There is no war memorial in Springhill, being only 12 houses. There is not one in Higher Cloughfold, nor in the local Baptist church. Nor, as far as I am aware, in the only other public building, the Red Lion pub.

There is one Springhill man and another 7 from the immediate area who died in WWI:
Harry Dawson,
James Driver
Harry Hart
Thomas Harvey
Wellington Pilkington
William Plaice
Joseph Taylor
Fred Taylor

The nearest municipal war memorial is in Rawtenstall about a mile away. Actually, there are two…

The earliest is in the cemetery. t was erected in Sept 1915 under the auspices of Carrie Whitehead, daughter of a local mill-owning family, local worthy and not a woman to be messed with.

It reads:
The War Memorial 1914 - 1919 Rawtenstall Cemetery Roll of Honour
This cross was erected by Carrie Whitehead, September 1915 that it might be some comfort to those who lost men very dear to them In grateful memory of the men of Rawtenstall who gave their lives for their country in the Great War 1914 - 1918
He will swallow up death in victory, and the Lord will wipe away tears from all faces Is. XXV. 8.
It is probably the first municipal war memorial in the UK. As it was started in 1915 the names are added in the order in which they came to the notice of the borough. Unfortunately it omits the names of four of the 8 Higher Cloughfold casualties: Messers Hart and Harvey and the two Messers Taylor.


The second is the cenotaph in the centre of Rawtenstall, between the library and parish church. This was erected in 1929 by the aforementioned Carrie Whitehead. It has no names.

It is inclusive, honouring those who died, those who fought and those who served at home in both world wars.

6 O'CLOCK FACE: A TRIBUTE OF HONOUR/ TO THE MEN WHO/ MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE/ TO THE MEN WHO CAME BACK/ AND TO THOSE WHO WORKED AT HOME/ TO WIN SAFETY FOR THE EMPIRE/ 1914-1918

12 O'CLOCK FACE: TO THE MEMORY OF/ ALL WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE SERVICE/ OF THEIR COUNTRY DURING THE SECOND/WORLD WAR/ ALL WHO SERVED ON SEA LAND OR IN THE AIR/ AND ALL WHO WORKED AND SERVED AT HOME/ 1939 - 1945

The sculptures show four groups of figures:
(1) ABOVE WWI INSCRIPTION - SOLDIER (ON CORNER); FARM LABOURER, WOMAN AND A CHILD, SAILOR AND WREN
(2) ABOVE WREATH - AIRMAN, TWO NURSES, LABOURER, SERVICEWOMAN, SOLDIER (AS ABOVE)
(3) ABOVE WWII INSCRIPTION - MEDICAL ORDERLY, MINER, FISHERMAN, OFFICER, AIRMAN (AS ABOVE)
(4) ABOVE WREATH - SAILOR (AS ABOVE), COAL MINERS, RAILWAYMEN, MEDICAL ORDERLY (AS ABOVE)

(Details from the Imperial War Museum)

It is not enough to remember. If we truly want to honour those who served we should stand for peace, justice, truth and simplicity wherever we can.

(memorial photographs courtesy of Robert Wade under Creative Commons Licence.The provenance of the poppy picture is unknown)