Restoring our heroes’ names on memorial

Wyre Council has joined forces with community groups and local historians to restore the ICI war memorial in Thornton and would like to hear from family members who may have a relative named on it.

Situated at Four Lane Ends, the ICI memorial is separate from the main cenotaph and displays the names of former workers who lost their lives during the First and Second World Wars.

It was originally located at the firm’s site at Hillhouse Business Park before being moved to Four Lane Ends in 1997.

Earlier this year, the council agreed to take over ownership of the memorial from AkzoNobel (which acquired ICI in 2008) and to restore it during the Centenary of the First World War.

Project spokesman David Baxter, said: “The memorial has been weathered over the years and the names have been eroded, so we are working to ensure the correct names are inscribed on the restored memorial.

“With the help of a local historian we have a list of names that were originally on the memorial but research has suggested that there may be inaccuracies.”

The restoration team is particularly interested in talking to relatives of the following First World War servicemen: Jack Brennan or (Brannen), William Brockband or (Brockbank), John Crehan or (Crahan), Edward Keogh or (Kehoe), and George Urmston or (Urmson).

Contact Paul Deacon at Wyre Council on (01253) 887236 or email [email protected]