Queens Hall Mission War Memorials - Wigan Building Preservation Trust

Introduction

The Memorial to the two World Wars held in the Queens Hall Mission in Market Street, Wigan consists of a white marble tablet with the inscription:

In/ Ever Grateful Memory/ of/ The Officers and Men/ Connected with this Mission/ Who gave their lives/ In the Great War/ 1939 1914-18. 1945.

Also there are two oak framed illuminated Rolls of Honour scrolls bearing the names of 225 men with connections to the Wesleyan Mission who served in the Armed Forces during the First World War. An inscription reads:

Wigan Wesleyan Mission/ Queen's Hall/ Roll of Honour/ Members of the above who served with the Forces in/ The Great War 1914-1918

A third illuminated scroll with the inscription 'These Died and Lo, We Live' bears the names of twenty two servicemen who were members of the Mission and lost their lives in the Great War.

All the names except two have been researched and short bios included. If any readers can assist with their identities, please contact the author via the Wigan Buildings Preservation Trust website. The tablet and scrolls have been included on the War Memorial Register by Revd. David Long.

1. Lawrence Charles Ballard

Born 8 May 1897, Wigan

Enlisted 23 March 1915

Residence 3 Albion Yard, Millgate, Wigan

No. 18542. Royal Marine Light Infantry, Portsmouth Division, Royal Navy

Died 13 November 1916, aged 19

Buried Ancre British Cemetery, Beaumont Hamel, France Plot II. Row B. Grave 50

Commemorated on Wigan Cenotaph

2. Harold Beech (Correct spelling Beach)

Born 1894, Wigan

Residence 241 Ince Green Lane, Wigan

No. 32767, Pte, 17th Bn Manchester Regt.

Died 22 July 1918, aged 23

No known grave

Commemorated on Pozieres Memorial, France and Ince UDC Cemetery Cenotaph

3. Robert Hartley Deakin

Born 20 Jan 1895, 86 Swinley Rd, Wigan

Lieutenant, 45 Sqn Royal Flying Corps

Formerly South Lancashire Regt and 10th Jats Indian Regt

Killed in action 22 July 1917, aged 22

No known grave

Commemorated on the Arras Flying Services Memorial, Fauberg-d’ Amiens,

France and the War Memorials at Pershore Abbey, St. Andrews Church,

Toddington and The Square, Winchcombe, Gloucestershire

4. William Flemming (Correct spelling Fleming)

Born 1886, Wigan

Residence 6 Derby St, Whelley, Wigan

No, 11840, L/Cpl, 1st Bn Border Regt.

Killed in action 6 April 1916, aged 30

Buried Auchonvillers Communal Cemetery (north boundary), France

Commemorated on Wigan Cenotaph

5. Robert James Griffiths

Born 1895, Wrexham

Residence 467 Wigan Rd, Bryn, Wigan

No. 2257, L/Cpl, 11th Bn Manchester Regt.

Died 24 Dec 1915 of wounds suffered in Gallipoli, aged 19

Buried Portianos Military Cemetery, West Mudros, Lemnos, Greece

Plot III, Row A, Grave 290

Commemorated on Wigan Cenotaph

6. Walter Halliwell

Born 1882, Wigan

Residence 21 Upper Morris St, Wigan

Occupation colliery joiner

No. 65813, Sapper, 129th Field Coy, Royal Engineers.

Killed in action 19 February 1916, aged 34

Buried Menin Road South Military Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium

Plot I. Row H, Grave 27

Commemorated on Wigan Cenotaph

7. Herbert Holding

Born 1895 Pemberton, Wigan

Residence Newtown, Wigan

No. 23511, Pte, 12 Bn Kings (Liverpool) Regt.

Killed in action 27 Sept 1915, aged 20

Buried Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix, France.

Plot 1, Row C, Grave 52

Commemorated on Wigan Cenotaph

8. John Horrocks

Born 1877, Wigan

Residence 54 Lower Morris St, Wigan

Occupation collier Douglas Bank Pit

No. 180, Company Sergeant Major,1st /5th Bn Manchester Regt.

Killed in action Gallipoli 3 June 1915, aged 38.

No known grave

Commemorated on Stone No. 158, Cape Helles Memorial, Turkey and Wigan

Cenotaph

9. S.M Horrocks

Not enough information to establish identity

10. Harry Jephson (Correct spelling Jepson)

Born 1896, Wigan Residence 235 Billinge Rd, Highfield, Wigan

No. 2640, Pte, 1st/5th Bn Manchester Regt.

Killed in action 24 July 1915, aged 19 in Gallipoli

No known grave, commemorated on Stone No. 165a, Cape Helles Memorial,

Turkey and Wigan Cenotaph

11. Harry Kerrigan

Born 21 Aug 1894, Wigan

Residence 282 Gidlow Lane, Wigan

No. 121108, Sapper, 103rd Field Coy, Royal Engineers

Killed in action 12 Feb 1917

Buried Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe, France

Plot I, Row M, Grave 13

Commemorated on Wigan Cenotaph

12. Peter Liptrot

Born 1882, Wigan

Residence 28 Bolton St, Higher Ince, Wigan

Enlisted Bootle

No, 9610, Pte, 1st Bn Kings (Liverpool) Regt.

Died 20 September 1914, aged 31

No known grave

Commemorated on La Ferte-Sous-Jouaire Memorial, France, and Wigan

Cenotaph

13. Charles Samuel Lowe

Born 10 Jan 1895, 2 Derby St, Whelley, Wigan

No. 356813, Pte, 1st/10th Bn Kings (Liverpool) Regt

Killed in action 30 Nov 1917

No known grave

Commemorated on Panel 4, Cambrai Memorial, Louveral, France

14. (Samuel) Arnold Melling

Born 1891 Wigan Son of Samuel Melling and Margaret Ellen (nee Rimmer) of The

Sycamores, Wigan

No. 276, L/Cpl, 1st Bn Australian Infantry Force

Died of dysentery 2 March 1916, aged 24

Buried Wigan Cemetery, Lower Ince, Wigan.

Plot B. Grave 356 Non Conformist.

15. William Melling

Born Wigan

No. 8310, Pte, 2nd Bn South Lancs (Prince of Wales Volunteers) Regt.

Killed in action 24 Oct 1914

No known grave

Commemorated on Panel 23 Le Touret Memorial and Wigan Cenotaph

16. D. Moore

Not enough information to establish identity

17. James Pennington

Born 1890, Farnworth, Bolton

Enlisted Wigan

No. 11984, L/Cpl, 2nd Bn Border Regt

Died 12 December 1916, Aged 25

Buried at St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France

Grave No, O. III. P. 2

Commemorated on Wigan Cenotaph

18. John (Thomas)

Porter Born Wigan

Residence Salford

No. 200743, Cpl, 2nd/5th Bn Manchester Regt

Killed in action 15 July 1917

Buried in Coxyde Military Cemetery, Belgium

Plot I. Row H, Grave 44

19. John William Sharrock

Born Orrell, Wigan

No. 83105. Pte, 59th Coy Machine Gun Corps Infantry

Formerly 6137 Manchester Regt

Killed in action 28 July 1917

Buried Talana Farm Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium

Plot I. Row AA, Grave 2

Commemorated on Wigan Cenotaph.

20. Ernest Sugden

Born Bradford, Yorkshire

Enlisted Wigan

No. 13641, Pte, 3rd Bn Coldstream Guards.

Killed in action 15 Sept 1916

No known grave

Commemorated on Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France and Wigan Cenotaph.

21. George Tennant

No. 67174, Pte, 96 Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps

Died of wounds 9 April 1917

Buried in Bucquoy Road Cemetery, France

Plot I. Row A. Grave 6

Commemorated on Wigan Cenotaph.

22. Alexander Yates

Born 1886, Coppull

Residence 89 Grove Lane, Standish

No. 2035, Pte, 2nd Bn Royal Munster Fusiliers

Killed in action 25 Sept 1916, aged 29

No known grave

Commemorated on the Loos Memorial, panel 127 and on Wigan Cenotaph.

Graham Taylor

2025

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Rev David Long for photos of the Memorial tablet and Roll of Honour scrolls and to Ron Hunt for photo of the Casualty list scroll.