Early nominations for Halton's roll of honour

By Chester Chronicle on Dec 18, 08 12:06 PM in

READERS responded with some alacrity to the idea that they should submit their own suggestions for names they felt worthy of inclusion in the borough's Blue Plaque scheme.

The above picture shows one nominee, Canon Perrin in his chaplain's uniform, with soliders and nurses in the vicarage grounds in 1917. In the First World War, All Saints' Parish Church vicarage in Highlands Road was used as an emergency hospital and some 3,460 wounded servicemen were treated there.

The aim of Halton Council's project is to put up 50 plaques in the twin towns and surrounding villages.

The blue plaque awards can also commemorate notable and momentous events or places and buildings.

First off the mark was Runcornian Betty Helsby, of Coronation Road, who believes the borough should honour the work of the former vicar of All Saints' Parish Church, the late Canon H N Perrin, who was also recognised in years past as the Vicar of Runcorn.

Canon Perrin came to Runcorn in 1912. He refused to live in the damp, dilapidated old vicarage in Highlands Road and had a new vicarage built at his own expense. During the Great War, he handed over the new vicarage and all its outbuildings to the military and it was used as a hospital for wounded servicemen. He was the representative for the Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen Families Association and was contacted by many servicemen for help.

Canon Perrin's eldest son was killed while serving in the RAF during the Second World War. The canon's services were recognised in the Honours List and he was in his Seventies when he retired in 1946 and went to live in Clifton, Bristol.

Norman Kitson, of Windsor Road, Widnes, wrote: "The name that stands out for Widnesians to honour is Roy Chadwick, the gentleman who designed the Lancaster bomber.

"Roy was born at Marsh Hall, Derby Road, Farnworth, in 1893. He left Widnes at the age of eight when his father relocated to a job in Manchester. He left school in 1911 and started work at Avro, the Manchester aircraft firm, as a draughtsman.

"The firm relocated to Woodford, Cheshire, and Roy was promoted to chief designer in the 1930s. The rest, as they say, is history..."

Mr Kitson notes that Manchester University bestowed an Honorary Master of Science degree on him and he was later awarded the CBE. He also had a stamp and a first-day cover in his honour.

"Yet," Mr Kitson says, "the town of his birth has done nothing to honour him."
I also received a call from a Widnes lady who was at Wade Deacon Grammar School when the town's former MP, the late Gordon Oakes, was a pupil.

The lady, who wished to remain anonymous, reeled off the names of several people whom she thought were deserving of recognition but said she was opposed to the idea of honouring them with plaques because she believed that, inevitably, many deserving people would be omitted from the list.

She obviously felt pretty strongly about her old school, the "outstanding" Wade Deacon Grammar School. She said it would not have been built but for the efforts Henry Wade Deacon.

She also mentioned one or two former heads responsible for the school's high standards and a Dr Cecil Nelson who had a surgery at West Bank and worked every weekend, starting at 8am.

Commander Shawcross, a former Widnes MP, and the late Cllr Dick Illidge, were other people she mentioned.

In the First World War, All Saints' Parish Church vicarage in Highlands Road was used as an emergency hospital and some 3,460 wounded servicemen were treated there. Here, soldiers and nurses are seen with Canon Perrin in his chaplain's uniform in the vicarage grounds in 1917.