Built on a church burial ground, Postman’s Park in London contains a unique memorial to fallen heroes.
Postman’s Park in London contains a unique memorial to fallen heroes.
Tucked away in the old walled City of London, Postman’s Park was once the burial ground for three different churches. One can still see gravestones popping up in flower beds around the garden, reminding visitors that this is a hallowed place. But when it comes to honoring the dead, it is a covered brick wall that attracts the most attention.
On one side of Postman’s Park, under a permanent awning, is the Memorial to Heroic Self Sacrifice. Also known as the “Wall of Heroes,” the memorial features dozens of ceramic plaques commemorating ordinary people who died while trying to save the life of another. George Frederic Watt conceived of the memorial to honor people he feared would otherwise be forgotten.
The park and memorial opened in 1900 with just four tributes. By the time Watt died in 1904, another nine plaques had been added. His wife, Mary, carried on his mission after his death, adding another 35 tablets. Today there are 120 memorials paying tribute to ordinary people who gave their lives to help others.
