Over the past weeks, I’ve been doing a family tree for a friend and yesterday after threatening to go and visit the area and a local museum, off I went. It was a nice day albeit a little nippy – my hands were feeling the chill while taking photographs in the churchyard…. but you carry on for the cause!
So, it’s 12:15 and the museum opens at 2pm and my plan was to photograph the family headstones in the churchyard and then cross the road to the museum that was once the home of the family I’m delving into – the Pearson family. I’m not going to go into the family here as I still have to add some photographs etc., but that churchyard is a family tree in itself as many of the names on the headstones tie in with the Pearson tree.
I digress, as I said the Pearson people are not the aim of this blog, the true star of these lines is a young man named John T Gledhill.
Gledhill headstone. Carol Sklinar 2012
Who was John Taylor Gledhill, well he was born the son of Joe and Clara Gledhill, and lived in 1901 at The Green, Golcar. Joe was aged 43 in the census and worked as a woollen percher. Clara nee Taylor was aged 43 and the mother of 3 children aged between 9 and 16 (Jane, James and John). For those of you wishing to find the family in 1901 they have been transcribed as GLADHILL.
By the time of the 1911 census the family were living at 38 Knowl Bank, Golcar in a 5 roomed house. The 3 children were still living at home and all working within the woollen industry, weaver, spinners and twisters. The census tells that Clara had had in total 4 children but only three had survived to the census and the couple had been married 26 years (Sept Qtr 1885 in the Huddersfield Registration District).
John Taylor Gledhill joined the Northumberland Fusiliers in Huddersfield and became Pte., 290/706. He was later transferred to the Prince of Wales’s Own (West Yorkshire Regt.,) 16th Battalion and changed his service number to 40858. Soldiers at this time changed their service number when they changed Battalion or Regiment and Officers during this time had no service number. During WW2 service men and women kept their number for the duration of service and now officers had service numbers.
The service records for John don’t seem to have survived but from Soldiers who Died in the Great War I have been able to glean that he Died on 24 July 1917 . The Commonwealth War Graves Commission confirms his service number for the West Yorkshire Rgt. It also confirms his date of death but also tells us where he now rests – Valenciennes (St Roch) Communal Cemetery and the position within the cemetery, IV D 27 – relating to section, row and number within that row. Each cemetery has a box within or near the entrance where you can find a plan to help pinpointing the grave.
Another source, The Medal Rolls Index told that John was eligible for the Victory and British Medals which would have been given to his next of kin.
John is recorded on the War Memorial inside the church and also on the St John’s School Memorial, also in the church.
St John's School Memorial. Carol Sklinar 2012
What did John look like ? How tall was he ? Did he have any scars or tattoos ? With the lack of his service record I may never know. Has John ever had a visitor to his resting place in France and how many people have strayed from the path and wondered among the many headstones and learnt of Johns fate – in modern times probably not many. But today John will have his name written once more and many will now know of this young man from Golcar.
Lest we Forget
What do you know ?
Your family came from London, the South or the Channel Islands. You know they had children during the period 1939 – 1945. Can you find their birth registered in that area ? No !
Carol Sklinar copyright 2007
I found out the other day that during the early years of WW2 families, women and/or children were sent ‘up North’ for safety. As a result of that Wakefield had its population artificially risen, this lead to a rise in the number of births in the region.
Walton Hall, a maternity home in the Wakefield area had a great number of extra births with the addresses of the parents being London, Birmingham, other areas in the South and ofcourse, those families who lived on the Channel Islands, the only part of Britain to be occupied by enemy forces.
If you can’t find the birth you are looking for try looking in a wider area as they could have been Registered in a Yorkshire town.
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When we visited Dunbarton a quick drive round the area only found the Dunbarton Memorial to those who died in the South African Campaign. Well, it was an easy find as it was just outside the Town Hall, but I did have to get out of the car and do an ‘Anneka Rice’ impression before I found out it was not exactly what I was looking for, but a bonus.
After going inside the Town Hall and enquiring I eventually had directions to the memorial, but I must add the directions were not all that good!. In the end I saidto my long suffering husband ‘just park the car and I’ll find it’ .
You would be surprised how many people use a park every day, walk past a large lump of stone with wrought iron fencing and don’t even know what it is – well, after having my website for over 12 years and doing the memorial transcriptions for about 8 or 9, I am not surprised, I am ashamed.
Dunbarton War Memorial by Carol Sklinar 2010
So starting with the South African Campaign Memorial, who is there ?
Peter Robert Denny, Capt., 1st Kings Dragoon Guards was killed on 24 April 1900. Also mentioned is J M’Ghee, Pte 2101 in the Scottish Rifles. He died at Spion Kop on 24 January 1900. Just to name a few.
Now to the WW1 & 2 memorial. This wonderful piece of stone stands in Lenongrove Park – close by the path that runs along the Clyde. Although, this memorial and the South African Campaign memorial are not on my website yet, I thought I would give you a little of glimpse of what it to come……….soon!
For starters, I thought I would let you know about Pte Robert Mustarde – he served as Pte 202169. Robert was born in Kirkintilloch and enlisted in Stirling, joining the HLI. He is recorded as dying on 14 April 1917 at sea and is remembered on the Mikra Memorial, Greece. Robert is more than likely 1 of over 5oo nurses, officers and men who were lost on transports and hospital ships in the Mediteranian. Many were washed ashore, identified and buried in Thessalonika, others like Richard were not so lucky and a name on a memorial is there only memorial.
William Yuille, son of John and Catherine of 1 Beechwood Terrace, Dunbarton is also on the memorial. He served s 43314 in the Royal Engineers. He was born in Dunbarton, also enlisting in the town. He was KIA on 7 December 1916 and rests in Bancourt British Cemetery near Bapaume.
Basil Withy, the son of Henry and Mary Forrest Withy of Brantford House, West Hartlepool. Henry was in the 1901 census listed as being a shipbuilder, by 1911 he is a widower and retired. But on those census I can find no mention of Basil who was born in 1886 in Hartlepool – where was he? Basil served as a Lieutenant in The King’s ( Liverpool Regiment). He Died of Wounds on 2 July 1916 and rests in La Neuville British Cemetery, Corbie. Henry, his father was granted Probate at Durham on 6 September with Basil’s effects adding up to £5049 15s 1d. Note – there is an Ernest, son of Henry and Mary who is of a similar age, could this be Basil who is known to the family by a differant name……….does anyone know any different?
Just a few names and information to be going on with along with an image of the memorial and I could not let this posting go without leaving you with this view from just along the path.
While writing a previous blog I remembered my visit to Bardsey Church a few years ago and while clicking through the pictures I took on that morning I found one, a photo of a memorial plaque.
What do we know about this young man from the plaque on the wall of the church?
He was called William Harold Ryder, the third son of Charles Foster and Anna Ryder. Now another questions arises, who are they as there is also a memorial to them.
But back to William, he served during WW1 as a Lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps and fell whilst serving in France on July 6th 1917 aged 20 and rests in Warloy Baillon.
William's memorial plaque C Sklinar 2007
The information on the memorial inside the church gives a good start to finding out more about William.
William, as we know, was the son of Charles Foster Ryder and his wife Anna. Anna died in 1907 and a memorial in the church informs all that Charles Foster had the church floor relaid to its original level in 1914 in memory of his wife.
Charles F Ryder married Anna Potter on 7th February 1888 at Christ Church, Lancaster Gate. Charles was aged 32, a batchelor of Chapel Allerton and the son of Charles Ryder a brewer. While his new wife was aged 25, a spinster with no occupation living at 48 Cleveland Square, the son of William Potter (decd.), a merchant. Witness to this joyful event were Anna(?) L Ross and W Henderson.
Cleveland Sq. (source unknown)
Anna, in the census of 1881 was living with her father, William and mother Agnes (both from Manchester) at 48 Cleveland Square, where William gave his occupation as that of East India Merchant. In the household were the parents, Anna and her brother and 7 servants.
In the census of 1901 Charles F, a brewer is living on Leeds Road, Scarcroft with his children – Daniel G aged 8, Agnes L aged 6 and Wm H aged 4, Rosamund aged 2 and Marion E Harrison a visitor – Anna is not with her husband in the census. But a search for Anna born in 1863 in Little Missenden, find an Anna Ryder living as married Head of the The Hall, Little Thurlow, Suffolk. With Anna is Georgina M Bryant a 25 year old trained hospital nurse and other staff – could Anna have been sickly and lived in the country for her health ?
By 1911 Charles is a Brewery Director, more than likely Tetley’s Brewery, and living at The Grange, Scarcroft. On the census for The Grange is Charles F, Agnes Louisa, Rosamand Daphne and 7 servants. The Grange was a 20 roomed property with 10 persons living within its walls. William, now aged 14 was a boarder at Uppingham, one of Englands Public Schools. The school seeing many people pass through its doors who have now become well known including :- 5 Victoria Cross recipients; Richard Thorp, actor ; John Suchet, journalist and broadcaster ; Phil Spencer, property expert ; C R W Nevison, Official War Artist in both World Wars ; Sir Donald Campbell ; Sir Malcolm Campbell and William Henry Pratt aka Boris Karloff to name just a few.
William served in the RFC and his medal card states that he had served in the Yorks Hussars as a Lieutenant but there is no mention of any medals awarded in his name, but his date of death is recorded in the remarks section.
William died on 6 July 1917 and Probate was granted in London on June 8 1918 to Charles Foster Ryder, gentleman.
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