Burtonwood War Memorial
Newton and Earlestown Guardian – Wednesday 13 May 1920
The Question of the erection of a war memorial in Burtonwood for those in the village who made the supreme sacrifice in the war, had been under consideration for some time, and at a meeting of the churchwardens and sidesmen of the parish church, plans and estimates of the cost of a Lych gate were submitted for inspection.
Burtonwood – The War Memorial.
Runcorn Examiner – Saturday 29 May 1920
The Burtonwood Parish Magazine:-
“The Lych Gate War Memorial is now being considered by our wardens and sidesmen in committee. The design has been laid before them, but no definite action can be taken until the present fund of £100 has been at least doubled.
As apparently the cost, all told will not fall much below £250, we are still a long way off the Memorial goal. Yet the road may prove much shorter than we suppose. A strong brave heart and a blessed optimism can work wonders, more then little wonders at that.
Our people mean to stick to it whatever happens. In their opinion nothing can take the place of the Lych Gate as our own local War Memorial, and they mean, to see it through. That’s the stuff to be made of.
A specially convened parochial meeting is to discuss the matter immediately.”
Burtonwood Concert
Runcorn Examiner – Saturday 11 September 1920
0n Wednesday evening a miscellaneous concert was given in the Burtonwood Church Hall in aid of the Lych Gate to commemorate the fallen heroes of the parish.
A goodly number gathered and showed appreciation of the various items rendered. “Casey’s School,” a local play, by local players, was the principal item.
Burtonwood, St Michaels Lych Gate
Widnes Examiner – Saturday 27 November 1920
The Lych Gate. We understand that a faculty for the erection of the Lych gate will be applied for when plans have been approved and accepted by the church officers and, the Parochial Church Council.
All things being equal, the tender of the ex-service men will be given the preference.
Easter is thought to be a suitable season for the dedication of the gate.
Burtonwood Lych gate memorial
Newton and Earlestown Guardian – Friday 06 May 1960
The name which was missing from the Lych gate memorial at Burtonwood Parish Church has now been added.
The name is that of James Unsworth, who was killed at the Dardanelles in 1915.
The Burtonwood Lychgate War Memorial
Commemoration: First World War (1914-1918),
Second World War (1939-1945)
Maker: CAPTAIN FREDERICK JARDINE BARNISH (Designer)
Ceremony & Dedicated: 07th May 1921
Attended by: Bishop of Liverpool
Description of the Memorial
Lychgate with two dedicatory stone tablets on either side of the gate. Coloured foliate tiles are framed around the tablets. Wreath in relief above left hand tablet and Latin Cross in relief above right hand tablet.
Inscription Left Tablet:
QUI MERUIT FERAT REMEMBER
(Names)
SONS OF THIS PLACE, LET THIS OF YOU BE SAID,
THAT YOU WHO LIVE ARE WORTHY OF YOUR DEAD.
THESE GAVE THEIR LIVES.
REAP A RICHER HARVEST ERE YOU FALL ASLEEP.
Inscription Right Tablet:
TO THE GLORY OF GOD.
AND IN GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE OF THE MEN OF THIS PARISH,
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES,
IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY,
DURING THE WAR 1914 – 1919 AND 1939 -1945,
ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O’LORD,
AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.
AMEN.
(Names)
The following is a full list of the names on the memorial:
Almond, Alfred
Baddeley, Harold
Baxter, John William
Brierley, William
Conway, William
Dalton, Joseph
Dingsdale, James
Ditchfield, Edward
Duxbury, Thomas
Fairclough, John Ernest
Garner, Harry
Graham, William
Hall, Harry
Haverty, James
Hewitt, George
Higgins, Terence Anthony
Jones, Joseph William
Kelly, John
Mayor, Henry
Mayor, John Richard
Mckee, Andrew
Pickersgill, Edwin
Quinn, John
Rabjohns, Horace
Shaw, Harry
Southern, William
Spruce, Richard
Spurling, William
Swallow, Joseph
Taylor, Wilfrid
Tinsley, James
Tomlinson, James Henry
Tomlinson, Josiah
Traverse, Edward
Unsworth, James
Unsworth, John
Watkinson, Samuel
Welding, Richard
Yates, James
Within the attached photos, is one showing Mrs Mary Bate , who won her fight to get her brothers name put onto the war memorial at Burtonwood,, her brother James Unsworth who was missed from the listed men, was finally inscribed after a 45 year wait, the photo was taken at the Lych gate at St Michaels 1961
