‘Stories from the Memorial Park gates’- Crawley resident shares stories that highlight the town’s memories of war

By Ellis Peters
Published 27th Oct 2022, 17:38 BST
Updated 28th Oct 2022, 15:21 BST
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As we approach the time of Remembrance, Renny Richardson has shared some stories that highlight the personal cost of war, the importance of remembering and how the memorial park came into being because of one father’s loss of his son.

The war memorial for the combined parishes of Ifield and Crawley takes the form of a recreation ground, as decided upon by “a public meeting of inhabitants in 1919”, and the meadow on the Three Bridges Road is being much used by children and adults alike, said Mr Richardson.

Mr Richardson continues: “The money for its purchase was raised by voluntary subscriptions, the entire sum being £1,020 5s.5d. The most generous donation of £500 came from Mr. J.F. Drughorn”, who also kindly bore the whole of the cost of the magnificent entrance gates and the bronze tablets recording the names of the fallen.

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John Drughorn’s son, William was killed on July 15, 1916 at the Somme. William was a private, serving with the 10th battalion of the Royal Fusiliers when he was killed.

‘Stories from the Memorial Park gates’- Crawley resident shares stories that highlight the town’s memories of war, Credit: Jo Capstick‘Stories from the Memorial Park gates’- Crawley resident shares stories that highlight the town’s memories of war, Credit: Jo Capstick
‘Stories from the Memorial Park gates’- Crawley resident shares stories that highlight the town’s memories of war, Credit: Jo Capstick

Mr Richardson said: “William’s death would change the face of Crawley forever. After the war John Drughorn was still living at Ifield Hall. He became a Baronet in 1922. A memorial to his son took the shape of a sundial at the hall but he was very keen to help provide the town with a lasting and fitting tribute to the fallen.

“It was his idea that local residents could contribute what they could towards the project and donations flooded in. There was a list of hundreds of contributors that appeared in the local paper, and this meant that the memorial park truly belonged to the people of Crawley.

“The name of Drughorn is not the only example of father and son on our memorial park gates. Father Robert Henry George Butcher died of illness while serving with the 12th battalion Royal Sussex regiment at home on April 10, 1915. He was buried in Burgess Hill. His son, Robert Lennox Butcher, of the 4th battalion Royal Fusiliers, was killed in action just before the end of the war, aged just 19, on October 8, 1918.

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“I have a very personal connection with the memorial park and have been researching the names on the gates for over 15 years.”