The Sutton Coldfield War Memorial stands within Sutton Park, close to the Town Gate entrance, and commemorates the men and women of Sutton Coldfield who gave their lives during the First and Second World Wars. It is one of the most visited historic monuments in the area and serves as the focal point for the town’s Remembrance Sunday ceremonies each November.
The Memorial Structure
The war memorial takes the form of a stone cross mounted on a stepped plinth – a design typical of many British war memorials erected in the years immediately following the First World War. It was unveiled in the early 1920s to honour the men of Sutton Coldfield who died in the conflict of 1914 to 1918, and was later extended to include those lost in the Second World War of 1939 to 1945.
The memorial is maintained by Birmingham City Council as part of their management of Sutton Park, and the stonework has been conserved on several occasions to protect it from weathering. It appears on the National Heritage List for England as a locally important commemorative structure.
The Roll of Honour
The memorial records the names of Sutton Coldfield men who died in both World Wars. Detailed rolls of honour were maintained by the local parish churches and civic bodies, with individual entries sometimes cross-referenced with national records held by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the Imperial War Museum’s Lives of the First World War project.
Research into individuals named on the memorial can be undertaken through the Birmingham Archives and Collections at Millennium Point, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website at cwgc.org, and the Imperial War Museum’s Lives of the First World War database. The memorial’s records have been partially transcribed and are available through local history groups including the Birmingham History Forum.
Individual letters of the roll are covered across our memorial pages: surnames A to C.
Remembrance Sunday
A formal Remembrance Sunday service is held at the Sutton Coldfield War Memorial each November, typically on the second Sunday of the month. The ceremony includes a two-minute silence at 11am, a reading of names, and wreath-laying by local civic leaders, veterans’ groups, and community organisations. The service is open to all and usually well-attended by local residents.
Individual visitors leave tributes at the memorial throughout the year, particularly around the anniversaries of significant First and Second World War events.
Location and Visiting
The war memorial is located just inside Sutton Park near the Town Gate entrance on Birmingham Road (B73 6HP). It is easily accessible from the main car park and is a natural first stop on a visit to the park. The surrounding area is flat and well-maintained, suitable for visitors of all mobility levels.