Memorials - Penwortham - Penwortham War Memorial, Liverpool Road

Liverpool Rd, Penwortham PR1 0AJ
Ordnance Survey Map Reference - SD 52333 28627
IWM War Memorials Register - 42688
War Memorials Online - Not on site
Events in the early history of Penwortham War Memorial
19 August 1919 - Meeting of the Parish Council held this day in the Clerk's Office. Present Councillor A. Milner, in chair, Councillors E. W. Hutchinson, B. Hargreaves, G. Worden, J. R. Taylor, J. H. Jackson and K. H. Whitehead. Resolved that acknowledgement be made to Messrs. Wilson, Wright and Davies for the draft deed of conveyance of the plot of land which Mr. Rawstorne has given for the site of the War Memorial. Resolved that the proposed cenotaph be erected at an approx. cost of £300. That a committee consisting of the chairman, Rev. O. Burton and J. R. Taylor see to the erection of the cenotaph. That the two boards be under the direction of the Rev. Fr. Gibb.
19 September 1919 - Meeting of the Parish Council held this day in the Clerk's Office. Present Councillor A. Milner in the chair, Councillors Hargreaves, Jackson, Hutchinson and Worden. The matter of war memorial plan was discussed and finally left to next meeting.
17 October 1919 - Resolved that the sum of four pounds be offered to Mr J. R. Taylor for the erection and taking down of cenotaph.
"This indenture made the first day of January One thousand nine hundred and twenty Between Lawrence Rawstorne of Hutton Hall in the County of Lancaster Esquire of the one part and The Parish Council of Penwortham in the said County of Lancaster (hereinafter called the Council) of the other part. Whereas the said Lawrence Rawstorne is desirous of giving to the Council the piece of land hereinafter described as a site for a Monument to be erected in memory of soldiers who have fallen in the European War And Whereas the Council have agreed to accept the said piece of land for the purpose aforesaid Now this Indenture witnesseth that the said Lawrence Rawstorne hereby grants and conveys unto the Council All that piece of land in the Township of Penwortham in the County of Lancaster bounded on the southerly side thereof by the Highroad know as Penwortham Rise and on the remaining sides thereof in part by the Approach Road to Penwortham Church and in other part by agreed to be sold to the said Lawrence Rawstorne to Arthur Ralph Fish which piece of land intended to be hereby conveyed contains one thousand six hundred and twenty square yards or thereabouts and is more particularly delineated on the Plan drawn hereon and therein coloured red To hold the same unto and to the use of the Council their successors"
16 January 1920 - Commencement of the erection of memorial was discussed and it was resolved. That the council undertake to remove all of the brushwood from the site and that Mr. John Brown be engaged to do the said work.
Lancashire Daily Post - 20 & 21 August 1920. PENWORTHAM WAR MEMORIAL. The Committee request the Inhabitants to notify them of the name of any Sailor or Soldier who fell in the Great War and whose Name does not appear on the List which may be seen at my Office, Leyland-road. Also the Names of those who have served in his Majesty's Forces during the same period. J. T. BENNETT, Hon. Sec. 
Lancashire Daily Post - 21 March 1921. Penwortham War Memorial - Unveiling ceremony by General Shoubridge. A memorial to the men of Penwortham who fell during the war was unveiled on Saturday afternoon by Major-General T. H. Shoubridge C.B.E., C.M.G., D.S.O. A procession of relatives and friends of fallen-men, headed by the Preston Discharged Sailors and Soldiers Band and the Executive Committee in connection with the scheme, proceeded from Wren-avenue, at the lower end of Penwortham, to the site on Liverpool-road, which was given by Mr. Lawrence Rawstorne. The memorial, which takes the form of a granite runic cross, was erected by public subscriptions. The names of the fallen are inscribed on a stone tablet in the background, whilst in a recess was placed the parchment record of all who had served in the war. Mr. Milner (chairman of the committee) who presided, was supported on the platform by members of the Penwortham Parish Council and the Executive and General Committees, the Rev. O. Burton (vicar of Penwortham), Father R. Gibb (St. Mary Magdelene's) Sir Geo. Toulmin, Col. J. Y. Foster and Col. C. J. Trimble, C.B., C.M.G., V.D.
Major-General Shoubridge, following a statement by the chairman, giving the details of the scheme, expressed admiration both as to the position and character of the memorial, which he said, would be a constant reminder to the thousands who passed along the road of the part that district had played in the Great War. Speaking to the relatives and friends, he reminded them of the noble sacrifice their loved ones had made, and remarked that associated with their grief should be proud as they recalled the services they had been able to render their country.
After the unveiling ceremony there was two minutes silence, followed by the sounding of the Last Post by the buglers.
In proposing a vote of thanks to Major-General Shoubridge, the Rev. O. Burton referred to the significance of the runic cross.
Father Gibb seconded, and spoke of the unity with which the war was met without reference to creed or politics.
​Sir George Toulmin, in seconding, pointed out that it was fitting that one who had joined the toil and sufferings of the war should unveil that memorial in the presence of relatives, neighbours and friends. Not only would it be a lasting memorial to the dead, but would remind the living to be faithful to the ideals of justice, truth and freedom.  
15 April 1921 - That a sum of twenty pounds be allowed to Mr Robert Heyes, 12 Trower Street, Preston, for supplying and replanting a fence and shrubs around the war memorial. To plant a beech hedge inside the whole length of view railing and to plant as many trees as possible within the vicinity of the memorial and privet hedge round boundary.
21 October 1921 - The treasurer reported that a balance of £11 17s 0d stands in favour of the memorial fund. James Hilton cleaning Memorial site £2 10s 0d
15 June 1923 - Resolved that Mr Helliwell be thanked for the gift of shrubs which have been planted on the War Memorial Site.
19 October 1923 - Memorial Ground. That Messrs. Saul and Hudson be requested to examine the site, and report as to the best type of trees and shrubs which will grow on the bank and to give an estimate as to putting the ground into decent order.
16 November 1923 - War Memorial Site. Letters and estimates for the Improvement of the memorial site were read and discussed and it was resolved. That owing to the excessive cost the estimates could not be entertained and that the clerk thank Messrs. Hodson and Sons for estimate which the Council regrets it could not accept.
21 March 1924 - That the Memorial Committee consider the matter of digging a trough around the foot of the *** for the reception of flowers etc. (Resolved)
24 June 1924 - That the attention of the person responsible for the memorial ground be asked of the very unsatisfactory state at the present time and requested to give the same immediate attention.
20 November 1925 - Memorial Grounds. That the sub committee be instructed to see that the ground be planted with suitable plants.
19 February 1926 - Memorial Ground. The sub-committee reported that it had given orders for the council's ground to be thoroughly cleared of all rough growth and that 100 trees be planted this year.
Above extracts from town council minutes, newspapers and primary documents
The list of the fallen on Penwortham War Memorial

ROYAL HUSSARS
PTE. ROWLAND TATTERSALL

LANCASHIRE HUSSARS
MAJOR THOMAS GEOFFREY RAWSTORNE

ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY
SEC. LIEUT. HAROLD IDDON
STAFF-SERG. SYDNEY TAYLOR
SERGT. FRANK HOLT WHITEHEAD M.M.
CORPORAL ERNEST KAY M.M.
BOMBARDIER FRANK CHEADLE
BOMBARDIER STANLEY GRUNDY
GUNNER WILLIAM ASHWORTH
GUNNER WILLIAM HENRY BROWN
GUNNER JAMES COSGROVE
GUNNER HENRY DOBSON
GUNNER ERNEST FOX
GUNNER JOHN WILLIAM GORST
GUNNER WILLIAM ALFRED GREENWOOD
GUNNER THOMAS SAWYER MARSHALL
GUNNER GEORGE WILLIAM STEWARD
GUNNER HARRY WIGNALL
DRIVER ROBERT FINCH
DRIVER WILLIAM FINCH
DRIVER RICHARD FOSTER

ROYAL GARRISON ARTILLERY
GUNNER WILLIAM VICTOR LACEY
GUNNER DANIEL SLATER

ROYAL ENGINEERS
SAPPER ALBERT EDWARD CLAYTON
SAPPER PERCY HAROLD SUMNER

SCOTS GUARDS
PTE. STEPHEN VALENTINE PARR
PTE. DANIEL WILDING

ROYAL SCOTS
PTE. JOHN COOK

KINGS OWN ROYAL LANCASTER REGT.
SERGT. HAROLD DICKINSON M.M.
PTE. LAMBERT RYDING

KING'S LIVERPOOL REGT.
PTE. CHARLES JONES
PTE. GEORGE ERNEST WORTON

LANCASHIRE FUSILIERS
SEC. LIEUT. GEORGE HOSKINS
SEC. LIEUT PHILIP MCGIVENY D.S.O.
PTE. ROBERT BROWN
PTE. JOHN COOKSON
PTE. WILLIAM PARKINSON

ROYAL SUSSEX REGT.
SERGT. ARCHIBALD TAYLOR

SOUTH STAFFS REGT.
PTE. THOMAS DAWSON SCARLETT

WELSH REGT.
PTE. ERNEST CHESTER

LOYAL NORTH LANCASHIRE REGT.
SERGT. FRED LAWRENSON
L.CPL. HENRY GIBSON
L.CPL. WALTER LAWRENSON M.M.
PTE. JOHN ASHWORTH
PTE. THOMAS BARNES
PTE. JOHN COWLEY
PTE. EDWARD DARLINGTON
PTE. CHARLES THOMAS GYNES
PTE. WILLIAM ALFRED HARDMAN
PTE. JOHN HARRISON
PTE. PHILIP WALTER PARK
PTE. WILLIAM EDWARD PARR
PTE. WILLIAM PYE
PTE. JOSEPH WISEMAN
PTE. JOHN STUART WORTHINGTON
PTE. JOHN JOSEPH YOUD

ROYAL BERKSHIRE REGT.
LIEUT.COL. HERBERT MARSHALL FINCH D.S.O.
SEC.LIEUT. NORMAN BLACKBURN M.C.
SEC.LIEUT. FRANK MARSHALL FINCH

MANCHESTER REGT.
PTE. THOMAS HODSON
PTE. EDGAR IRVING ROBINSON

SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS
PTE. HARRY HUMBLE

ROYAL IRISH RIFLES
SEC.LIEUT. SAMUEL DUNWOODY

ROYAL ARMY SERVICE CORPS
SERGT. HARRY PRENTICE
DRIVER ROBERT RICHARDSON

ROYAL ARMY PAY CORPS
CORPL. NORMAN W. HARKER

ROYAL FLYING CORPS
SEC.LIEUT. ALEXANDER DRYSDALE

ROYAL AIR FORCE
SEC.LIEUT. WILLIAM ERNEST SEED

SOUTH AFRICAN SCOTTISH
PTE. WILLIAM KIRKHAM

AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE
LIEUT. SAMUEL RAYMOND THURNHILL M.C.

CANADIAN ROYAL HIGHLANDERS
PTE. FREDERICK GLOVER WHITEHEAD

LNL. REGT.
PTE. DAVID HODGKINSON
PTE. GEORGE STEPHENSON WILSON
"...a constant reminder to the thousands who passed along the road of the part that district had played in the Great War"
​Major-General T. H. Shoubridge
Plans for the new Memorial and Order of Service
Images above courtesy of Heather Crook
Photographs & Postcards from the early years
Images above courtesy of Heather Crook & Preston Digital Archive
Penwortham War Memorial, Autumn 2012
Penwortham War Memorial, Winter 2015
Penwortham War Memorial, late Summer 2016
All images © Charles O'Donnell 2018 unless otherwise stated
Text and some images reproduced from the Penwortham Magazine by kind permission of Heather Crook and the friends of Penwortham War Memorial
Please email the project with any amendments or corrections ​
Edited 27 May 2018
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.