Churches benefit as council clears out historic war relics

Scarborough Council says it appreciates that getting rid of relics such as the carved white marble First World War memorial slab may be emotive.

Although it has been included on a list of items for disposal, town hall chiefs have underlined they will do more research on the slab before confirming it is to go.

But a report says its financial value is believed to be only 5 and it would be better off in a new home rather than gathering dust in the council's museum store.

A similar fate awaits a painted wooden memorial plaque for the Boer War, which subject to research will also be offered to a place of worship after being judged financially worthless.

The authority has been drawing up the list because many of its museum duties are being passed to the fledgling Scarborough Museums Trust, running Scarborough Art Gallery and newly revamped Rotunda Museum.

Much of the objects earmarked for the scrapheap are metal odds and ends that have been lying around in storage for so long that no one even remembers what some of them were for.

These includes wheels, rods and other parts which once belonged to pieces of machinery and other junk such as old iron fixtures and fittings and old furniture.

Scarborough's head of tourism and culture services, Brian Bennett, said that of the 50 items assessed, only three were worth keeping, and the value of the whole lot was little over 200.

He said they had listened closely to experts to ensure they did not throw out any historical gems.