War Memorials Trust case: War Memorials Trust needs to
avoid Contributors changing location/description details as we help to protect and conserve
this war memorial through our casework. You can still add photographs, update condition
and use the tabs below. If you believe any of the information you cannot edit is wrong
or information is missing, please make a note of the reference number and include it in
your email when you
contact us.
Status:
On original site
Type:
Freestanding
Location:
External
Setting:
Roadside
Description:
Wheel cross
Materials:
- Stone Granite
- Stone Sandstone
Lettering:
Raised
Conflicts:
- First World War (1914-1918)
- Second World War (1939-1945)
About the memorial:
The story of Broughton-in-Amounderness War Memorial.
As the reports of heavy losses during the First World War started to filter back to the country and the acknowledgement that many of the bodies would not be coming home the movement started to have local war memorials. The 1st of these were raised as early as 1916. The requests and discussions were focused on the “clubs”, parish churches or the parish councils. In Broughton the parish council took the lead with a formal Parish meeting being called at the Village Club Room, on Whittingham Lane on the 18th December 1919.
This meeting was to decide what would be a “suitable memorial to the fallen heroes of the Parish” (A). This meeting does not list the attendees but it does mention the various types of memorials and their champions. Richard Hardman (the PC chair) suggested a cross in the Pinfold (2) and Henry Frances Wilson suggested an alms house between the police station and the post (1). However the meeting ended without a decision and meeting was adjourned until January whilst costs were looked into. The Alms-houses was dismissed in a note to the chair as being “not fundable in the current fiscal time”.
Map of proposed sites
A second Parish meeting was held on January 28th 1920 and 18 attendees with more than half women (the only time they are at any of the meetings), they included the vicar from Broughton Parish Church the Rev Samuel Collinson, the doctor Dr.Sykes and the village policeman P.C.Kent. The Rev Father Blackos of Fernyhaugh, sent his apologise and a letter saying that the church in Fernyhaugh was looking for its “own memorial on the roadside to the shrine” (B). This meeting focused on where to put the memorial. George Hardman was presiding and said that an old parishioner had been to see him and “he was not in favour of the Pinfold (2) being used”, he felt it should be “near the church and would be willing to pay for the land in the vicarage field (4)” he also felt “that the Pinfold had been used for sheep and other animals” (A). The site proposed was “half way between the vicarage and church lane”. The vicar though there would be “difficulty in obtaining the same” (A) and suggested “brook Meadow” (5) instead. Mr Wilson though this would be to low but Mr Hardman thought it could be raised. This site was put to the meeting and the agreed unanimously. The meeting then moved to a suitable design and a committee was appointed to look at designs and costs.
This group now calling themselves “the committee” then seemed to take over the management of the memorial but did not meet again until the 16th October 1920. This meeting was a “site(s)” visit. They started on Brook Meadow (5) and decide against this as to raise it would be expensive and if not raised it would be much lower than the road. They moved to the corner of church lane (4) no comments are made about this site. Then to Mr Wilson’s field opposite Mr. Clarks lodge (3), but this would mean cutting down many trees, so it was agreed that the Church Lane site was best.
These notes are out of date order in the record book and appear to have been added at a later date with different handwriting and ink
The next meeting was scheduled for the 8th December 1920 when the committee was to report to a full parish meeting, but it was delayed until 20th January 1921. The parish meeting started with letter from the Rev Collinson in which a number of reasons were listed ( access to the church and future use of the land for building being (B), as to why the agreed site of the end of church lane would not possible, as a result the meeting rescinded the motion of the 16th October. Discussion then moved to other sites (A) Mr Collinson’s Field between the vicarage gates and church lane; considered but declined as it “was thought the commissioners would want a large piece (?)
The idea of “breaking in the middle of the field” (CWGC) was seen as a waste of the field and it would mean the memorial was less accessible (B/F).Then the idea of the memorial by the “virgins” (C) square on Whittingham lane was suggested: this was seen as to far from the church and off the main through road (C), the “only other site suitable “”corner of Bank Hall Lane adjoining the highway”: this was owned by Henry Francis Wilson who said “he would be pleased to give the land”, who then lived at Broughton House (A) This was voted on and agreed with thanks.
The design for the memorial had been produced as a model by the Rev Collinson and this design was agreed, but after deciding the site a “small committee: Robert Houghton & Robert Hardman (B)” was set up to take “expert opinion” from Mr.Bluhm of St.Annes on the design/look at alterations/modifications. They also agreed to ”proceed with the appeal for the necessary funds” and advert was placed in the church paper. The memorial is a 16 foot high simple a Celtic cross of Longridge stone that was executed by Mr.M.Kay of Longridge with the 9 names engraved on the plinth, surrounded by a pavement, with steps leading from the roadway. It was hoped to place a bench nearby when more funds had been raised.
This appeal was advertised in the Preston Gazette as well as the church paper and a number of events were held. A coffee morning in the club rooms by the “Messers Cooke, Ainsworth, Sykes and Hoyle (E) and a “race day” by the primary school. Overall the cost funds raised were “about £300”. (G)
On Fridays 11th November 1921 at 4pm the memorial an “unveiling ceremony was presided over by the chairman of the parish council Mr.R.Hardman” (A) It was unveiled by Lieutenant Colonel W.S.Bowes D S O who lived at Rose Cottage. The memorial was dedicated by the Reverend Collinson, with a “trumpet last post & reville” by a “detachment of RFA trumpeters” from Fulwood Barracks. (G) This was followed by “tea in the club rooms prepared by the ladies committee” (B)
This is not the end of the story, in February 1922 the parish council minutes stated that the “indenture” (now called custodial documents) from Mr Wilson that passed the keeping of the site to the Parish council as guardians had been received and were put in the safe keeping of the council. The PC were asked to and agreed to pay the outstanding accounts of £80 for the memorial before the Indenture was signed. This was agreed and a motion to “place the war memorial in the keeping of the parish council to maintain on behalf of the parishioners” was agreed. These documents and the ones from the East side memorial are held at the LCC archives.
Other “memorials” in Broughton
1. Broughton church houses a carved crucifix “picked up by Major A.T.R.Houghton, company commander of the 4th North Lancashire regiment, when he and his men were billeted among the ruins of a monastery at Ypres in November 1916. The figure was partly damaged by German shells”. (C)(D)
2. In the church there is also a memorial to Francis Thomas’s son Wilson who died in 1915 at Gallipoli and the memorial was unveiled by Air Marshall Sir Hugh Sydney Porter Walmsley he was the youngest son of James Walmsley who lived in Waratah on Lightfoot Lane.(C)
3. There is a war memorial built at Fernyhaugh which stands on the roadside leading to the “ladywell” shrine as envisaged by Father Blackos.
Other links to WW1: There is s reference to “the Hollies” which during the 1st WW was converted into convalescent home for soldiers and sailors and a memory that the Barton church school children used to “polish the brass inside as their contribution to the war effort” (C)
This is only the story of the WW1 memorial: after the conflict from 1939-1945 in 1948 the memorial had added the “altar style” memorial behind the WW1 cross and on the East side a bench and surround to contemplate the memorial on the West side.
The land was donated by the Dickinson family who then lived at what is now the Preston Marriott Hotel.
Inscription on Broughton West War Memorial
We remember before thee, O Lord, and entrust to thy keeping those who in two
wars have died in defence of Justice and Freedom.
They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them
Those who fell in the First World War
Eric Osmond COLLINSON d. 18th May 1915 aged 26 Private: 16th Battalion: Canadian Infantry
Robert EVANS d. 30th July 1917 aged 35 Sergeant: 1st/4th Battalion: The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
Charles Edward HOYLE d. 14th May 1917 aged 21 Corporal: “A” Battery 165th Brigade: Royal Field Artillery
Tom JACKSON d. 1st July 1916 aged 18 Private: 10th Battalion: The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
Thomas Austin PAGE d. 7th June 1917 aged 26? Rifleman: 4th Battalion: 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
Frank ROBERTS d. 5th September 1917 aged 24 Private: “C” Company 2nd/8th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers
William SYKES d. 4th April 1918 aged 36 Lieutenant: 112th Battery: Royal Field Artillery
James THORNTON d 24th March 1918 aged 27 Lance Corporal: 2nd Battalion: Cameroonian’s (Scottish Rifles)
Joseph Benjamin WATSON d. 6th April 1920 aged 26? Private: Royal Army Ordnance Corps
n.b. names in brackets are people with the same surname who were at the 2nd Parish meeting, full details of all the names will be published later this year and are on the Imperial War Museum’s website: “lives of WW1”
Sources
A. Parish council minutes held at LCC archives (18/12/1919-27/06/1923
B. Original “Trust” documents for both sites held ta LCC archives (1943 & 1947)
C. Rev.George Jackson (1979 ) Broughton Roundabout Leyland Printing company
D. F.EdenWilson, R.D Houghton (1971)A short history of the Parish church of St. John the Baptist
E. Notes from LCC archives
F. CWGC notes
G. Articles in the Preston Guardian
