LITHERLAND WAR MEMORIAL

Field Lane, Corner of Sefton Road, Litherland L21 9LU

Litherland’s War Memorial is situated in front of Litherland Town Hall, on Field Lane, Corner of Sefton Road. Listed upon the memorial are the names of 278 Service men, who gave their lives in the Great War.

The Memorial

The memorial is a square column cenotaph in white Derbyshire stone, and decorated at the top and base, set in an ornamental recess. A metal fence and gates surround the memorial in the council gardens.

The Sculptor was Mr J. W. Boden of Matlock. The inscription is on the front face and the other faces list the names of the fallen, and commemorates the fallen from both World Wars and subsequent conflicts.

The Memorial Committee raised £600, which was used for the memorial, hospital beds and scholarships. Money was donated to Bootle Borough Hospital to endow a bed called “Litherland War Memorial Bed”. A tablet of bronze and white enamel mounted on oak, was fixed over the hospital bed.

Unveiling Ceremony

On 16th March 1924 the memorial was unveiled. The British Legion provided the Guard of Honour, and the Chairman of the War Memorial Committee Councillor R.B. Lee, J.P in his opening address asked the Council to “accept the Stone Memorial, to treat it with reverence, and to keep it always in good condition”. He thanked Viscount Molyneux, the son of Lord Sefton for coming to unveil the Litherland Memorial. Mr F.A.J. Poulson, chairman of Bootle Hospital Committee was thanked for his help and co-operation with the Memorial Scheme.

The hymn “Creator of all Nations” followed, the Rev. Thomas Hannah of Linacre Mission offered a reading, and Rev. George Jackson Vicar of St Andrew’s Litherland read a scripture from the Book of Ecclesiastes. Viscount Molyneux gave a moving speech and unveiled the Memorial. The buglers of the Cadet Corps sounded “The Last Post”, silence was observed and “Reveille” followed. Mourners came forward to lay wreaths to the hymn “We cannot think of them as dead”.

The Rev. Thomas Wilkinson read prayers of remembrance and the Lord’s Prayer followed. The last hymn “Abide with me” was sung, and the Rev. George Jackson pronounced benediction and the ceremony concluded with the national anthem.