Whalley Remembers
17th of August, 2020
The village of Whalley and adjacent communities have a close relationship with the Great War of 1914 - 1918 (also known as World War 1) for two reasons:
Firstly some 60 boys and young men who enlisted for Service never came back and secondly the Queen Mary's Military Hospital (now NHS Mersey C are or Calderstones) treated some 60,000 wounded Servicemen of whom 330 died there. It is therefore fitting that this year the whole of Whalley, Barrow, Billington, and Wiswell commemorate the Centenary of the end of the Great War and the Signing of the Armistice.
A Public Meeting was held in Whalley primary School in February from which many ideas were suggested as to how we might mark the Centenary and 'Whalley Remembers' was formed. A 'committee' of volunteers started to put into action some of the ideas; the first action was to start fund raising and we have been successful in gaining a substantial grant from a local organisation. We are also seeking a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The grants are being used to buy banners/stickers for people to put in the cars or front windows/enamel badges for 'Whalley Remembers'/mugs for the Parish primary school children.
There will be a Heritage Walk on the Saturday before Remembrance Sunday when blue plaques will be unveiled at places directly connected with the Great War. The Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire has kindly agreed to start the walk. The Heritage Walk will be followed by a Lantern Walk when the children and uniformed organisations will walk around the centre of the village with their lanterns.
On Remembrance Sunday, the 11th of November there will be a Service of Thanksgiving in St. Mary & All Saints Parish Church here in Whalley followed by the Act of Remembrance at the War Memorial. There will then be a Parade back to Whalley Abbey where a Community Party with Hot Pot lunch is planned. Tickets will be available later in the year. The church bells will ring out just as they did 100 years ago and there will be a Brass Band concert in the afternoon.
The names of the Servicemen who made the ultimate sacrifice are to be found on the War Memorial and on the Roll of Honour in the Soldiers' Chapel in the Parish Church. The names are also being included in the Parish Magazines in the months leading up to November; please contact the Parish Office (01254 823249) if you would like copies.
If you would like more information on 'Whalley Remembers' please ring Cllr Clifford Ball on 01254 823233. The 'Whalley Remembers' Committee hope that you can come along to support one or more of these activities - it just may be that you live in or near to a house where one of the Whalley Servicemen lived back in 1914 or particularly if you live on Calderstones Park developed over the old Queen Mary's Hospital site.
'Whalley Remembers' promises to be an outstanding event combining the solemnity of Remembering and the joy of the expected peace.
Parish Councillor Clifford Ball.