PROPOSED OFFICIAL MEMORIAL TO LONGRIDGE'S FALLEN OF WW1
Published: 16 August 2017
The official
memorial to Longridge’s fallen of WW1, the Recreation Ground -
always known as the Rec - has long been unmarked and unrecognised as such by
many townsfolk and by visitors to the site.
Realising how
The Rec’s history and significance had diminished over the years, local
businessman Charles Carefoot suggested to the town council that the meaning
behind the Rec’s open space needed to be reinforced and made a donation to
start the campaign.
Now a special
group "The Rec Memorial Group" backed by the Town Council is looking into launching a fundraising campaign
to erect a proper and lasting memorial appropriate for the Rec’s open space
which signifies the freedom which several hundred Longridge servicemen fought and died for in the First World War.
The group are
asking for help with sourcing local stone to create the memorial or donations to
help the campaign.
Originally,
there was a shelter in place with a plaque after local people demanded
something to honour their fallen.
In 1925 at a
public meeting it was decided to provide a recreation ground
for a memorial, the fields were bought from William and Albert Sanderson for
£1,740 and the park was opened in 1927.
At the time
and to provide access from Berry Lane, the Longridge Industrial Co-operative Society allowed a footpath - now
Barclay Road - to be created through its land.
The entrance
gates and promenade to the recreation
ground were bequeathed to the
people of Longridge by Henry
Driver, and are now known as Driver’s Walk.
The group would
like to ask if anyone would like to donate to cost of the memorial or provide
local stone to telephone on 01772 782461 or by e-mail on clerk@longridge-tc.gov.uk