Thornton Cleveleys War Memorial

Thornton Cleveleys War Memorial is at Four Lane Ends at Thornton, opposite the library and Little Theatre. It’s an attractive corner, well looked after and planted with seasonal bedding, where the Remembrance Day service is held each year.

Join us for a look around, as we approach Remembrance Sunday.

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Eric Curbishley is a local military researcher. In November 2012 he very kindly provided this information about the War Memorial and the ICI War Memorial.

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History of Thornton Cleveleys War Memorials

A temporary war memorial was first constructed in 1919 at Woodlands Avenue, Thornton. Then a little later, a permanent war memorial was built at Four Lane Ends Thornton, in 1923. On 11th November 1923 it was officially unveiled. That day was the fifth anniversary of the end of the First World War.

For most of the 19th century the main occupation of the people in the area had been in agriculture. However this all changed when in the 1890’s the United Alkali Company (later to become Imperial Chemical Industries, or ICI) built the chemical factories at Burn Naze, Thornton.

The construction of the factories involved employing workers from outside the area and many of the men came from Ireland. Some of the men settled in Thornton Cleveleys once the factories were completed. They continued to work at the chemical factories or found other jobs in the area. Additional staff also moved to Thornton from the United Alkali Company’s other factories at Widnes.

War broke out in August 1914, Many of the volunteers for military service weren’t just local men, but also those who had settled in the area some years earlier. This is why some of the surnames on the war memorial aren’t recognisable as local names from previous generations.

Second World War Memorial

The men and women of Thornton Cleveleys were called upon to do their bit again when war broke out for a second time in 1939.

Sadly some didn’t make it back home. Their names are inscribed in the three open-book tablets. They surround the original war memorial and bear testimony to their sacrifice on behalf of their country.

Included in these names are those of three local women. The First World War memorial contains 84 names whilst the Second World War Memorial books contain 113 names.

The ICI War Memorial

The ICI War Memorial commemorates company employees who died in both of the world wars. It was originally located at the ICI site at Burn Naze.

The Imperial Chemical Industries factories closed and the site redeveloped by NPL Estates. It’s now Hillhouse International Enterprise Zone.

When the ICI factories were demolished it was necessary to re-locate the ICI War Memorial. In 1997 it was moved to this more appropriate place at Four Lane Ends.

In 2015 the ICI War Memorial was refurbished. A public dedication service held on Saturday 10 October 2015 at 11am marked its reinstatement.

This memorial is separate from the main cenotaph. It displays the names of 59 former workers of the firm, and United Alkali Company which preceded it. They all lost their lives during the First and Second World Wars. As would be expected, many of the names are duplicates of those already on the main Thornton Cleveleys War Memorial.

Remembrance Services

Each year there are Remembrance Day Services at each of the Fylde Coast Cenotaphs and War Memorials.

Details of this years services

For The Fallen

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not 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.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England’s foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

Robert Laurence Binyon

Thornton Cleveleys War Memorial and the Men Behind the Names

Just in time for Remembrance Sunday 2015, Eric Curbishley published his new book entitled “Thornton Cleveleys War Memorial and the Men and Women Behind the Names” Second World War.

The Second World War Memorial at Thornton Cleveleys has 29 more names on it than the First World War Memorial. Therefore there are an additional 43 pages in the new book.

Eric first wrote a successful first book about Poulton War Memorial in 2011 entitled “Poulton-le-Fylde War Memorial and The Men Behind The Names” which covers both World Wars.

He then decided to take on a much larger project and research Thornton Cleveleys War Memorial. In 2014 he published a further book entitled “Thornton Cleveleys War Memorial and The Men Behind The Names – First World War”.

Eric also shares his own personal story of how the war touched his own family, which you can read here.

If you would like to buy a book you can contact Eric on 01253 882474 or email eric.curbishley@gmail.com. Please mention you saw it on Visit Fylde Coast!