War Memorial: Cenotaph

Architectural Heritage Dossier

covering Thornton, (FY5), Lancashire

Compiled by Mike Pollard, 2009   Second Issue

Picture by Mike Pollard 2008

Description

Four sided pedestal, tapered at base on circular plinth.  All Cornish Granite with Bronze figure on dedicated base.

History details

Known locally as the Cenotaph, the memorial is Thornton’s only Monument and was built in 1923 at a cost of £900 to replace the earlier and temporary memorial situated on Fleetwood Road North at the end of Woodland Avenue which had been dedicated in 1919.

The Bronze figure was the work of Mr.Albert Toft and the stonework provided and installed by Mr. W.L. Cookson of Blackpool.

The new memorial was dedicated to the 84 local men who gave their lives in the First World War.

       Picture Postcard

The opening ceremony on 11th November 1923 was attended by local ex servicemen under the command of Captain Jagger, headed by a band of the King’s Own Royal Lancashire Regiment.

Captain Lord Stanley pulled the cord releasing the Union Flag which draped the monument and the first wreath was laid by two year old Joseph James Gallagher, son of Edward who had died of his injuries sustained during the war before his son was born.

 Picture Postcard

This old postcard picture shows a view prior to the construction of the Library and Lecture Hall.

The temporary memorial on Fleetwood Road North, at the end of Woodland Avenue was used from 1919 until 1923.

Picture by Mike Pollard 2007

A view of the same site today, the secluded terrace is still visible on the left.  Although now the home of a telephone box, the rest of the site has had the benefit of planting from Wyre Borough’s gardening team.

Picture by Mike Pollard 2008

The tall metal lanterns that once adorned the two concrete plinths were removed many years ago, the reason for this and their present whereabouts remain a mystery.  One can be seen in one of the old postcard pictures above, just to the left of the Cenotaph.