Cultural Significance

Spiritual: The central piece of the composition of the Christchurch Citizens' War Memorial is a 15m high cross which places the iconography of the memorial firmly within a Christian context. The close proximity of the monument to Christchurch Cathedral clearly imbues the monument and its immediate surroundings with a "highly significant spiritual quality." Social: The War Memorial forms the focus of the traditional dawn services on Anzac Day, and is a constant reminder of the sacrifices made by New Zealanders in two World Wars.

Historic Significance

Historical Significance or Value The Citizens' War Memorial is a significant war memorial. It not only commemorates the dead of the conflict, but, together with the nearby Bridge of Remembrance, is a tangible reminder of the debate that occurred throughout New Zealand over the competing merits of utilitarian and ornamental memorials.

Physical Significance

Aesthetic: The visual impact of the six figures and cross which makes up the memorial composition, is dramatic and eye arresting. The five figures at the base are not the conventional military representations and this could be said to make the visual appeal of the monument all the more interesting and unusual to the eye. Architectural: The Christchurch Citizens' War Memorial represents the significant work in the oeuvre of Christchurch stonemason, William Thomas Trethewey and is arguably his best work. In sculptural terms the allegorical figures of the monument themselves are executed in a Mannerist style contemporary with the 1930s, and it has been suggested that the inspiration for the design of the group was derived from the Gladstone Memorial in London (1905) and the Prometheus statue in the Rockerfeller Centre New York (1934).

Detail Of Assessed Criteria

a) The extent to which the place reflects important or representative aspects of New Zealand history: The Citizens' War Memorial is very important for the way in which its protracted and bitterly contested gestation symbolised the contemporary debate over the manner in which communities should honour their war dead. b) The association of the place with events, persons, or ideas of importance in New Zealand history: The Citizens' War Memorial commemorates the dead of World War I. More directly, it has strong associations with George Gould and William Trethewey. George Gould (1865-1941) was a prominent Canterbury capitalist, best-known for his chairmanship of stock and station firm Pyne, Gould and Guiness. Gould, a prominent Anglican and believer in the Empire, preferred inspirational war memorials to utilitarian ones such as public gardens, swimming pools, libraries or halls. He bitterly opposed the construction of the Bridge of Remembrance and spent more than a decade arguing against the wishes of the Council and the RSA for the erection of the statue that Trethewey would later fashion. William Trethewey (1892-1956) was a Canterbury stonemason, some of whose earlier work has been registered by the Trust. Maclean and Phillips consider his contribution to public sculpture under-rated and suggest of his Christchurch piece that " a good case may be made for it being the finest public monument in the country." c) The potential of the place to provide knowledge of New Zealand history: By its very nature, design and placement, the memorial daily provides knowledge of a key event in New Zealand history, World War I. g) The technical accomplishment or value, or design of the place: William Trethewey's work can be compared favourably with other outstanding monuments sculptured by Frank Lynch and Richard Gross. Both these outstanding New Zealand artists sought to express values that transcended cut and dried "mourning" and "victory" sentiments. Maclean and Phillips indicate that many World War I monuments were obelisks or representational parade ground soldiers carved to order in Italy by the "Carrara Academy." For a number of reasons, partly financial, partly prejudice against local talent, ornamental memorial designs by New Zealanders outside the main urban centres were rare. Those that were executed by our own designers were noted, however, for their accurate likeness to real Anzac diggers, and for their expression of spiritual sentiments or of certain virtues believed to be typical of the Anzac character. Trethewey is noted for producing two outstanding sculptured monuments to the First World War, viz, the Citizens' War Memorial, Christchurch (1933-37) currently registered Category II, and the World War I Memorial, Kaiapoi (1922) Category II. Maclean and Phillips have commented on the Kaiapoi memorial that Trethewey's soldier - along with Frank Lynch's "Untidy Soldier", Devonport (1924) - is one of the most authentic monuments to the Anzac diggers in New Zealand because of the realism of the soldier's dress, and because of the sentiments expressed on his face. The Christchurch memorial marks an important change in the Trethewey style away from direct military representation and towards the symbolic figure. It is arguably the dynamic and dramatic quality of the Citizens' War Memorial which elevates its quality to that of a nationally significant monument, both as a work of art and as a memorial. Maclean and Phillips have noted specifically that the dynamics of the group of six allegorical figures gives the group the immediate appearance (and feeling) of being a family group, having strong unity in this sense, and sufficient quality to earn the monument, in their opinion, the status of being "sculpture in the grand manner" and "without doubt New Zealand's outstanding war memorial statue." For the Citizens' War Memorial to have this kind of appeal over other nationally significant war memorials is due, most likely, to the enduring universal appeal of a group of human figures that one can identify with today rather than with the conventional military forms of 77 years ago. h) The symbolic or commemorative value of the place: The Citizens' War Memorial commemorates the fallen of two World Wars. The high quality of its allegorical design and its central location in the main urban centre make it an important war memorial. The absence of a local roll of honour carved at the base of the Christchurch memorial makes it more explicitly a national war memorial commemorating New Zealand dead rather than those, simply, from Canterbury. k) The extent to which the place forms part of a wider historical and cultural complex or historical and cultural landscape: The location of the Citizens' War Memorial on the north side of Cathedral Square on Cathedral land asserts the cultural connection that exists between the monument, the Cathedral, and the Square as a cultural focal point in the city. It can also be related to other memorials, notably the Bridge of Remembrance. Equally important, is its place in the wider movement to commemorate New Zealand's experience of war. Conclusion: The Citizens' War Memorial, Cathedral Square, Christchurch, is recommended for registration as a Category I as a place of special and outstanding historical and cultural heritage significance and value. It is considered to be one of New Zealand's most significant war memorials. The memorial has great aesthetic appeal, considered to be the best example of Trethewey's sculpture and is equally significant, in historical terms, commemorating New Zealand involvement in two World Wars.