Site Selection, Design, and Construction
Set aside as a public reserve in 1857 and named after Henry Seymour, Seymour Square was selected by popular vote in August 1925 as the location for Marlborough's provincial war memorial.1,2 The total construction cost reached four thousand five hundred and fifty pounds, funded entirely by public subscriptions and community fundraising drives.2,3
Designed by Wellington architect Roger Bacon, the sixteen-point-five metre tower features concrete foundations laid early in 1926 by builders Garnham and Robertson, with Mayor M. McKenzie laying the foundation stone on Anzac Day that year.1,2 Contractors Gray and Waters oversaw construction, with stonemasonry executed by R. B. Vass and Scottish stonemason George Munro.1,2 The lower storey incorporates Awatere River boulders, while the upper structure uses hard Wharanui limestone topped with an Australian sandstone cupola symbolising ANZAC cooperation.2
A Westminster chiming clock mechanism manufactured in Wellington and bronze bells cast in Loughborough, England, were gifted by George F. Watts and Ethel Watts of Lansdowne Station.1,2 The bells were dedicated to Captain C. H. R. Watts of the 2nd Northamptonshire Regiment, killed in action in France on 25 December 1914.1
Dedication, Memorial Chamber, and Time Capsule
The official unveiling took place on 4 February 1928, officiated by Major General Sir Andrew Russell and blessed by Archdeacon G. W. York.1,4,5 Special trains transported residents from across the province, concluding with the sounding of the Last Post and the laying of floral wreaths.2,5 Addressing the gathering, Sir Andrew Russell urged the community to view the monument as a call to emulate the courage and self-surrender of the fallen.4
The lower storey encloses a memorial chamber featuring six bronze plates bearing the names of 419 local soldiers lost during the First World War.1,2 A grey granite plinth resting on a red stone floor displays the biblical inscription from the Gospel of John: "Greater love hath no man than this; that a man lay down his life for his friends".2,3
During Marlborough's centennial celebrations on 6 March 1969, a lead time capsule was buried at the base of the monument before being transferred to the Tracing Marlborough for safe keeping.1 Scheduled for opening during the Borough bi-centenary in 2069, the canister contains council meeting minutes from March 1969 and petitions from the 1860s concerning the naming of Blenheim.24
Post-War Modifications and Civic Context
In 1953, copper plates commemorating World War II casualties were added to the memorial chamber walls.2 That same year, the 1894 timber band rotunda was demolished to construct the World War II Memorial Fountain, designed by architect E. I. Hubbard and unveiled on 23 December 1953.1,3 The fountain operates on an 18-minute cycle, displaying 62 combinations of water jets and illuminated colours.1,3
Sixteen flagpoles were erected in 1966 in front of the clock tower to display the flags of New Zealand's World War II allies.30 Maintained by the Marlborough District Council, the landmark remains Marlborough's primary gathering place for Anzac Day commemorations and civic services.2,3