War Memorial
Information about those Remembered on our War Memorial
World War One:
Archie Forrest – Living in Blackburn in 1911 census. Son of Isaac & Harriett Forrest. Royal Engineers. Died 26/8/17. Buried at Ieper Belgium. See separate page.
John Green: most probably Private in Cameronian Scottish Rifles. Born in Blackburn – Lived at 7, Knuzden Brook. Killed in Action 25/9/1915 France. Commemorated Loos Memorial Pas de Calais.
Cecil Mercer: Born Blackburn 1897, the second son of William and Lily Mercer. Before the war he was listed in the 1911 census living with his parents in Mount St James, Knuzden and as working as a weaver. He joined the local Territorial Army before the outbreak of war in 1914. In August 1914 he signed up for foreign service with the army, although he was only 16 and the minimum age for this was 19 years old. He was in the 1/4th battalion of the East Lancashire regiment and was posted with the regiment first to Egypt for several months and then landed on the 9th of May, 1915 in Gallipoli, Turkey. He was killed in action only 20 days later on the 29th of May, but has no known grave.
William Ashton: William Ashton, born in Blackburn. East Lancs Regiment. Died 26/2/17 of wounds, Mesopotamia. Memorial at Basra Memorial Iraq. William was the son of William & Mary Ashton of 11 St Ives Rd, Blackburn.
William Lowther: Born Blackburn. Private in East Lancs Regiment. Killed in Action 25 /6/1915, Flanders. Buried at Talana Farm Cemetery, Ieper. Husband of Sarah Ann Lowther 34 Snape St Blackburn.
Richard Birch: Kings own Royal Lancs Regiment. Killed in action 18/6/18 Flanders/ France. Buried Couin Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais. Son of Richard & Mary Birch, 367 Accrington Road, Blackburn.
John Metcalf: Born Oswaldtwistle. Private in East Lancs Regiment. Killed in action 1/7/1916 (first day of the Battle of the Somme), Flanders. Commemorated at Thiepval Memorial, Somme France. One of the Accrington Pals.
Albert Bishop: Born Blackburn. Loyal North Lancs Regiment, Killed in Action 9/8/1915 at Gallipoli. Commemorated at Helles Memorial, Turkey
Tom Robinson: Probably born in Blackburn. Private in East Lancs Regiment. Killed in Action 1/9/17 Flanders. Buried at La Targette Cemetery, Pas de Calais. Son of Henry & Charlotte Robinson, 13 Moss Lane Knuzden.
Richard Bolton: son of Solomon Bolton of 4 Cabin End Row Oswaldtwistle. Private in the Coldstream Guards. Killed in action 4/3/17 Flanders. Buried at Sailly-Saillisel Cemetery.
John Sargent: Born Blackburn. East Lancs Regiment. Died 9/5/15. Buried Belgium. Commemorated at Ploegsteert Memorial. Resident of Falkirk, Stirling
James Brindle: Kings own Royal Lancs Regiment 17367. Killed in Action 8 /5/ 1915, Ypres. 5 brothers also served. Picture & more detail on De Ruvigney Roll of Honour.
William Smith – too many men of this name to discern particular person with certainty
William Henry Duckworth: Probably Kings Own Royal Lancs Regiment. Enlisted Accrington. Killed in action 18/4/1918, Flanders. Commemorated at Loos Memorial Pas de Calais. (Another WH Duckworth was born in Belthorn and was in the Household Cavalry)
James Taylor: Born in Blackburn 1886/7. Son of Robert & Mary Taylor, husband of Mary Elizabeth Taylor. Probably driver in Royal Horse Artillery. Killed in Action 22/10/1918.
John Calvert: born Blackburn. Private in East Lancs Regiment. Killed in Action 10/8/1916 France /Flanders. Buried at Vermelles British cemetery, Pas de Calais
James Walton: Born in Oswaldtwistle. Private in East Lancs Regiment. Killed in action 2/4/918 Flanders 26187. (Commonwealth War Grave gives date 30/3/18). Son of the late Sarah Alice Thompson of 4 India St Accrington. Commemorated at Pozieres Memorial.
Joe Taylor Fisher: Born Staincross, Yorkshire to Joe Sidney Fisher & Ann. Ann remarried to William Metcalf of Stanhill Hall. Joe Taylor Fisher married to Sarah Elizabeth Barker & lived in Birkenhead. 2nd Engineer on SS Serula reg Cork (Merchant Navy). Died 16/9/1918. Commemorated Tower Hill memorial.
William Whalley: Lived in Oswaldtwistle. Private in E Lancs Regiment. Killed in action 21/3/1918 Flanders. Commemorated at Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France.
James Gabbot: born Oswaldtwistle, enlisted Accrington. Private in Royal Fusliers – died of wounds 4/5/17 age 33. Buried Boulogne.
Tom Whittaker: Most probable person born in Blackburn. Sergeant in East Lancs Regiment. Killed in action 21/3/1918 Flanders. Commemorated at Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France. (NB another possible born Clayton le Moors, Private in East Lancs Regiment. Died 21/6/16 – one of Accrington Pals)
World War Two:
Walter Jackson: no obvious entry in Roll of Honour or Commonwealth War Graves
Harry Roberts: Probably Loyal North Lancs Regiment. Died Singapore 23/1/42 3713437. (Possibly 29/12/1941 Royal Artillery 1709607 Malaya)
Richard Sutton: Craftsman, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. Died 3/11/42 Middle East 1550729. Buried in El Alemein War Cemetery Egypt.
Information from 1911 Census
32 Mount St, St James, Knuzden.
William Mercer: Head. Aged 38. House painter. Born in Blackburn.
Lily Mercer, Wife Aged 34. Born in Bacup.
Frank Mercer, Son Aged14. Warehouseman- cotton. Born in Blackburn
Cecil Mercer, Son Aged 13. Cotton weaver. Born in Blackburn
Enos Mercer, Son Aged 11. Scholar. Born in Knuzden
Lily Mercer, Daughter Aged 9. Scholar. Born in Knuzden
William Mercer, Son Aged 7. Scholar. Born in Knuzden
Edna May Mercer, Daughter Aged 5. Scholar. Born in Knuzden
Alan Mercer, Son Aged 2. Born in Knuzden
Alston Mercer, Son Aged 2 months. Born in Knuzden
106 Alker St, Blackburn
John James Sargent, Head of family. Aged 21. Cotton spinner. Born in Blackburn.
Maria Sargent, Wife Aged 20. Card room hand. Born in Blackburn
George Sargent, Son Aged 7months
51 Audley Lane, Blackburn
Isaac Forrest, Head of family. Aged 40. Cotton weaver. Born in Blackburn
Harriet Forrest, Wife Aged 40. Dress maker. Born in Blackburn
Ethel Forrest, Daughter Aged 16.Cotton weaver. Born in Blackburn
Archie Forrest, Son Aged 14. Cotton weaver. Born in Blackburn
Elizabeth Forrest, Daughter Aged 11. At School. Born in Blackburn
John Forrest, Son Aged 9. At School. Born in Blackburn
Phyllis Forrest, Daughter Aged 5. Born in Blackburn
Bernice Forrest, Daughter Aged. Born in Blackburn
331 Accrington Rd, Blackburn
William Ashton, Head of Family Aged 50. Shop keeper. Born in Blackburn.
Mary Ashton, Wife Aged 49. Housewife. Born in Blackburn.
James Ashton, Son Aged 24.Cotton weaver. Born in Blackburn.
Elizabeth Ann Ashton, Daughter Aged 19. Cotton weaver. Born in Blackburn.
Tom Ashton, Son Aged 17. Apprentice. Born in Blackburn.
William Ashton, Son Aged 15. Cotton weaver. Born in Blackburn.
Sarah Ashton, Daughter Aged 14. Cotton weaver. Born in Blackburn.
Bertha Ashton, Daughter Aged 12. School – part time. Born in Blackburn.
367 Accrington Rd, Blackburn
Richard Birch, Head of Family Aged 55 Market Gardener. Born Poulton le Fylde.
Ellen Birch, Daughter Aged 29. Housekeeper. Born Poulton le Fylde.
Robert Birch, Son Aged25. Garden worker. Born in Oswaldtwistle.
Maggie Birch, Daughter, Aged 22. Born in Oswaldtwistle.
William Arthur Birch, Son Aged16. Garden worker. Born in Oswaldtwistle.
Lilian Birch, Daughter Aged 15. Cotton weaver. Born in Oswaldtwistle.
Richard Birch, Son Aged 14. At school. Born in Accrington
Information from 1901 Census
Stanhill Hall, Oswaldtwistle
William Metcalf, Head of Family Aged 76. Coal tar distiller. Born Billington, Lancs
Ann E Metcalf, Wife Aged 39. Born Mappelbell, Yorkshire.
Ms Cox, Visitor Aged 82. Born Wiseton, Notts
Taylor Fisher, Stepson Aged 11. Born Staincross, Yorkshire.
Iris Fisher, Stepdaughter Aged 13. Born Staincross, Yorkshire.
William Metcalf, Son Aged 6. Born in Oswaldtwistle
Jack Metcalf, Son Aged 4. Born in Oswaldtwistle
Charley Metcalf, Son Aged 3. Born in Oswaldtwistle
Most of this research was carried out by Anne Willcox, who states: “It has been a difficult task and in some cases, it has had to be on the basis of “best guess”, although I am reasonably certain of the accuracy, except where stated.”