Joan Avino

Met Joan at the Henthorn Communty Centre who married (Angelo) who had been an Italian Prisoner of War and had worked in the Bashal Farm area of the Ribble Valley and liked the area so much he returned after the war. They met at the Castle and married in 1949. Three children resulted.

More information photo's to hopefully follow.

Peter Maher Veteran Colour Sergeant

Peter Maher who lives in Clitheroe and during World War Two obtained the rank of Colour Sergeant and earned the Militery Medal. Service Number 3449543. Joined D Company 2nd Battalion The Lancashire Fusiliers having enlisted on 1st February 1939 at the age of 16 at the recruiting office, Westgate, Burnley. Peter went first to Wellington Barracks, Bury Depot. After several weeks training he then moved to join the 2nd Battalion at Meeane Barracks, Colchester. Whilst on leave in August all troops were contacted by radio message that all leave was cancelled and to report to their nearest depot.

War declared at 11am on the 3rd September 1939. In mid September then detached to the 15 Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers. In early December as part of the 50th Infantry Division he was depatched to Northumberland. 15,000 tropps billeted in the hamlets and small villages throughout the county. Winter training continued until March 1940. Then moved to Newbury Racecourse and billeted in horse boxes. The Division was then sent to be part of the British Expeditionary Forces in France but Peter couldn't go as his real age was discovered and was too young to be posted abroad.

The following names are listed as being home from German POW Camps for VE Day (dated Clitheroe Advertiser Friday 11th May 1945). Photographs were also on the original copy from the paper but we are unable to reprint these sadly due to the poor print.

Gunner T Aspinall, De Lacy Street. Lieutenant J Crossley, West Bradford. Gunner R Catlow, Faraday Avenue. Driver M Dugdale. Whalley Road. Driver N Hargreaves, Whalley Road. Captain I Mackenzie, Twiston. Gunner B A Murray. Faraday Avenue. Private J Peters. Whalley. Driver F Smithson, Chatburn. Gunner T Snape, Peel Street. Gunner W Worthington, Lamb Roe. Gunner S Weaver, Curzon Street.

Retired Farmer Killed in Car Crash Friday 17th November 1944.

Mr Robert Henry Waddington aged 61 of SaltHill Villa, Clitheroe was killed and his wife was seriously injured in a motor accident at West Bardford on Monday evening. The accident occured at about 5.20pm at the road junction by the village post office. The car collided with a motor coach conveying (Italian prisoners of war) to a hostel near Skipton after they had been working on land at Bowland. Nobody from the bus was hurt. Mr Waddington's car was badly smashed. Mr Waddington a native of Slaidburn farmed at Wilmans Lane Ends, Grindleton for many years until he retired about 15 years ago. Mr Waddington leaves three sons and one daughter.

Bomb Victims Arrive October 25th -1940

660 Mothers and Children Billeted in Clitheroe.  Bombed from their homes in London, a party comprising 233 mothers and 416 children, 218 of them under school age, arrived in Clitheroe on Sunday after spending two nights in Lancashire Hospitals. They came from various parts of the Metropolis and all had gone through many nights of terror.

More on this to be entered.

Grammar School Clitheroe War Dead World War Two

The following are those Old Boys listed on the Clitheroe Grammar School Memorial Board in the library.

H. Astin. W. Battersby C. Brockbank J.T. Brotherton J. Cunliffe F. Dawson T. Duckworth S. Dugdale E. Gradwell W. Hindle J. Frankland H.S. Hitchen G.A. Holden F. Holt F. Hudson H. Ireland J. Jackson P.D.W. Lawson F.B. Liver P. Mennell G.E. Rawlinson N. Gerrard J. Rutter T. Smith W.V. Walmsley H.L. Whalley J.H. Whiteside C.E. Whiteside J. Whipp L. Wilkinson J.H. Wilson R. Windle H. Lawson.

33 names.

The following Old Boys died in the service of their country and sacrifice will never be forgotten. As detailed on the Memorial.

Our thanks to Jordan Rose one of our senior members who attends this school for the information.

We have just obtained information that 1 pilot who was killed in WW2 may well have been missed off the Grammar School Memorial and this is currently being researched. The  officer is Thomas Crabtree. Four men also listed above need further research having attended the school and served but perhaps did not live in the area as their names are not on the Clitheroe War Memorial. May 2012.