A special ceremony has been held to mark the 100th anniversary of the official unveiling of the Denton Cenotaph in Victoria Park. 

The memorial commemorates 379 men from Denton and Haughton Green who sadly lost their lives in the Great War. 

The event - held at 11am on Friday morning (23 July) - was organised by Tameside Council and Tameside Armed Services Community. 

It was attended by army veterans, local councillors, members of the public, Denton MP Andrew Gwynne, Tameside Council leader Brenda Warrington and the Civic Mayor of Tameside Councillor Janet Cooper.  

MP Gwynne said: “The memorial was unveiled by my predecessor, Austin Hopkinson MP, so I was delighted to be invited by Councillor Brenda Warrington to say a few words and to lay a wreath.

“A big thank you to Tameside Council and to Tameside Armed Services Community for organising the event, including producing the history boards on some of the people mentioned on the memorial.

“And a massive well done to the children of Russell Scott Primary School for making 379 clay poppies, one representing a person named.”

The Labour MP also writes about the importance of the Cenotaph to the local community in his latest column for the Reporter here. 

The Cenotaph surrounded by poppies and information boards. Image: Andrew Gwynne MP. 

Cllr Warrington, who represents the Denton West ward, commented: “This morning I joined the mayor, council colleagues, the MP, representatives from Tameside’s veteran community and the public to mark 100 years since the unveiling of Denton Cenotaph. The children of Russell Scott School made 379 poppies to make every name on this memorial and wreaths were laid to mark their sacrifice. We will remember them.” 

Denton North East councillor Allison Gwynne said: “A sombre mood this morning to mark 100 years since the unveiling of the Denton Cenotaph.

“The poppies made by the pupils of Russell Scott School, one for every name listed on the memorial, were a particular poignant reminder of the lives of our fellow townsfolk lost. The boards detailing the lives of a selection of those men named gave a snapshot of their lives cut tragically short. We will remember them.”

Denton South councillor Claire Reid said: "It was humbling to represent Denton South at the 100-year commemoration of the Denton cenotaph. A lovely event that I was proud to be part of." 

The poppies and information boards will be on display until 5pm on Friday and then kept in safe storage to be used for Remembrance Sunday each year.

Read more about the memorial itself and the lives it commemorates in our story here. 

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