The Parish War Memorials of Askham, Cumbria
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1. Askham (St Peter’s) Parish Church, Westmorland
(Askham in now in eastern Cumbria)
“…
the prettiest village in Westmorland” (Wainwright)
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2. The WW1 and WW2 War Memorials of Askham
(Located inside Askham Parish Church)
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3. The WW2 “Thanksgiving Memorial” tablet
(Behind the choir stalls inside the parish
church)
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4. Askham (St Peter’s) Parish Church:
The
altar, choir stalls, organ and the memorial lights
(The church lighting is the thanksgiving
memorial)
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posted by ritsonvaljos at 8:36 pm
4 Comments:
Additional information
The parish war memorials of Askham, Westmorland
The village and parish of Askham in the West Riding (West Ward) of the former English county of Westmorland (now in Cumbria). It is located on the western side of the River Lowther and borders the Lowther estates of the Earl of Lonsdale. Indeed, in the 1930s Askham Hall, situated not far from Askham Parish Church (Church of England) became the main residence of the Earl and Countess of Lonsdale following a partial dismantling of nearby Lowther Castle.
According to the famous guidebook writer, A.W. Wainwright, Askham is “… the prettiest village in Westmorland”. Askham is a mainly rural parish with the village being the main settlement of the parish. The parish population in the early 21st Century is about 350,although it was slightly larger during the 20th Century.
The Parish Church, dedicated to St Peter, is situated a short distance to the east of Askham village [Photograph No. 1]. Inside the church are brass plaques commemorating those from the district who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars [Photograph No. 2].
In addition, Askham Village Hall, which is situated in the nearby village, was opened in 1927 as an additional memorial for those who died in the 1914 – 1918 war. There is also an additional WW2 ‘thanksgiving’ memorial inside the church, as explained by a wooden plaque located positioned behind the choir stall [Photograph No. 3]. However, as this plaque explains, the actual ‘thanksgiving’ memorial is the church lighting!
Photograph No 4 shows the altar, choir stalls and organ of the church. The organist can be seen playing the organ on the left hand side of the photograph, with the wooden ‘thanksgiving’ plaque on the left hand wall to the right of the organ. Meanwhile, in front of the pulpit a chandelier hangs down from the ceiling. As explained earlier, it is actually the lighting of the church that is the WW2 ‘thanksgiving’ memorial.
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The WW1 War Memorial inscription
The WW1 memorial is the larger of the two brass plaques seen in Photograph No. 2. The names of the 18 locals who died in the 1914 – 1918 war are listed in two columns on the plaque. The inscription is as follows:
“To the Glory of God
And in honoured memory
Of the following brave soldiers
From the parish who so nobly
Gave their lives
During the Great War 1914 – 1918”
………………………
T. Alexander Groves
Henry Founder
George Errington
John MacPherson
William Wallace
J. Stanley Richardson
Frederick A. Harrison
Frederick W. Relph
James S. Forbes
………………..
Michael R. Allonby
Abraham Ridley
Ernest R. Lucas
Robert G. Lucas
Alfred Bardgett
Albert V. Lamb
Henry Holder
Howard Nicholson
Bert Watson
…………………
“Greater Love hath no man than this, that
A man lay down his life for his friends”
Erected by subscription in the parish
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The WW2 War Memorial inscriptions
The WW2 memorial is the smaller of the brass plaques seen immediately above the poppy wreath in Photograph No. 2. There are two names listed, as described here:
“1939 – 1945
Daniel Hardisty Hodgson
John William Rutherford Hardy”
…………………..
The WW2 ‘thanksgiving’ plaque, seen in Photograph No. 3, reads as follows:
“In Memory
Of Precious lives laid down
And as a Thank Offering for the
Victory of the Allies in the
Second World War 1939 – 1945
The lighting in this church was
Given by parishioners and friends”.
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Dedication
This article is dedicated to the parishioners of Askham and district who died during the two World Wars, 1914 – 1918 and 1939 – 1945:
“ … "But what good came of it at last?"
Quoth little Peterkin.
"Why that I cannot tell," said he,
"But 'twas a famous victory."...”
Extract from: “After Blenheim”
By Robert Southey (1774 – 1843)
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