There is a corner of the National Memorial Arboretum dedicated to the memory of the insurance profession’s contribution to the war effort. It was the ‘Christmas Truce: Football Remembers’ memorial that took me to that corner on a recent visit, but the unexpected collection of Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Limited Company memorials that left a lasting impression. There is a collection of 27 memorials in total, commemorating the lives of 915 employees of Royal and Sun Alliance companies who made the ultimate sacrifice during the First and Second World Wars.
The memorials have an interesting history of their own. Once located in local branch offices across the UK, the memorials were moved to the company’s training centre in Inglewood at the RSA Memorial Garden in 1999. When Inglewood was sold in 2003, the memorials were donated to the National Memorial Arboretum and displayed in the cloistered garden. The memorials were placed in storage in 2014 as work began to develop a new visitor centre, before a service of dedication marked the establishment of their new home in 2023.
In Focus: Phoenix
The memorial at the entrance to the section is dedicated to the staff of the Phoenix office, which was first unveiled c. 1920. On one side it reads: ‘To the memory of those members of the Phoenix staff who in the Great War gave their lives in response to duty’s call.’ There are 65 names listed under 1914-1919 and 48 names under 1939-1945. On the other side it reads: ‘To commemorate the services of those of the Phoenix staff still happily with us who fought and worked in the cause of justice.’ There are 504 names listed under 1914-1919 and 1,934 names under 1939-1945.
The maker of the memorial, Sir George James Frampton, also designed the Pearl Assurance War Memorial. First unveiled at the Pearl Assurance Company’s HQ in London in 1921, it was moved to the Pearl Centre in Peterborough in 1991.
The memorial itself commemorates the First World War with a figure of St. George atop a base that depicts scenes of the war with the 445 names of the fallen underneath. There are four plaques close to the memorial to commemorate the Second World War, listing 217 names.
Reflection
The corner of the National Memorial Arboretum, close to where the River Tame meets the River Trent, gives the chance to quietly reflect on the lives of those working in the insurance industry who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country. This Remembrance Day, take a moment to be thankful for their contribution to our futures.
By George Worby, Insurance Museum Volunteer and “The Insurance Tourist”.
Do you know of any other war memorials dedicated to staff in the insurance industry? Please share them with the Insurance Museum or George’s ‘The Insurance Tourist’ post on LinkedIn.
Further reading
National Memorial Arboretum: https://www.thenma.org.uk/
Christmas Truce: Football Remembers memorial: https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/72473
Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Limited Company War Memorials: https://www.rsainsurance.co.uk/about/our-history/war-memorials/
RSA service of dedication:
Phoenix Office War Memorial: https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/18259
Pearl Assurance War Memorial: https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/3569
