Your Memorial – From Enquiry to Installation

If you choose Sarsfield Memorials for your loved one’s headstone you can be rest assured that you will be involved from beginning to end. We will take you through every step of the process to ensure we meet what you tell us your needs are, not what we think they are.

When youOgee approach us we will ask if your loved one has been buried or cremated and in which cemetery. We can then advise on cemetery regulations in respect of size restrictions and if kerb sets are allowed. If you are in a 30 mile radius of us, we can visit you at home, while if you are arranging a memorial from a distance then we can communicate with you by phone, email or letter, whichever you prefer.

During the initial discussions we will ask if the deceased had any specific wishes for their headstone. This allows us to talk through the pros and cons of materials and styles of lettering and also show samples to you. We will usually be able to give you a written quotation within forty eight hours, although this may be longer if the gravestone is to be custom made. This quote will be honoured unless you ask for additional work at a later date and we ask for 50% of the cost before work starts and the balance on completion, we also offer payment plans, please contact us for further information.

Once the order has been agreed we will give you an estimated timescale for how long it will be before the headstone is installed. This depends on how the ground has settled since the burial, what materials need to be obtained and our own manufacturing workload. Generally though a standard design can be complete within six weeks of your order, with a bespoke one taking three to four months. You will be given a layout of how the completed memorial will look before work starts so it can be signedTraveler Digital Camera off and approved by both parties.

When the work is complete and your gravestone is fixed on the grave in the cemetery, you have a lasting tribute to your loved one. At Sarsfield Memorials we pride ourselves in providing a personal service tailored to suit your needs. We want to be part of a process during which we hope you can find comfort once the grave is marked with the memorial of your choice. If you would like to discuss headstone options please contact us here and we will be happy to give you a free no obligation quote.

Second Lieutenant Iorwerth Ap Roland Owen

Second Lieutenant Iowerth Ap Roland Owen, Anfield Cemetery, Liverpool

Second Lieutenant Iowerth Ap Roland Owen, Anfield Cemetery, Liverpool

This impressive and unusual memorial in Anfield Cemetery bears a touching picture of Iorwerth Ap Owen on the side and was erected in his memory by his parents after his death on May 7th 1917.

Iorwerth Ap Roland Owen was born on July 22nd 1896 to Dr Roland and Mrs Margaret Owen. His father hailed from Anglesey, but the family lived in Seaforth. Iorwerth began his military career at Mill Hill School, joining the Officer Training Corps. He matriculated at London University in 1915 intending to become a doctor, but put his studies on hold to join the Inns of Court OTC. He pursued a boyhood interest in aviation by applying for a commission in the Royal Flying Corps and transferring to 17th Squadron at Croydon, received his ‘wings’ just six months into training in 1917.

Ten days later, Owen was sent to France. He died within the month.

“He will be an awful loss to the Squadron as he was such a good fellow and had made a particularly good beginning…”- Major Powell, commander of Owen’s squadron, writing to his parents

Second Lieutenant Iowerth Ap Roland Owen, Anfield Cemetery, Liverpool

Second Lieutenant Iowerth Ap Roland Owen, Anfield Cemetery, Liverpool

Second Lieutenant Owen and his observer AMII (Air Mechanic Class II) Reginald Hickling set out from Savy aerodrome at around 10:40am on 7th May 1917 on a photographic reconnaissance mission. Within the hour, they were flying above Arras when their plane was set upon by five enemy planes. By all accounts, Hickling died instantly; while Owen, shot in the head and chest, remained conscious enough to land his plane without accident, a skill he had been particularly proud of during training. He died soon after in a field ambulance without ever regaining consciousness and was buried in St Catherine’s British Military Cemetery, Arras.

Ironically, the German pilot credited with the kill, Lieutenant Karl Allmenröder, had also been destined for a career in medicine before war broke out. In Allmenröder’s highly successful but brief career, Owen’s was the tenth of 30 planes he shot down before his own death on 26 June 1917. He was aged just 21 at the time.

Louise McTigue is a freelance writer and researcher, writing on behalf of Sarsfield Memorials.