Category Archives: General

Charles Dickens Exhibition

Last weekend I spent a few days with my daughter in France.  While we travelled in the Eurotunnel we noticed a sign promoting the Charles Dickens Exhibition in Hardelot, it was something new to visit so we may give it a go.

During Saturday we had taken our time over breakfast and then just pottered around – visiting the local Auchen, and then mooched around St Omer, ending our leisurely visit in a local bar having a coffee while we people watched.  The coffee, now that was an event in itself as we waited 20 mins for it to arrive only to go to the bar and fine the person who took our order did just that took it but did nothing else with it.  It was ok when we fetched it ourselves.

Later that evening we went to our local restaurant for a wonderful meal and a few drinks – wine for my daughter and Kir for me.  After our meal we sat outside in the evening sun and chatted to a family friend.  Isn’t it funny how things happen.  As we all stood up to say goodnight there was a young couple on the next table, as we departed I used the phrase ‘like an asthmatic pit pony’ commenting on something said by our friend. At those words the young man grinned, I smiled and said was he amused by what I had said.  It turned out he had been sat there working out where our accents came from – seems he lived only a few miles from us.  That is not the first coincidence that has happened there, a few years ago I was walking back from the bar and chatted to a couple.  After the usual where are you from etc., it turned out that she was my cousins wifes cousin – she is on my family tree but now I can put a face to a name.

Anyway, Sunday came and off we set armed with bread, meat and drinks to see the Castle at Hardelot. I think I was a little bit disappointed with the entrance, just the rather sorry looking stone posts standing with no gate or barrier and no wall to make an impressive statement.  But we entered through the narrow passage and came upon a track with a few parked cars and open areas with picnic tables full of families having lunch – it was Mother’s Day in France.  The dusty track lead to a country walk, a lake and ofcourse, the castle.

The neglected entrance did not give a clue to what we were to behold only a few yards away.  As you walked through the shade to the stone walls you were greeted through the arched gateway with a brilliant white building as it was lit up by the brilliant sunshine.  Through the archway neat lawns and flower beds stood out against the almost white stone walls and the circular driveway.

First view of the castle © C Sklinar 2011

We walked up the side steps and paid our entrance and entered the world of Charles Dickens.  I did not know that Charles had lived in Condette , just a short way from the castle.  I also did not know, but then had never really thought about it but Charles spoke and wrote in French and had a French publisher – hence the exhibition.

Hardelot Castle © C Sklinar 2011

What was on show, well there was a room display with family portraits, photographs and pencil drawings + items belonging to the family and information on his early life.  There was his desk, what joy and frustration that must have know when Charles was writing his novels.  There was also numerous letters in French and English to and From Charles and here is another strange thing.  My daughter was looking at a display when I noticed a letter with its envelope – split so you could see both front and back.  The franking mark was upside down and I turned my head to try and read the place name better – why I never looked a the address I do not know, but anyway, I thought it said ‘Wakefield’, only then did I look at the address on the envelope – Tadman St, Wakefield and the year was 1850.  I will have to do a bit of research to see who the recipient was.  But I have been told since my return home that Dickens was a friend of Gissing a local writer.  Who would have thought that I travelled to France, by chance visit an exhibition and see a letter to someone in my home town.

Our visit, did we enjoy it ?  Yes,  I think we did.

Was it value for money ?  Yes, I think 2 Euro per person for the exhibition  was very good value for money.

What about parking?   Parking and entrance to the grounds was FREE, so you could walk around at your leisure and finish with a picnic on the tables provided.

Charles Dickens – click here or here for the Charles Dickens’ birthplace museum or here for Charles Dickens online

Some other castle on the Continent – click here

The Gissing Centre, Wakefield – click here

York Family History Fair June 2011

What a fantastic day and well done to the organisers.  The day was nice and breezy outside but where I was on the Morleyfhg stand it was quite warm and sometimes a lack of a breeze made it a little overpowering – but saying that the group had a good day and promoted their new booklet, East Ardsley Monumental Inscriptions complete with the burial listings, so every grave has an entry regardless of whether there is a marker or not……..now isn’t that good, you can now find the plot without disturbing any of the church staff.

Morleyfhg @York ©C Sklinar 2011

Morleyfhg seemed to be busy most of the day with people seeking us out to buy publications, ask questions or just a known face saying ‘hello’ – that is so nice.  I sold quite a few of my ‘Family History Diary’s’  both in the A4 and A5 formats and a few of the ‘Interview Diary’s’.  It was so nice that people who had bought them at previous events stopped by and said how useful they were with all the information you had at your fingertips and more important, you could see what was missing !

Wakefield & D FHS © C Sklinar 2011

So who else was there, well next to us was another local group (with whom I also have a connection), Wakefield & D FHS, who also seemed to have a good day. Huddersfieldfhs was also present along with many other local societies.  There were also many businesses selling maps, old and new books, family tree items, family tree printing and transcriptions.  There was also a company that I have had a connection with for many years – Parish Chest and are a lovely couple – you will probably seen them at your local event.  There company is for want of a better explanation a ‘shopping centre’ for all your family history needs.

One of the stands opposite Morleyfhg was FINDMYPAST who were such a friendly bunch of people, always helpful and smiling.  They were promoting their website and offering tips on how to get the most of your searches.  They also had a competition which I entered, won’t win but went through the process of entering.  It was nice to meet you all.

FindMyPast @York © C Sklinar 2011

Around the corner from us was Ancestry, they were a little late setting up and when I snapped them first time were not ready at all to be photographed, but I did anyway!  When I caught them later they were in full swing.

Ancestry @ York © C Sklinar 2011

Upstairs there was The Western Front Association, The Metcalfe Society and more, then up onto the next floor to find Family Search, the website of the LDS Church again, a very friendly, helpful and smiley bunch and willing to take time from setting up to ‘pose’ for a snapshot.  Oh ! if you need to know anything about a regiment, battle or uniform contact the Western Front Association, or better still become a member, they are very helpful and nice and it’s not just a man thing, there are lots of women members too.  Go along to one of their meetings as a guest and see!

Well a good day seemed to be had, but we did think that numbers were down a little from last year, but that did not dampen our spirits or the enjoyment of a good day had by all

Ancestry – latest additions

These latest additions are fantastic news for those of us not able to visit the local Archives or LDS Church or those not wishing to visit or like me, want to do family history at my convenience and no one elses – yes after 5pm and before 9am!

So what has been added, well I am very, very pleased to say that over 8 million West Yorkshire parish registers record baptisms, marriages, burials and confirmations as far back as the English Civil War.  That’s good news but what records have been indexed and the original document uploaded and made available.

Here goes :-

West Yorkshire, Births and Baptisms 1813 – 1906

West Yorkshire, Deaths and Burials 1813 – 1985

West Yorkshire, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1512 – 1812

West Yorkshire, Marriages and Banns, 1813 – 1921

West Yorkshire Confirmations 1859 – 1915

+ The Dade registers, named after the vicar that instigated them.  What do they include ? Parents names, grandparents names with occupations and addresses – now isn’t that a fantastic resource !

Edith Smith of Crofton was born in 1883 and was confirmed aged 18 on 15 February 1901.  Others that were confirmed at 6:30 on that Sunday before the Bishop of Wakefield were, Mary Berry of Spring Hill aged 15; Mary Ethel steele of Old Hall Lodge aged 15; Miriam Clark of Old Hall aged 18 and Mary McKay aged 17 also of Old Hall and Alice Blackburn of Crofton Tower aged 18 to name a few.

Martha Bates aged 26, widow, daughter of Benjamin Siddle, Waterman was married to John George Patrick, 25, Batchelor, son of James Patrick on December 25 1869.  The witnesses were Francis Fledhill and Mary Jane Broughton – all signed the register with the exception of the bride, she Made Her Mark.

Joseph Officer was buried in All Saints Burial Ground on 3 January 1757.

Allan Douglas Riach was born on 2 December 1883 and baptised on 20 April 1884 in St Paul, Esholt, the son of John and Susan Riach.  John was a policeman.

Go on, visit Ancestry and see what a very useful resource this is, especially for overseas researchers

If you don’t have a subscription, pop down to your local library, you may be surprised that your library can access these records.

Find My Past – new additions



Over 500,000 Militia records, 1806-1915

Find My Past have  just launched Militia Service Records 1806-1915 in association with the National Archives. This collection, searchable and online for the first time, contains 580,281 soldiers’ records with 2,223,510 associated images.

These are fascinating and detailed records offering a slice of life about the men who joined the Militia (think of it as a precursor to the modern Territorial Army). Find out details of the regular jobs the men held, information about their military career and personal details including physical appearance.

I always like to add meat to bones, you know the type of thing, especially when transcribing war memorials.  These young men and sometimes women are not my relatives but do belong to someone, so I find it nice if I can imagine them – know how tall they were, what colour eyes they have and any physical marking – tattoos or scars.  Sometimes scars can be the result of a work related accident and if you know what job they did in ‘civvy street’ it all fits together.

Take for example, John Jones born in 1885 in the parish of St Johns, Batley.  He resided with his parents at 51 Chapel Street, Ancoats, Manchester.  The next question is not what we would call PC – ‘What is the Name and Residence of your present (or former) Master.  John answered Mr Cooper, grocer of Chapel St, Gt. Ancoates.  John was aged 19 years 4 months  and was single, never been married.  Never been in prison and had no children.

He had never belonged to any Force and was not receiving a pension and was willing to be vaccinated.  He acknowledged that he had recieved a Notice and did understand its meaning and was willing to be attested for the term of 6 years, providing  His Majesty should so long require his services as a Militiaman for the County of Lancashire.

John duly signed on the 23rd day of August in the year 1904.

So what did John look like.  We know he was 19 years old but now we can get an idea of his stature – he was 5’ 6″ tall, weighing 126lbs and a fully expanded chest of 35 ” – a 2″ expansion.  He had a fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair.  He had a scar on his left thumb and was a Roman Catholic – a hint when trying to find him in church records.

As to the names of his next of kin and his service, that’s not listed but we can now at least imagine him walking down the street in Manchester or working in Mr Cooper’s shop.

Source :-

The National Archives reference:

WO96 / 1011 / 241

My day as a ‘Tour Guide’

It seems to have been a busy old week, with going to the KOYLI Museum on Tuesday looking for information on a WW1 soldier, work all day on Wednesday and Thursday, now that was very different but very enjoyable.

A friend of mine has been expanding his business (SeeYourPast) and I was asked if I would be a guide for a lady from Australia who wished to See Her Past.  The lady who I will call B communicated via emails to the SeeYourPast office where she was under the care of James.  At the early stages I was not involved, initially knowing only a name, Annie Eccles and an area – not a lot to go on, really! Without a little more information I could be barking up the wrong tree (sorry!!).But as emails  scurried through the air, we found out a bit more and an email giving a link to Prophet Wroe started the ball rolling.  As an name and an area was not a lot to base a days tour on.

Elephant & Castle © Carol Sklinar 2011

Now I had a bit more information I could look on the census and see where that would lead.  I started with the 1901 census as B had said that her husband family had been in Australia around 1905.  So, 1901 what did you have to tell us ? Well, Annie was there on the census and the connection to Prophet Wroe was loud and clear.  Annie was living in Melbourne House, the Temple based on the design of Melbourne Town Hall and the place where the Messiah could dwell, according to the Christian Isrealites.  There were only 2 people recorded as living in Melbourne House, the Head being Mary J Frazer, a widow aged 70, born in Ireland and classed as a General Servant (Domestic).  Annie was classed as a neice, single and aged 30, again born in ireland and again a General Servant (Domestic).

As I went back to 1891 I found that Mary Frazer had been there as the Head of the House, but there were still only 2 people in a quite large Melbourne House. But Annie in 1891 was described not as a niece but as a Servant.  It seems obvious that Mary was basically responsible for keeping the house clean, tidy and ready for visitors, while she and Annie were supposed to keep to the ‘back stairs’.

Back a further 10 years to 1881 and I was able to find the parents of Annie (B had not been able to find them).  The family consisted of Thomas, a gardener,  aged 45 from Co. Tyrone, his wife Elizabeth aged 49 from Armagh and their children, Thomas, a gardener,  aged 21 and Annie, a scholar, aged 13 both born in Armagh.  There is also a James Eccles, a shoemaker, aged 55 , born in Armagh – all living on Wilson Hill.

I now had the information to set out a days excursion for B and myself.  B new about the Underwood side so I concentrated on the Eccles who stayed behind in England and their extended lines.

Where did we go ?  I had arranged to meet B at Westgate Station and from there go for a coffee when I planned to give her an introduction to the places where we were to visit and who was connected to those places.  This did not really go to plan.  I’d spoken to someone in the The Green Room Cafe, in the Theatre Royal who told me it was open from 8am – brilliant, I thought a place to go for coffee and also include a bit of information about the Theatre.  No, what do they say about well laid plans………..as I walked passed from the car park………it was shut !!  I was not happy and although Wakefield Westgate Station did a very nice cup of coffee, the atmosphere was not the same.

While sat with out coffee I’d shown B some census extracts, Parish Register entries and a family tree I’d compiled for her.  Even after a few minutes we had found that we had so much in common.  I had been a little unsure while I sat with an A4 sheet of paper with her name in big, bold letters, but that all fell away when we started to chat over coffee.

After coffee we started back to the car park and walked  as short way up Westgate where I told her about the Elephant and Castle, The Orangery, The Westgate Run and the cattle market, woolstaplers and the large banks.

First stop was Wilson Hill.  As it happened we parked next to a rhubarb field and it seemed an opportunity to mention The Rhubarb Triangle, B was delighted by the view and the connection to rhubarb as her husbands family had always been rhubarb fans but she had never seen it grown commercially before.  Further up the hill and to the left is Melbourne House, as we know the home of Prophet Wroe, later an old folks home and now a part of a telecommunications company.  We stopped outside and took piccies, walked down to the farm buildings, the granary and other out buildings now private housing and saw 3 of the 4 gatehouses.  Just across the road we paid a flying visit to Carr Gate and the Lawns, then up the road to East Ardsley – Grand View actually.  Although Grand View is no longer there you can see the properties next door and across the road.  B walked up the road and was in awe of Old Hall which dates back to around 1622. The hall is now divided into 3 dwellings.  There were 2 fantastic and very large fire places in the end rooms with a staircase going from one side to the other – linking the two end rooms.  There was also a bedroom, panelled in oak(?) and again a large carved fire place.  I went in years ago and remember the floors upstairs sloped, making walking across the room a strange experience.

While in East Ardsley I took B to see one of the Forcing Sheds and explained the ‘forcing’ process.

St Mary Magdalene, Outwood © Carol Sklinar 2011

Our next stop was St Mary Magdalenes Church, Outwood where Thomas jnr (Annie’s brother) married Ada Hemingway.  The church was open on Thursday as it was Ascension Day and we were able to walk around at out leisure.  I was on the look out for war memorials and found 2 – the memorial to both wars with names only and a private memorial to the right of the door.  Lunch, where to go ?  I suggested The Rhubarb Triangle, keeping up the theme, so we headed there.  While waiting for lunch B and I chatted about our families and then it was time to head off again, this time to Carlton, Rothwell where some of her family lived and more rhubarb fields.  It was here that I confessed to B that I had lied to her during the morning and had a surprise for her but she would have to wait a little.

Carlton village boundary and B © Carol Sklinar 2011

Time was pressing and we headed back through East Ardsley, over the motorway and headed for Wakefield on the ‘old road’ but I turned off towards Brandy Carr and turned into the drive of Melbourne House as I had arranged for B to go inside and see where Annie lived and worked. Even though Melbourne House is a working building and is used every day as a venue for meetings, the building is wonderful.  I had seen pictures of the mahogany and ebony  staircase and clock and read about the building in a book by Kate Taylor and John Goodchild, but the black and white picture did not do the entrance hall and staircase any favours.  I thought the stairs would lead up from the front entrance but I was shocked to see them go at 90º.  If we had been able to use the side entrance, now that would have given me the staircase view I had imagined… never mind! The lady who is responsible for the building came to meet us and we told her of Annie and how she was entered in the census of 1891 and 1901 and of Mrs Mary Frazer.  We were taken from room to room, up the stairs and passed the clock that is an integral part of the stairs and into more rooms.  Back down the stairs we then ventured into the cellar, this would have been very familiar to Mary and Annie.  There was a corridor with two rooms remaining, both with vaulted ceilings and mullioned windows, now minus glass, looking onto the hall.  One of the rooms still had a large stone slab, which would at one time have kept all the fresh food cool.  Back upstairs we went into the visitors room and had a coffee –  a wonderful room to the left of the front entrance.  Time was now getting on so we said our thanks and goodbyes and after a few photo’s outside the hall we set off to Wakefield and park the car again as B had said she would like to walk up Westgate and see the buildings I’d told her about earlier in the day.

Melbourne House © Carol Sklinar 2011

It was now nearly time to say goodbye.  But I had to make a phone call to James of SeeYourPast as B wanted to thank him for all the help and pointers he had given her over the past few months.  Her train was by now pulling into the station, so I said goodbye and wished her a fantastic trip across Europe and said that I would post her all the hard copies of the information.

All in all – Hot and sunny day + good company = very good day.

I did leave B with one question to solve – Absalom and Annie crossed to Australia in 1905 and crossing with them was a child aged 1 years called Rachael .  B had believed her to be the daughter of Absalom and his first wife, but Absalom and Annie had married in the September ¼ of 1904 and arrived in Australia in on 10th April 1905 after a 90 day voyage.  So, just who did Rachael belong to?

A very big thank you to the staff of Melbourne House – THANK YOU !

For those of you who may link to Annie Eccles and her husband Absalom Underwood here are a few local names that connect :-  Bedford ; Cobb ; Hemingway ; Wood and Frost.

To become a guide for SeeYourPast or make enquiries about a guided tour click here

Unknown Soldier

Just over  a month ago I was given a framed picture, I say picture, as it is not truly a memorial.  Anyway, this picture was for a soldier who served in the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry during WW1.

KOYLI Badge

It would have been quite colourful, with its curled horn with a central white rose surrounded by a horse shoe shaped wreath containing the Battle Honours of the Regiment.

The framed picture must have been on a family wall for many years as the soldiers number, rank and name are very faint and I do mean faint.

Armed with a good source of light, magnifying glass, large cup of tea and a couple of tried and trusted websites I set off on my quest.

The first two numbers and the last few numbers were easy to read, it was the ones in the middle that were the problem.  His regiment was clear, he was  a Private.  His initial was clear, an old fashioned L, you know the one, similar to a £ sign.  His name, well, I decided on M for the first letter, with a L in the middle.  Variations of the names first few letters went on for a while, varying from Mc, Ma, Me and Mo.

As you can guess one of my favourite websites was getting well and truly used and I was certainly making my subscription work.  The eyes of a neighbour and fellow family historian were also called upon and she achieved the same as me.

One thing that we both felt certain about was that he did not die as the CWGC and SWDTGW have no match for any permutation of his army number.

The frame was put on my desk and left in view, but it was certainly not forgotten.  Where else could I look? What else could I do? He was an army man.  He may not have volunteered but he was called to Serve King and Country in some way but where? Who would know the regiment better than the Regimental Museum?  The KOYLI museum is housed within Doncaster Museum, being moved from The Barracks at Pontefract.  I ‘phoned, spoke to a nice man who told me he would get someone to call me back as the person who I needed to speak to was on his holidays.  I didn’t have to wait long and Steve rang – I gave him the numbers, rank and what I thought was his name.  He’d ring me back.

Guess what ?  He rang and came up with the same as me – no trace of our man.  He did however, suggest that I go over and take the picture to the Museum, so that he could possibly, shed light on the matter.  Believe you me, it needs a lot of light !

Today was the day I ventured to South Yorkshire, that OK as it was once part of the West Riding before all that reorganisation stuff in the 1970’s.  The Museum is a nice place with nice helpful staff,  but parking is ‘iffy’ as you need a voucher from reception to say you are in the library and you need to sign in but that’s not a problem, but the car park is smallish.

Anyway, Steve looked at the picture and went on the web.  He put various variations of the army number into websites and the numbers came up but with nothing matching the Regiment of anything that even on a good day you could say was his name.

Steve, who works for the library, changes his ‘hat’ and does work for the KOYLI Museum one day a week  and he told me that he thought ‘our man’ did serve, we know that, but that he could have served and done his duty only in the UK and therefore would not get a medal.

What have we come up with in the past weeks :-

We know who gave/lent me the picture BUT NOT from where it came

We know ‘our man’ served in the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry.

We know his rank.

We know his initial

We know that WW1 service records were damaged by the enemy in WW2 and are called ‘The Burnt Records’ for that very reason.  Some were partially  burnt,  some have water damage and others were totally destroyd.

We know that he survived the war.

We seem to know quite a lot don’t we?  But the important segments still remain a mystery.

What is his true army number?

What is his name? The surname that seems to start with an ‘M’.

Who does he belong to?

I think that this picture will be picked up and put down on my more occasions before I get totally exhausted from searching.

My thanks to Steve for his time and help and the fact that he like me, will keep looking.

King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Museum Collection click here

National Archives – Looking for a person incl. Military, Police, Clergy, Migrants, Wills & much, much more click here


Riach family in Yorkshire

It is another rainy Bank Holiday so have changed my plans.  I was going to go get some chuck food then do some weeding……NO, its chucking it down and not with hens.  So instead have decided to see how Riach people in the Brighouse area link in with mine from good old Morayshire.

A few minutes after my search began I came across a few people researching the same line and started to verify their work by looking at census returns, BMD entries etc.  Well, the good news is, but some would say bad news, is that yes I am related to the Brighouse Riach’s.

A couple of cuppa’s and a very large bowl of strawberries and creme fraiche later I have the family linked in to mine up to and around the second world war.

One of the men   born around 1923 triggered the old brain cells and got me thinking.  Not a pretty site I might add!  Years ago I bought a book giving the names of men and women from the Spenborough area who died in WW2 and who served in that war.  There were a few Riach names and they will need further work.

Yorkshire Trench, Boezinge. © C Sklinar 2009

There is however, a James Riach who lived in Brighouse.  So, who was James and how does he link into my tree ?  James is one of my 6th cousins.  He was born in May of 1871 in Bellie, Morayshire, the son of John Riach (1847) and Susan Goulder (1850).  John was a Police Constable in the 1881 census and by looking at the places his children were born, he seems to have come south of the border between May of 1871 and 1873 when he and his wife are having children in Fewston.  Susan according to the 1911 census wrote she had been married 41 years, given birth to 15 children and 11 of which were alive in 1911.  James had died a few years earlier so the entry had been crossed out by the enumerator.  Susan had answered the questions asked as there was no note saying that a widow/widower had no need to answer that section.  It is good to see those questions answered from a family history point of view.

Back to James, the 1911 census, the good old 1911 census has transcribed his place of birth as Forhibers, but Fochabers can be made out on the original document – it makes you wonder where the census was transcribed.  Anyway, James married Ada Louisa MacAulay in the Spring of 1894 in the Halifax Registration District.

James and Ada went on to have 3 children, Blanche, James and John.  Ada married William Sutcliffe ; James jnr married Elsie A Norcliffe and John married Doris Jackson and went to Australia after 1939.

On 24 July  1912 James signed papers to put him on the Special Reservists list for the Army.  He was found to be 5′  5″ tall with a 34 ” chest with a 2″ range of expansion. His physical development was ‘good’ and so was his vision He  gave his trade as that of Mechanic, employed by J Sharp and living at 35 Birkby St, Wilson Road, Wyke. He declared his age as 34 years.  He was given the no. 1442 and served as a Private in the West Riding Regt., Pioneer Corps being struck through and he signed his name in a good clear hand.  James on one of the forms gave details of his wife and children, his parents and siblings, including addresses for them all – what a fantastic piece of information.

James embarked from Folkestone on the SS Invicta on 14 April 1915.  By 10 July of the same he he was appointed unpaid L/Cpl and just over a month later on 15 August 1915 he was Killed In Action.

Colne Valley CWGC cemetery, Belgium from CWGC site

On the 14th of January 1916 the War Office, st James’s Park sent a memo to the Officer in charge of the Territorial Force Records, York ref: E/128920/1 (Accounts 4) requesting that the personal property in their possession belonging to No. 1442, Lance Corporal James Riach 1/4 Battalion West Riding Regiment be despatched to Mrs Ada Louisa Riach, 25 Birkly Street, Wilson Road, Wyke, Bradford.  The memo also requested that any medals in their possession now or at a later date also be despatched to Mrs Riach.

Ada L Riach was sent on 2 July 1919 a form requesting she complete and return so that the ‘Death Penny’ could be forward to her. Ada on September 25th 1919 signed a receipt for a medal, on  January 24th 1921 she signed another  receipt for medal awarded to her late husband. Ada was also eligible for a 21/- a week pension for herself and her two children with effect from 28 February 1916.

James served 3 years 52 days in the army and was awarded the 1914 – 1915 Star, The British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

L. Cpl 1442, Riach J, of the West Riding Regiment rests in peace with 47 Officers and Men in  Colne Valley Cemetery – 30 of those men are from the West Riding Regiment.

Colne Valley Cemetery is at Beozinge, just north of Ieper on the N369 towards Diksmuide.  For most of WW1 Beozinge faced the German front line.  The cemetery was begun in July/August of 1915 and was in use until around February of the following year.

Note:- Ada remained in the Bradford area and died in the June Qtr of 1958 aged 86.

Further information later came to light so you might want to visit this later blog

Local History Lunch Time Talks

Leeds City Council, as I have mentioned before, are hosting a series of lunch time talks and the next in the series is :-

Adel Grange, home of Isabella Ford. Image from Leodis.net

Janet Douglas giving a talk entitled

‘Isabella Ford: Trade Unionist, Suffragist and Socialist’ on
Friday 3rd June, 1.00 – 2.00pm
in the Central Library, third floor meeting room.

All are welcome, no booking required.  **

For more information contact 0113 247 8290 or
localstudies@leedslearning.net

** space limited to 50

Glen Lyon War Memorial

A short while ago a friend sent me his pictures of Glen Lyon War Memorial.  He like many others, know I collect and transcribe them, and he kindly sent me a couple of pics taken on his adventures.

image by J Hall 2011

I can’t say what a beautiful place it is, as I don’t know, but from the picture it certainly looks a pleasant place and with the sun shining and a blue sky, even a cold day would be a pleasant day in Glen Lyon.  The glen is approx. 20 miles in length and stretches from Fortingall to Cashlie and from all accounts well worth a visit.

Who is mentioned on this very special memorial, special, you will see why shortly.  Firstly, and only because his name appears first on the memorial (all names are in rank order)  is Lieutenant Colonel John Robert Beech CMG, DSO who died in Lincolnshire while in command of his troops. Next on the list is Clyde, actually, Robert Clyde Beech, the 20 year old son of John Robert. Next comes Alan Tompson, a relative by marriage of John Robert’s wife, who was the widow of John Bullough or Meggernie Castle. Also on the memorial is Francis Cowie who was before the war was an asistant factor at the castle.  So all in all, the family from ‘the big house’ didn’t fair well from the war.

The last name I am mentioning in this ‘snippet’ is that of John Alexander McCallum of Camusvrachan, KIA in October of 1918 aged 23.  It was his father Alexander, who designed and built the Glen Lyon War Memorial.  What greater gift could a father give to his son, a splendid memorial built at the side of the road that all who pass by will see and hopefully more will now know of the great love and sadness with which it was built.

Where can you read about Alexander and his son and others from the area Click Here

Odiham War Memorial – WW1 transcription

Just before Easter I spent a weekend with my daughter and her boyfriend.  The weekend started with my driving down to Ealing, meeting my daughter and visiting one of her friends and her new little one.  Then a drive to Basingstoke.

Saturday started with a yummy breakfast and then onto Winchester, lunch in Raymond le Blanc’s, a visit to the Cathedral (memorials to follow very soon ) and finally an interesting visit to see The Round Table.

So Sunday arrived and a visit to Odiham and lunch, but before lunch I was given a short tour of Odiham, including, yes, the war memorial and the church – nice village and nice company. Oh! by the way the church has a beautiful window relating to the local RAF station.  I’m not a great lover of modern stain glass but that was nice.  But, to my surprise it wasn’t even a window, but a very good deception – a light box, but it still looked impressive.

Odiham Memorial, Carol Sklinar 2011

Now to the village memorial to those who have fought and died in two world wars.

Who is mentioned on the memorial to the men and women of the Parish of Odiham ?  Geoffrey Harris Gotelee, the son of Arthur and Esther of The Old House.  Geoffrey in 1911 was a boarder at St Albans School, his parents at this time ran the Post Office.  Richard Elkanah Hownam Healy, the son of Randolph and Alice of Hownam Lodge.  1911 sees Richard living in Kensington Hall Gardens and working as a Reporter for a Daily Paper.  He is later mentioned in the London Gazette when he received his promotion.

Another young man from the area was Arthur Henry Pither, son of Stephan and Sophia.  Arthur worked in Quebec, arriving in 1908, but was back in the area by 1911.  He did however, enlist in the Canadian Army and from that we can get a fleeting glimse of what he looked like.

Guy Lutley Sclater, brother, son and husband. He served as a ~Captain in the Royal Navy and rests in Odiham Churchyard.

Now, W G Wooldridge, he was a little bit of a problem and has not been identified by others who have transcribed Odiham Memorial, but I think family history helps a great deal when transcribing and knowing people make errors and what type of error could occur – well, I found him – so visit the transcription and see who he is and where he rests.  In fact, if I had completed the transcription last week, I would have known where he was and could have visited, as I was only a matter of minutes away from him.

The last young man I am going to mention in this taster is Reginald James Moody, son of Charles and Ellen.  He served in the RFC and died on 4 March 1917 while flying with 2nd Lieut., Eric Edmund Horn.  Edmund had enlisted on his 17th birthday and died on his 19th, so, so young and very brave.  They both rest in the same cemetery.

There are still a few young men whose information needs adding to the transcription and they will be finished shortly, as will the WW2 transcript.

To read the transcription or see if your Odiham relative is there Click Here