St. Luke’s Church, Church Lane, PR3 0LA
The church which is Grade 2 listed, was built in 1876, by Lancaster architects Paley and Austin. It is constructed of sandstone rubble with a red tile roof.
It was erected in 1876, at a cost of £2000 which was paid by Lord Winmarleigh.
The poppy plaque is located inside the church porch, on the noticeboard.
War Memorial Plaque
The war memorial plaque is inside the church and commemorates 9 men from Winmarleigh who fell during WW1, and also 3 men who fell in WW2.
The men commemorated from WW1 are:
Richard James Bamber
Private 37123: 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers
Richard, known as Dick, was born at Nateby Hallgates, the eldest son of John and Agnes Bamber.
As a boy he attended Winmarleigh School and later became a farm worker at the homestead on Kepple Lane in Garstang.
Richard served as a despatch rider, in both France and Flanders.
He was killed by sniper fire on 24th October 1918. He was 22.
Richard is buried at Moorseelle Military Cemetery, Wevelgem, Belgium.
Richard Chippendale
Private 37679: 13th Battalion, Kings (Liverpool) Regiment, 3rd Division
Richard was born in 1893 at Garstang, the second son of Richard and Margaret (known as Bessie) and baptised in St. Luke’s Church, Winmarleigh on 2nd April 1893.
Richard married Mary Ellen Hoole in the last quarter of 1912 in the Garstang parish. They had two children, Richard and Elizabeth.
Richard was wounded at Arras on 3rd May 1917, and sent back to Westminster Military Hospital in England.
He died from a haemorrhage on 2nd June 1917. He was 24.
Richard was buried in a military funeral at St. Luke’s Church, Winmarleigh, on Thursday 7th June 1917.
James Edward Dunn
Private 38015: 12th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment
James was born on 4th December 1887 in Pendleton, Salford, the third child of William and Amelia Dunn, who later in life moved to Morton’s Cottages, Winmarleigh.
James married Florence Hughes at St. Barnabas Church in Pendleton on 19th July 1912. They had one son, Harold Victor.
James was wounded on 3rd November 1916 and taken to 43 Casualty Clearing Station at Boisleux where he died of his wounds on 7th November 1916. He was 28.
James is buried at Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery, Saulty.
Henry Whitaker Hoole
Private 3876: 8th Battalion King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment
Henry was born in the first quarter of 1877, to Robert and Alice Whitaker, with the birth being registered at Garstang.
In 1911 he was living with his parents at Ball’s Farm, School Lane, Winmarleigh.
Henry enlisted at Garstang on 20th November 1915 and was shipped out to the Western Front on 14th July 1916.
Four weeks later he was killed in action near Delville Wood. He was 39.
Henry is one of the 76000 men who have no known grave, but who are remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.
William Parkinson
Private 26096: 10th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment.
William was born in Leicester in 1894.
In 1911 he was living with his uncle and other family members at Coventry Cottage, Winmarleigh.
He married Alice at Lancaster on 25th March 1914, and their daughter Violet was born in April 1916.
The family moved to Pudsey in Yorkshire where William joined the East Yorkshire Regiment on 26th June 1916
William’s battalion left England for the Western Front on 20th October 1916, and he was killed in action near Serre on 28th November 1916. He was 22.
William is one of the 76000 men who have no known grave, but who are remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.
Matthew Iddon Till
Acting Bombardier L/10990: B Battery, 48th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery.
Matthew was born in July 1896 at Winder’s Farm, Fowler Hill, Cabus, to William and Mary Till.
In 1911 he was working as a servant (possibly a farm labourer) at Gift Hall, Winmarleigh.
It is believed that he enlisted at Preston in the early part of WW1, but the date of his arrival on the Western Front is not known.
Matthew was wounded during the second Battle of the Marne, and died of his wounds on 31st July 1918. He was 21.
Matthew is buried at Cabaret Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez, France.
He is also remembered on the Cabus War Memorial.
George Ernest Wadge
Private 9873: 3rd Battalion Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)
George was born in early 1888 to Josiah and Elizabeth Wadge and baptised on the 8th January 1888 at Seaton near Millom in Cumbria.
It is believed that George was employed as a gardener at Winmarleigh Hall prior to enlisting at the outbreak of WW1.
George was killed in action on 24th May 1915, during the second Battle of Ypres. He was 28.
He is one of the many men with no known grave and is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres.
John Read Whewell
Private 33969: 8th Battalion King’s Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment
John was born at Lytham in January 1898 to Shephard and Clara Whewell.
He was baptised on 9th January 1898 at Lytham, Lancashire.
John enlisted in the 8th Battalion King’s Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment.
He was sent to the Western Front in September 1915.
He was killed in action on 13th April 1918 during the fourth Battle of Ypres. He was 20.
He is one of the many men with no known grave and is remembered on the Ploegsteert Memorial, south of Ypres.
Robert Winder
Private 241398: 1st/5th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment
John was born in 1895 to John and Margaret Winder at Penwortham near Preston.
The family lived at Fowler’s Farm in Nateby in 1911, but moved to Bacup in East Lancashire sometime after 1911.
Robert enlisted in East Lancashire, and joined the 1st/5th Battalion of the East Lancashire Regiment
He was killed in action on 5th July 1917 during the battle to take the village of Ruyaulcourt. He was 22.
He is buried at Ruyaulcourt Military Cemetery.
WW2 names:
William Jarvis Blankney
Bombardier 923122. 5 Field Regiment Royal Artillery
William was born in 1920, in Garstang, the son of Harry and Betsy Blankney.
Harry was a grocer, and in 1939 the family were living at 1, School Lane, Winmarleigh.
William was captured by the Japanese on 15th February 1942, and eventually transferred to the Taichu POW camp in Formosa (now Taiwan), where he died on 10th May 1944. He was 24.
William is buried at Sai Wan War Cemetery, Hong Kong.
An inscription on his gravestone reads:
WITHOUT FAREWELL HE FELL ASLEEP LEAVING ONLY MEMORIES FOR US TO KEEP.
Richard Wilkinson Blackburn
Guardsman 2722335. 1st Battalion Irish Guards
Richard was born in 1911 in Weeton, Lancashire, the son of William and Mary Blackburn.
In 1939 the family were living at Whitter’s Hill, Winmarleigh wher both Richard and his father were gamekeepers.
Richard died on 28th April 1943. He was 32.
He is buries at Massicault War Cemetery, Tunisia.
An inscription on his gravestone reads:
HE GAVE HIS SWEET LIFE THAT WE MIGHT LIVE. HIS DUTY WAS NOBLY DONE.
Stanley Jenkinson
Private 14668927. Queen’s Royal Regiment (Surrey)
Stanley was born in Garstang in 1924, the son of John and Hannah Jenkinson.
The family farmed at Crook-a-Brest farm, Cogie Hill.
Stanley died on 19th August 1944. He was 19.
He is buried at Putot-En-Auge churchyard, near Caen in France.