The memorials of St Saviour's and Holy Trinity
Inside the churches of St Saviour's, Ringley and Holy Trinity, Prestolee stand memorials to those from the parish who gave their lives in both World Wars. These wooden plaques — solemn and dignified in their simplicity — record names that were once familiar faces in the villages, the mills, the collieries, and the canal boats. They commemorate local servicemen and women who left Farnworth, Kearsley, Ringley and Prestolee to serve their country, and never returned.
The memorials are not just historical records. They are acts of remembrance, erected by communities who knew these men and women personally — their families, neighbours, and fellow parishioners. The plaques remain in place today, a testament to sacrifice and a call to remember.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission: The CWGC records ten identified casualties buried in St Saviour's churchyard — six from the First World War and four from the Second, including two airmen, a soldier, and a Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve officer. Links to the CWGC records for those buried in the churchyard will be added to this page as research continues.
The First World War 1914–1918
St Saviour's Church, Ringley
The plaque at St Saviour's commemorates twenty-six servicemen from the parish of Ringley who died in the Great War. The memorial lists them chronologically by year and date of death, from Fred Jackson in June 1915 to Edward Holland in September 1918. A special inscription at the foot of the plaque remembers Douglas Roy Dilworth-Harrison, who fell on Easter Eve 1918, and by whose brother the roll of honour was erected.
the Great War 1914–18
- Fred Jackson — June
- Albert Houghton — May 17
- Tom Fletcher — July 10
- Albert Wilkins — July
- Walter Tonge — Aug 17
- Stanley Ainscough — Sept 15
- Samuel Ingham — Sept 26
- Wallace Greenhalgh — Sept 27
- William Whitehead — April 16
- George Simms — May 3
- Gabriel Naylor — May 21
- George Williamson — June 14
- William Harrison — July 16
- Fred Shaw — Aug 1
- Joseph Fawcett
- Fred Higginson — Aug 22
- Matthew Fletcher — Aug 30
- Richard Makin — Oct 22
- James Houghton — March 25
- Herbert Seddon — Aug 11
- Bert Brown — Aug 18
- William Barrett — Aug
- Jesse Crossley — Aug 26
- Frank Seddon — Sept 3
- Edward Holland — Sept 18
Douglas Roy Dilworth-Harrison
who fell on Easter Eve 1918 by whose
brother this roll of honour was erected
The inscription commemorating Douglas Roy Dilworth-Harrison is particularly poignant. He was the brother of Talbot Dilworth-Harrison, who served as Rector of Ringley from 1917 to 1927. The memorial was erected by a grieving brother who had lost his sibling to the war, and who continued to serve the parish community in the years that followed.
Holy Trinity Church, Prestolee
Holy Trinity erected a First World War roll of honour in 1920, commemorating local men from the parish who died in the conflict. The names recorded on this memorial reflect the broad working community the church served — colliers, mill workers, engine drivers and boatmen from Prestolee, Outwood, and the surrounding area.
The Second World War 1939–1945
St Saviour's Church, Ringley
The Second World War memorial at St Saviour's lists eight names — including Alice Ann Ingham, a reminder that the sacrifice of the Second World War was not borne by men alone.
the World War 1939–45
- Leslie Davies
- James Henry Halclough
- Alice Ann Ingham
- Edward Ingham
- Harold Lever
- Colin Masson
- George Nicholson
- John Stones
Holy Trinity Church, Prestolee
The Second World War memorial at Holy Trinity is a rectangular oak board with a curved top, decorated with a carved rugged cross bearing Christ flanked by two figures. It commemorates three parishioners who made the supreme sacrifice:
Second World War Memorial — Holy Trinity, Prestolee
Alice Ingham: The name Alice Ingham appears on both the St Saviour's memorial (as Alice Ann Ingham) and the Holy Trinity memorial (as Alice Ingham). This is likely the same person, reflecting the fact that the parishes of Ringley and Prestolee were closely connected communities, and that some individuals may have had ties to both churches.
Remembrance
These memorials stand as more than historical records. They are promises kept — promises to remember, to honour, and to ensure that those who gave everything are not forgotten. The names inscribed on these plaques are part of the fabric of local history, woven into the story of Ringley, Prestolee, and the wider Stoneclough area.
The Parish of Stoneclough continues to hold these memorials in trust for future generations. On Remembrance Sunday each year, the congregations of St Saviour's and Holy Trinity gather to honour the fallen, to pray for peace, and to ensure that the sacrifice of those named on these plaques is never forgotten.
If you have a personal connection to any of the names on these memorials, or if you have information that could help with ongoing research into the lives of those commemorated, the parish would be glad to hear from you. Please get in touch.