Historic Royal British Legion Darlington Standard unveiled in town’s central library

An historic Standard owned by the Royal British Legion’s Darlington branch has gone on display in the town’s central library. The then-British Legion’s Darlington Branch was among the first to be established when the organisation was founded in 1921, with Standards being awarded to the main branch and to its women’s section in recognition of their new status.

A new Standard was given to the Branch in 1971 after Royal status was granted to the organisation on its 50^th anniversary, and was used until 2012, when another new Standard was dedicated for use by the Darlington branch in honour of HM Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee.

The 1971 Standard was then laid up and dedicated to Holy Trinity Church in Darlington, before being returned to the branch by the people of the church earlier this year.

Following restoration and framing work funded by North East employers the Banks Group and Hellens Group, the 1971 Standard has now gone on show after a special unveiling ceremony, which formed part of the town’s VJ Day 80^th anniversary commemorations.

It will remain at the library for the next eight months, after which it will be moved to its permanent home at the Hopetown Darlington Railway Museum, in which the two restored 1921 Standards are already located.

The Darlington Branch of the Royal British Legion currently has a membership of around 125 people, who represent all the branches of the services and who served in locations including Suez, the Falklands, Northern Ireland, the Balkans and the Persian Gulf.

Branch chair John Smith says: “This Standard is a very important part of the organisation’s heritage in Darlington, and we’re very pleased to see it on show in our town’s central library.

“Being well over 50 years old, the Standard is naturally in a delicate condition, but the special frames we’ve been able to place it and the other two Standards in with the help of the Banks Group and Hellens Group will help ensure they are all properly preserved for posterity.

“Our members are extremely pleased to have all three Standards on display, and it’s good to know that they’re going to be well looked after and easily available for everyone to see.” 

Kate Culverhouse, community relations manager at the Banks Group, says: “We’re very pleased to have played a part in bringing these historic items and all the local history that they encapsulate back into permanent public view.” 

Gavin Cordwell-Smith, chief executive at Hellens Group, which recently began work on the 2000-home Burtree Garden Village, adds: “Contributing to the communities in which we work, has long been central to our values, and we are delighted to have helped safeguard an important part of Darlington’s history.

“By supporting the restoration of these historic Standards, we help ensure that the dedication and sacrifices of those before us will be recognised and remembered for years to come.”