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Claughton

War Memorial, Smithy Lane, PR3 0GJ

The wayside cross that stood on this site was restored by William Fitzherbert-Brockholes, in memory of his two sons, Thomas and Roger, and all from Claughton who gave their lives for their country in the Great War.

It was unveiled at a ceremony, attended by William Fitzherbert-Brockholes on the 1st January 1920.

The two names on the memorial are:

Roger Hubert Fitzherbert-Brockholes

Lieutenant. Royal Navy

Roger was born at Claughton in 1891, the son of William Joseph and Blanche Fitzherbert-Brockholes.

He joined the Royal Navy in 1908.  When war broke out he was his way home after serving in China to specialise in torpedo work, but on arrival in England was appointed to the battleship HMS Benbow.

He was then sent to Portsmouth for a qualifying course as a torpedo lieutenant, and was later selected to specialise in mining. He was appointed mining officer to the 20th Flotilla, and in March 1919 he was sent to Archangel for special duties as a mining expert.

He was killed aboard HMS Glory while it was engaged in minesweeping near Archangel, Russia on 2nd July 1919.

He was 28.

Roger has no known grave but the sea.  He is remembered on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.

Thomas Joseph Fitzherbert- Brockholes

Captain.  Rifle Brigade

Thomas was born at Marylebone, London in 1887, the son of William Joseph and Blanche Fitzherbert-Brockholes.

He died of wounds received in action on 14th March 1918.  He was 27.

Thomas is buried at Estaires Communal Cemetery, France.

An inscription on his headstone reads:

OF YOUR CHARITY PRAY FOR THE REPOSE OF HIS SOUL. MAY HE REST IN PEACE.

Memorial Garden, Smithy Lane, Claughton

The garden is located in a secured area of the grounds of St. Mary’s primary school, Smithy Lane, Claughton on Brock.

It was designed and constructed by local volunteers.

The project was initiated by the Parish Council in 2014, motivated by the desire to provide a safe and peaceful place that relatives, friends, the wider community and visitors can come to, to commemorate those who served in any capacity, during World War 1 in particular, but also in all other conflicts since.

The Parish Council with the support of the local community formed in 2014 a small project team with a clear focus on designing and building the garden by the end of 2016, but with the distinct objective of it being very well established by the Centenary anniversary of the Armistice on 11th November 2018.

This objective has been attained and the garden welcomes visitors and has been a safe and pleasant venue for armistice services to be held since 2016.

There is a gate into the garden directly from the school to enable the school pupils to have ease of access and a separate new entrance from the external boundary on Smithy Lane for the public.

Photographs of the garden can be accessed via the Claughton on Brock Parish Council Photo Gallery here:

Inside the Memorial Garden, Smithy Lane

Memorial in the garden

Claughton Memorial Hall, Stubbins Lane, Claughton on Brock.  PR3 0QH


The original Memorial Hall was a wooden structure, the main section
of which was first fit for use in November 1920, financed primarily by
William Fitzherbert-Brockholes.

It was built, firstly to commemorate those from Claughton who lost their lives in the Great War of 1914-18 and secondly in response to a “growing desire all over the country to brighten country life by the formation of clubs and institutes”.

In 1919, the feeling in Claughton was that no such suitable building
existed – the school being unsuitable for social gatherings. It was the general consensus that the funds for both the furnishing and
upkeep be financed by the community. This was done and some
additional building work was undertaken.

The Memorial Hall was officially opened in 1921.

In the 1980s it was decided that the old building was considered unsafe
and a decision was made to replace it. The original building was
demolished and replaced with current new building, which was
financed by both the local community and the County Council.
The new Memorial Hall was officially opened on the 8th March 1986.

Information from the Claughton on Brock History Trail here

St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, Smithy Lane, Claughton-on-Brock. PR3 0PN

The first Catholic priest to be recorded who officiated in Claughton was the Reverend Thomas Whitaker, who was martyred at Lancaster in 1646.

In 1744 the house occupied by the rector was set aside as a chapel, and over the years has been added to and altered to the church as it is now. The marble altars in the church were given by the Fitzherbert Brockholes family, and the rector. The organ was given by Henry Gradwell, and the land for the cemetery by the Fitzherbert Brockholes family.

Within the churchyard are two war graves:

John Nugent

Private 23690.  7th/8th Battalion King’s Own (Scottish Borderers) Regiment

John was born in Lancaster in 1899, the son of John and Margaret Ellen Nugent.

He died of wounds received in action on 31st October 1917.  He was 19.

John is remembered on the Bilsborrow War Memorial and also the War Memorial at St. Lawrence Church, Barton.

Iain James O’Connor

Private 24757981. Queens Lancashire Regiment

Iain was serving in Northern Ireland with the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment on the 30th March 1987. He was killed when two blast bombs were dropped from a walkway in Divis Flats, Belfast, on to the Landrover vehicle that he was in.

Also in the churchyard is a Fitzherbert-Brockholes family grave which remembers Roger Hubert and Thomas Joseph Fitzherbert-Brockholes, who are named on the War Memorial.