a large engineering and manufacturing business, which can trace a history back to the late 1750s in South Wales. However it really became established around 1900 as an iron & steel producer Guest, Keen & Co in Dowlais, South Wales. Soon after, they acquired the Nettlefolds business in Smethwick to form the backbone of GKN, and had factories around the country shipping out nuts, bolts, screws, fasteners and the like all over the world; it has since diversified into crankshafts, wheels, chassis & other automotive engineering & parts, aerospace, power and specialist metallurgy. This memorial has plaques to the employees in Heath Street, Kings Norton, Imperial Mills, Stour Valley, London and St Georges - a total of 112 men. It was Grade II listed https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101461776-guest-keen-and-nettlefolds-gkn-war-memorial-smethwick-ward#.XQ_gk-hKjcs & https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1461776 in Jan 2019, but sadly vandalised in 2018, when the soldier's rifle was removed, along with the medallions which were taken from each of the wreaths. These were presumably melted down for scrap; some may say I'm being a bit harsh here, but my personal view is that hanging's too good for someone who'd do that.

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