Lest we forget.  9th November 2025

A HUGE thanks to Major Phil Layton for the Salvation Army for our Remembrance Day Service and their Brass Band and as the lead organiser for this years event, and as host for refreshments afterwards. Also HUGE thanks to the 1st Crystal Palace Scouts Group, that includes Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers and of their proud support in the Service and Team Leaders and volunteers for stewarding, and for tidying the Westow Street Green and memorial in advance. And to Phoenix Community Centre for the help to allow the event to take place and to Anna who helps look after VIPs and helps manage the wreath allocations. And thanks to CBRE maintain and allows community access to their green.

Special thanks to Local Police teams and Inspector Kennedy and G.S. Melia Station Commander H25 West Norwood Fire brigade for attending and their dedicated support making our event safe in the security planning before and on the day.

And… very proud thanks to the Mayoral representatives of Croydon and Bromley including Past Mayor Pat Ryan and Croydon Cllrs for Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, and Bromley Cllrs for Crystal Palace and Anerley, and Steve Reed MP representative, and local our Safer Neighbourhood teams all the organisations, and individuals who laid a wreath as well.

And always thank you to the amazing and respectful Crystal Palace community who always make this a most special and moving town centre Remembrance Service. We are all proud to stand together, and remember.

Lest we forget…
1922 to 2025 – Upper Norwood War Memorial

Our Crystal Palace town centre memorial was originally located outside The White Hart in 1922, on land given to the community by the brewery, and the memorial all funded locally from local supporters including Churches and Crystal Palace Scouts. They collected £2,400. The majority of the funds supported Norwood Cottage Hospital, as well as funding the war memorial. It was unveiled on Saturday 29th April 1922. The memorial moved and relocated with a service of rededication on Sunday 10th June 1956 to its present location on Westow Street.  The War Memorial was made Grade II Nationally Listed with Historic England.

The memorial reads:

TO THE
MEMORY
OF THE MEN
OF UPPER
NORWOOD
WHO GAVE
THEIR LIVES IN
THE GREAT WAR
1914 – 1918
—
ALSO
COMMEMORATING
ALL THOSE
WHO DIED IN THE
1939 – 1945

AS A LASTING MEMORIAL
AN ENDOWMENT FOR THE NORWOOD
COTTAGE HOSPITAL WAS PROVIDED
AND THIS MONUMENT ERECTED.
For their country they died
in its memory they live.

As well as the the Norwood Cottage Hospital in Hermitage Road, the Upper Norwood memorial helps us to remember all those who lost their lives. Crystal Palace has a long and proud history of supporting the Great Wars. During WW1 the grounds of the Crystal Palace (that is now the park) was used as a training establishment for the Royal Navy Reserve. It was officially known as H.M.S. Victory (formally HMS Victory II, IV and VI between 1915 and 1918), and informally as a term of endearment as ‘HMS Crystal Palace’. 125,000 officers and ratings were trained here, including from the newly formed Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS).  Read more here about HMS Crystal Palace here.

Please email info@cpneighbours.org if you would like to help in supporting the Remembrance Service Event at Crystal Palace, or supporting the RBL Poppy Appeal locally.

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Wreaths laid 9th November 2025