Helmsdale War Memorial was built in 1924 to ‘perpetuate the memory of local servicemen’ who were lost in the Great War of 19-14-18. Working with the Helmsdale & District Development Trust, funding was secured from the War Memorial Trust and local renewable trusts to develop and deliver a programme of conservation repairs and improvements
A full condition survey, with recommendations and costing was completed to inform a targeted package of conservation repairs and improvements. Works specifications were developed following the principle of minimal intervention, and these were tendered competitively, grants approved and works delivered on site in summer 2019.
The package or works included targeted lime re-pointing, matched stone work indenting with Clynelish Sandstone, repairs and refined detailing to external joinery elements. Specialist stone conservators were employed to undertake work repairing damaged lettering on memorial plaques, removal of corroding panel fixings and the poulticing of ferrous staining to stonework.
Horologists from Smiths of Derby, the parent company of the clocks original producers, visited site and removed the clock to their workshops for full restoration and repair. This involved the re-enamelling of the four cast iron clock faces, cleaning and protection of the drive shafts and gears; and automation of the main clock mechanism. Other elements of the installation were cleaned, protected and repainted and the clock is good for a further one hundred years of operation.
Main Contractor: Harper & Allan Masonry Limited; Stone Conservators: Graciela Ainsworth; Horologists: Smiths of Derby; Structural Engineers: David Narro Associates