The ongoing search for the owner of a washed up memorial bench has taken on a life of its own as local residents and visitors rally to help solve the mystery.
The bench, dedicated with the inscription “in memory of Dennis Wall”, was discovered last month after Storm Amy swept across Cumbria. It had washed up near Waterhead Pier on the shores of Windermere, leaving Windermere Lake Cruises determined to track down the family or friends connected to it. The story of the washed up memorial bench search has since captured widespread attention.
Jennifer Cormack from Windermere Lake Cruises explained that the team had spent weeks investigating every possible lead. She said they had tried to identify relatives or communities that might recognise the memorial. Their first promising clue turned out to be a false start. “We have found a Dennis Wall, but he’s alive and kicking in Ulverston. Other than that, we have absolutely drawn a blank,” she told BBC Radio Cumbria. This unexpected twist has only deepened the intrigue surrounding the washed up memorial bench search and suggests that the bench may have originated from elsewhere, possibly placed by someone who visited the lake rather than lived nearby.
It is not uncommon for memorial benches around Windermere to be privately commissioned and placed at meaningful locations. Storm Amy’s strong winds and high water levels could easily have displaced a bench from an unmonitored part of the shoreline. Yet as Ms Cormack noted, “We just have no idea which part of the lake it’s come from.” Despite the popularity of the lake and the thousands who walk its shores every year, no one has yet come forward to claim the bench or to recognise the name engraved upon it.
To widen the search, Windermere Lake Cruises launched a social media campaign. A Facebook post featuring the bench reached around 400,000 people. The hope was that someone, somewhere, would spot the image and get in touch. Yet even with such a wide reach, the washed up memorial bench search has still not found the family or friends of Dennis Wall. The bench itself appears solidly made and well cared for, suggesting that someone took time and care to honour a person who clearly mattered to them.
Ms Cormack emphasised that the intention is simply to return the memorial to the people it belongs to. “We just want to find Dennis Wall’s family and friends and get the bench back to them.” As the washed up memorial bench search continues, the community around Windermere remains optimistic that the right person will eventually come forward. Until then, the bench stands as a gentle reminder of how objects of remembrance can connect people across distances and circumstances.
