Earlier this year we celebrated the centenary of our WWI memorial plaques, housed at our site in Belfast. First erected in March of 1921, the plaques honour those 494 yard-workers that lost their lives during the First World War.
The three memorial tablets were moved from the old joiners shop and relocated on the wall of the HQ Building on Queens Road, which is now the Titanic hotel. In 2000, they were relocated again, after we relocated our headquarters to our current main site.
Over the years, the plaques had been weathered by the elements and were long overdue a thorough cleaning and restoration. Cue our extraordinarily talented facilities team that leapt into action and began restoration works in April.
The Bronze plaques were updated and restored using a combination of techniques and methods that remain a closely guarded secret. Due to the nature of the material, the team had to be careful to ensure that the materials used did not cause damage to the one-hundred-year-old memorials.
Speaking about the restoration, Facilities Manager Chris McNally stated: “It has been some time since the plaques received the attention they needed and it’s great to see the company moving to ensure they’re kept in good condition. It is testament to the skills and talent that we have within our facilities and repair teams.”
“It was fantastic to have been able to restore these pieces in time for the visit from HRH The Prince of Wales in May 2021 as part of our 160th Anniversary celebrations. These plaques were here when his father visited in 1977 so it was fitting that he was able to see them restored and in a great condition.”
