Memorials - Leyland - Balshaw's C.E. High School WW1 Plaque

Balshaw's C.E. High School, Church Road, Leyland, PR25 3AH ​
Ordnance Survey Grid Reference - SD 54815 21477
IWM War Memorials Register - 42657
War Memorials Online - Not on site
This tablet / plaque is situated on the wall of the assembly hall and holds the names of 23 men who were students at Balshaw's back when it was a grammar school.  I quote directly from the school website:
During the First World War Balshaw’s continued to flourish, despite the call-up of 30 boys and teacher, Mr Clements, to the fighting front. In 1915 Balshaw’s had 153 pupils drawn from 21 different towns, by 1917 the number had risen to 192 pupils.

​Speech Day in 1919 was a sad occasion, when the School Captain read the list of those who had fallen at the front, 23 out of 175 who fought was the number of their generation to die. The reading out of the names of those boys who died in the war became traditional at Armistice Day service for many years to come.
The Preston Guardian dated 1 February 1919 reported on the war services of Balshaw's old boys.
BALSHAW'S SCHOOL. WAR SERVICES OF OLD BOYS. ... Out of 170 recruits from the school to the army, 39 had gained commissions.  Capt T. Robinson, King's Liverpool Regt., gained the M.C. with bar, The late Captain H. Jackman, K.R.R., the M.C.; Sergt. D. Ashworth, D.O.L.Y., the Belgian Croix de Guerre.  A feature had been the loss of the old boys who returned from Canada to serve. He only knew of one survivor. The question of a war memorial would come up for consideration by the Old Boys Committee.  His own idea would be to bring out the Crusading spirit of the service by the restoration of one of the road-side crosses.

The list of fallen old boys was then read out, the audience standing, as follows:- Pte. Harold Southworth, Scots Guards; Lieut. W. Rigby, East Lancs. Regt.; Corpl. E. Pearce, R.E.; Lieut. F. Waring, York and Lancaster Regt.; Pte. H. Gleave, Canadians; Pte. M. Whittaker, Canadians; Pte. Harry Bannister, Canadians; Pte. P. Wignall; Pte. B. Cank, R.G.A.; Pte. S. Mill, Manchester Regt.; Sergt. A. Parker, King's Liverpool Regiment; Lieut. L. Wood, Royal Welsh Fusiliers; Pte. Willie Southworth, Canadians; Pte. C. Rose, M.G.C.; Corpl. W. Hampson, Durham L.I.; Lance-Corpl. W. Marsden, L.N.L.; Gunner A. Clayton, R.A.; Captain Jackman, K.R.R.; Pte. E. Robinson, Devon Regiment; Cadet Stanley Iddon, Royal Flying Corps.
The plaque within the school assembly hall
​Image © Charles O'Donnell 2018
THIS TABLET
WAS ERECTED TO
THE GLORY OF GOD
AND IN LOVING MEMORY OF
THE BOYS FROM THIS SCHOOL
WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR
1914-1919
JACK BRETHERTON                        
HAROLD SOUTHWORTH
WILLIE RIGBY
ERIC PEIRCE
FRANK WARING
HOWARD GLEAVE
MATTHEW WHITTAKER
HARRY BANNISTER
OSWALD BERRY
PERCY WIGNALL
BERT CANK
SYDNEY MILL
ARTHUR PARKER
LESLIE WOOD
WILLIE SOUTHWORTH
CHARLES ROSE
JIMMY BARNES
WILLIE HAMPSON
WILLIE MARSDEN
ALBERT CLAYTON
HAROLD JACKMAN M.C.
EDGAR ROBINSON
STANLEY IDDON
Charles O'Donnell
Please email the project with any amendments or corrections 
Edited 26 May 2018
With thanks to the staff of Balshaws school for access.
Preston & Central Lancashire WFA
© Preston & Central Lancashire Western Front Association 2020
The WFA was formed in 1980 to maintain interest in the First World War (1914-1918). We work to perpetuate the memory, courage and comradeship of all, from all sides, on all Fronts: on land, at sea, in the air and on the Home Front. The WFA is non-political and does not seek to glorify war.