Remembering the Trafford Park War Dead
Sunday 14th November at 3.00pm St Antony’s Centre in Trafford Park will continue the tradition of remembering the former residents of the now demolished ‘Village’ in the Park. Also, the former employees from the area who died in the Two World Wars and conflicts since then.
At 3.00pm a ceremony will be held at the Trafford Park War Memorial located outside the historic St Antony’s corrugated tin Church on Eleventh Street, Trafford Park, The War Memorial is a Listed Monument. The Monument was originally located outside the former St Cuthbert’s Church on Third Avenue. It was moved in the early 1980’s to protect it from vandalism to St. Antony’s and is the site for the Remembrance Service each year since then. The Centre through the Heritage Committee has been researching the people named on the memorial, it is aiming to publish a book of those Trafford Park residents who died and their stories. We welcome additional materials from relatives and photos of those who gave their lives to use in the publication.
St Antony’s Centre also houses the Westinghouse Factory War Memorial, once located in their main office located on Westinghouse Road. After the Second World War the various sites employed 20,000 people out of a Trafford Park total of 70,000 employees in the Park.
Westinghouse contributed to the Second World War efforts with the manufacturing of guns, radar and instrumentation. The Aircraft Works built the Manchester Bomber and then the famous Lancaster Bombers.
In tribute to those who died in WW1 the Company erected a wooden Memorial listing all the names of employees who died. For the Second World War a second Memorial Book was commissioned listing over 200 employees who served in the Military or died as Civilians in the air raids. Each day a page from the book is turned to continue a tradition that started in the factory.
When the Trafford Park site was closed by GEC/Alstom it was moved to the Openshaw site. It remained there until 2002 when again Openshaw also closed. St. Antony’s Centre offered to house the Memorial in their Exhibition and reception area from 2003 as part of the Trafford Park Heritage exhibition, GEC Alstom paid to have it relocated back to Trafford Park.
Fr John Marsland will lead a Mass at 2pm for all those who have died and an Ecumenical Service will take place at 3pm with the playing of the Last Post. Reverend Andrew Bennison of All Saints, Stretford, will also be in attendance for the Ecumenical Service and laying of Wreaths.
Kevin Flanagan, Director of the Centre, stated:
“It is important that we remember the tragic loss of so many young lives through conflict and the many who worked for peace and reconciliation in the years that followed. The search for peace in the world continues and sadly recently we have seen ongoing conflicts and again the price people and their families pay as a result of a lack of peace in the world.”
K W Flanagan, Director