On the second anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic the Philips Memorial Park cloister was unveiled. The construction of the cloister was delayed until a suitable site could be agreed upon. The cloister, covering 120 square feet, sits at the western end of the park, which itself extends over three acres of land adjacent to the parish church in Godalming. The cost of the cloister was met through public subscriptions, which totalled £700. It was designed by Thackeray Turner, with the grounds of the park overseen by garden designer Gertrude Jekyll. The work to build the cloister was overseen by the Borough Surveyor, the late Mr J H Norris.  The key speech was given by Joe St Loe Strachey, the High Sheriff of Surrey.

Prior to the unveiling the Surrey Advertiser described the cloister; "it is built of local stock bricks, with sand-faced tiles, while the constructional part inside is of English oak. To reach the building from Borough-road, one has to descend a short flight of steps made from old granite setts taken up in Church-street. In the centre of the cloister there is a lily pond, and on the wall facing the entrance is a memorial tablet surmounted by the borough arms, while open arches on either side command beautiful views. One side of the interior of the cloister has been laid out as a herbaceous border, and the outside walls have been left in order that creepers may be planted on to cover them."

Reporting on the ceremony the Surrey Advertiser recounted the guests present, including the parents and sisters of Jack Phillips, the Titanic's junior wireless operator Harold Bride and his parents, along with representatives of the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company, Thackeray Turner, Gertrude Jekyll, local dignitaries and members of the Phillips Memorial Committee.

A tablet, set in to the east wall of the cloister bares the following inscription:

S.O.S This cloister is built in memory of John George Phillips a native of this town Chief wireless telegraphist of the ill-fated S.S. Titanic he died at his post when the vessel found -ered in mid-Atlantic on the 15th day of April 1912

Below, a fountain provided by the Telegraph Clerk's Association was installed, with the inscription:

The Postal Telegraph Clerk's Association provided this fountain and contributed towards the erection fo the memorial

Following the ceremony the layout of the grounds were completed, again overseen by Gertrude Jekyll. The park remains open to this day, and includes a bandstand and children's playground. The Phillips Memorial Park is the largest Titanic memorial, by area, in England.

More information

  • Stonehaven Journal, The (1913) Titanic memorial deadlock Stonehaven, Scotland: The Stonehaven Journal, 22 May 1913
  • Surrey Advertiser, The (1914) Phillips memorial Guildford: The Surrey Advertiser, 11 April 1914
  • Surrey Advertiser, The (1914) A Titanic memorial Guildford: The Surrey Advertiser, 18 April 1914
  • Surrey Advertiser, The (1914) Hero of the Titanic - Phillips memorial opened Guildford: The Surrey Advertiser, 20 April 1914