Market Drayton War Memorial

A flying visit to a distant uncle and I couldn't miss the opportunity to photograph the memorial. I also visited St Mary's the church and walked through the town centre, parking was a nightmare, so I parked quite a way outside the centre and walked. There is an official history of the town here. The memorial photos:

Taken from the front, the gentleman in the
picture was deep in contemplation,
he paid no attention to me whatsoever.

The road divides and passes both sides of the memorial.
The right fork goes towards the town centre.

From the right

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TO

THE GLORY OF GOD

AND

IN HONOURED MEMORY OF

THE MEN OF MARKET DRAYTON

WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN

THE

GREAT WAR 1914 – 1919

AND

1939 - 1945

From
British Legion Womens Section

Nov. 1939
We will remember

The Inscriptions are below the third shot of the base

1914- 1919
BADGER, T.

BANKS, F.

BARBER, A. J.

BARNETT, A. E.

BARNETT, P. E. T.

BENNION, R. W.

BENNETT, C. E.

BENNETT, F. A.

BENNETT, R. J.

BENNETT, G. F.

BENNETT, W. H.

BICKERTON, W.

BICKLEY, H.

BICKLEY, F.

BIRCHALL, T.

BLASE, W.

BOUGHEY, W. H.

BOULTON, C. J.

BRINDLEY, J.

BUCKLEY,G.

BUTTERFIELD, G.W.

CHESTERS, R.

CHIDLOW, A.

CLIFFORD, W. F. J.

COLLINS, C. R.

CORKE, A.

CORNES, H

DAVIDSON, S. J.

DEAKIN, C. J. J. K.

DUCKERS, F. H.

FARNELL, W.

FELTON, R.

FLYNN, G. T.

FORRESTOR, W.

GARRETT, A.

GARRATT, R. A.

GEORGE, J.

GIBBS, T. C.

GOUGH, F.

HAZELDINE, W.

HEATH, J.

HIGGINS, H.

HILL, S. W.

HOLDING, J.

HOPWOOD. A. E.

HOUGH, P.

HOULDING, J.

HOWES, G. C.

HUDSON, A. M.

HUGHES, S.

INGRAM, B. S. A.

JUDD, A. H.

LAND, G. C.

LANGFORD, G.

LASHMORE, F.

FERRINGTON, A. E.

LAWTON, A.

LEE, A. R. H. U.

LEWIS, T. L.

LLOYD, H.

LOWE, V.

LOYNTON, W.

MABBOT, W. H.

MASSEY, W L. S.

MATTHEWS, H.

MATTHEWS, W.

MEAKIN, G. T.

MILLINGTON, H.

MISSETT, A.

MORRIS, E.

MOSELEY, A. L. W.

McAVAN, F.

McAVAN, L.

McAVAN, G. A.

McAVAN, W.

PITT, R

PRESTON, J

PRITCHARD, T.

RALPHS, A.

RATCLIFFE, R.

REECE, E.

REEVES, J.

RICHARDS, J.

ROBBINS, A. R.

ROGERS, F.

ROPER, B.

ROWE, B.

ROYLANCE, H.

RUSSELL, G.W.

SALT, K. A.

SAMBROOK. H.

SAMBROOK, T. H.

SARGEANT, H.T.

SARGEANT, R. E.

SAUNDERS, A. J.

SCARRATT, J. H.

SHUKER, H. A.

SILLITOE, W.

SMITH, H.G.

SMITH, F.

SMITH, W.

STONES, W.

STONES, R.E.

THOMPSON, G.F.H.

UPTON, J.A.E.

WALLIS, F.

WALTON, W.

WILLIAMS, L.A.

WILSON, R.L.

WILTON, J. A.

WHITTAKER, F.

WHITTAKER, F.

The inscription is below:

1939 – 1945

ANKERS, F.G.

ARKINSTALL, W. M.

BENNETT, G. F.

BILLINGTON, H. J.

BROOKS, J.

BRASNELL, S. R.

CADMAN, F.

CARR, F.

CHIDLOW, F.

CHILTON, F.

CLEWS, K.

FRANCE, A.

FINNEY, C.

CLIFFORD, G.

DALZELL-McKEAN, M. H.

FLETCHER, C. J.

GEORGE, W. A.

GIBSON, G.

HICKS, F. G. A.

HOLDING, F.

HUBANK, F.E.

GRESTY, J. A.

HUGHES, D. :MBE

JENKS, E.

LEE, M. J.

LOADER, P.

MATTHEWS, W.

MAYER, H.

MEADON, E. E.

MEUNIER, A. D.

MILLER, S.

MORGAN, W. E.

MORRIS, D. E.

McAVEN, G. A.

MOTTRAM, G. J.

PHILLIPS, O. W.

RUSCOE, J.

SNOW, S. H.

STONES, D.

THOMPSON, A. C.

TUCKER, J. H.

WHITTINGHAM, P. A.

WICKSTEAD, E. J.

WORRALL, J. H.

NEVILLE, A. H.

WADE, F. S.

The Buttercross market shelter which replaced an actual cross in 1823.
Buttercrosses tended to be associated with English market towns and were where local people bought dairy products from the local farmers. There are several towns in England where the market cross is known as a Butter Cross. Shelters were often erected afterwards.

Many of the buildings in Market Drayton were destroyed in a fire in 1651. The shelter replaced the original butter cross in 1823. The bells were saved from the Old Fire-station. They can be rung should the same happen again.

The entrance to St Mary's church

A panoramic from the rear of the church, An air of Roman temples
It was a dismal day, it was getting quite late, the light was going and there was an
inquisitive bunch of locals eyeing me up. There is quite a drop on the left.
The church is on one of the highest spots in the town

I have a tenuous link with Market Drayton in so much as Robert Clive was born here. He moved to Manchester and he and I both went to the same school (Stand Grammar School). He got expelled, so the story goes by throwing slates of the school roof! I didn't.... Oh we didn't meet.... but I was in Clive house - There is a Hogwarts touch about this post.

There is more information about this memorial at the War Memorials Inventory no 13855

This post is dedicated to Alan.