Tag Archives: yorkshire

Absent Voters List 1914-18 War – update

A while ago I mentioned the the Absent Voters Lists as being a valuable source when looking for a WW1 soldiers army number, but I thought I would just update this and add to the information I told you about.

Carol Sklinar 2010

So here goes – In the General Election of 1918 all those not at ‘home’, those who were away from their place of residence were classed as Absent Voters.  The reasons you were away could be for example, working, visiting family or serving your country in WW1.  The information for someone serving his King and Country usually included the following :- The man’s name, service and regiment along with rank and service number and his home address.  I say this information is usually included but in Morley his name and HM in a column are the only information you are getting, but it is still worth knowing he served.

It was an Act of Parliament passed on 6th February 1918 that allowed service men to register  and obtain their vote ‘at home’.  The first lists were published on 15th October 1918 and again on 15th April 1919 and the details were provided by the voters.  Men aged 21 and over could supply information about their vote, so for us family historians, a young man under the age of 21 but still serving his country could not vote.

Also, something to be remembered – a soldier’s number was not his for his service.  A soldier changed his service number for many reasons including changing regiment.  You will find many service records or CWGC information with the words ‘formerly’, very kindly giving a previous service number.  If you search for a serviceman by just his number you may find many men who were issued that number.  For example a search of the SWDTGW for 2497 comes back with 100 men issued that number.  It was not until 1920 that a unique number was issued to service men.

Something else to bare in mind is that during WW1 Officers were not given service numbers but by WW2 numbers were issued and again they were unique.

This wonderful source of information for Wakefield, has been transcribed and can be found here, the information has also been put on to a cd and is useful for those not wishing to use the internet and is available here along with many other useful tools for family historians.

When looking for AVL’s you may like to try your local history library, local archives or pose a question on a local messageboard – it may save you time.  Please note:- there is a chance they may not have survived in your area, so be prepared to use other sources to find the service number of your man i.e newspapers.  Years ago a service number was a must for you to take your research further, now with the internet and some very useful websites a service record, if it has survived can be found by inputting varying degrees of information i.e. name and town if that is all you know, but don’t forget to allow for transcription errors and a search could get longer if a name and town, in all the spelling variations, brings up nothing – you may have to resort to just a town, a little long winded but does eventually pick up all the wonderful spelling variations that transcribers try to put in our way.

Many family historians are a dogged bunch and are not easily put off by a name or town spelt in a way that bares no resemblance to what it actually should be.  I think sometimes it is just ‘lets pick a few letters, jumble them up and that will do’.

A selection of Absent Voters Lists online

Wakefield click here – search by constituency

Leeds click here – search by surname

Accrington click here – search by name or constituency

Grimsby & Cleethorpes click here – search by name

Woodchurch click here – complete list

WW1 casualty remembered in Golcar Parish Church

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

William Harold Ryder

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 question 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 bachelor 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 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, Rosamund 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 8th, 1918, to Charles Foster Ryder, gentleman.

Men from Wakefield in Lijssenthoek CWGC

Resting in Lijssenthoek CWGC Military Cemetery are over 35 young men from the Wakefield area.  I know there names and in which section they rest but only two I know very well – one being my great uncle Herbert Siddle.  Herbert was 1 of 13 children born to Charles Siddle and his wife Emma Mills – Emma lost 3 of her children within months of their births.

The siddle family lived in the Kirkgate area of Wakefield, with cousins living just up the hill on Warrengate, Stanley Road and in the East Moor area.

Herbert was born in  Wakefield in the year 1892 and by 1911 he was a driller at the local boiler works, living with his parents, 4 siblings, a nephew and a niece, an uncle and a boarder on Hardy Croft, Wakefield – 11 people in a 5 roomed house.  I was brought up in that house and I can’t imagine how it would have been living in a house with a dining kitchen, front room, 2 double bedrooms and an attic.  It would have been so different from when I lived there with my parents.

Herbert enlisted in Wakefield, joining the KOYLI and becoming Pte 242874.  He had been wounded in the Somme and sent home to recuperate before being sent back to France and Belgium.  In April of 1918 he was in a trench and was shot in the neck.  Very quickly he was taken to a Dressing Station at Kemmel before becoming one of the many who are KIA.

Kemmel Wood bunker copyright C Sklinar 2008

Mrs Siddle had 2 other sons serving in WW1, Claude served as 241166in the RFA; Edwin served as 268976 and had been in in the WRVAD Hospital – he had been awarded, along with his other service medals, the Silver War Badge which he would have worn on his lapel to show he had been injured out of service.

Coming forward many decades to the 1980’s my father and I often met and chatted with an old gentleman whom we met while shopping.  After not seeing him for many months I mentioned to dad that we’d not seen him in a while, to which I was informed that he had died.  The conversation went on about the gentleman only for it to be brought up that this man was next to or very near great uncle Herbert when he had been shot !!!  By the 80’s I’d already started the family tree and there are no words to describe how I felt at this moment – should I scream ‘Why did you not tell me?’, utter a few choice words or just throttle my dad.  The reply I got from a bemused father was ‘Well, didn’t think you’d be interested’, like hell!!

I could have throttled my dad but could give my great grandma a very big hug for she kept all the paperwork from the army, including an eye witness report from Sgt Greasby and the Red Cross along with a newspaper from the time with Herbert on the front page. The local paper tried to put a picture of the young men on the front page  when Wakefield lost a son, brother or father.

I have this about my Wakefield soldier but do you have a soldier from Wakefield or know anything about your Wakefield soldier who was KIA or DoW during WW1?  Please let me know.

Please contact me with information.

Heritage Weekend 2011

Every year I make a point of visiting churches, homes and halls that are either not open or you have to pay to get in – I prefer to visit the  wonderful places that are only accessible on very few occasions and have been known to plan my visits and routes weeks in advance.

I seem to have visited the local places on more than one occasion and to my disappointment there are no new places signing up to the Heritage Weekend Scheme in Wakefield.  We have an array of wonderful buildings in the area so come on get organised, get volunteers an OPEN next year !

Bardsey Church C Sklinar 2007

Now, back to this year, bookmark these dates 8-11 September – what is open that we can go and visit:-

The Chantry Chapel, Kirkgate, Wakefield  Sunday 11am – 3pm

Clarke Hall, Stanley Road, Wakefield          Saturday 10am – 4pm

National Coal Mining Museum, Wakefield Saturday/Sunday 10am – 5pm

St James’s Church, Denby Dale Road, Wakefield Saturday 10am – 12 noon

St John’s Church, Wakefield Saturday 1pm – 4pm

St Peter the Apostle’s Church, Kirktgthorpe, Wakefield Saturday/Sunday 12 noon – 4pm

The Gissing Centre, Westgate, Wakefield Saturday/Sunday 2pm – 4pm

Wakefield Cathedral Saturday 10am – 4pm

Wakefield Civic Society Guided Walk, Saturday/Sunday 12.30pm – 3.30pm


Further information about the above can be found by clicking here as some of the properties have limited spaces and need to be booked prior to your visit.

But you may not live in the Wakefield area and don’t really want to travel far, so what else is open a little further afield.

Here are a few you may wish to visit :-

Lister Lane Cemetery, Bradford ; Manningham Walk, Bradford ; Halifax Playhouse ; Halifax Town Hall ; Shibden Hall, Halifax ; Masonic Lodge, Haworth ; Brotherton Library, Leeds ; Farnley Hall, Leeds.

Heritage Weekend information click here

Open House London information 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

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

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

The War Memorial on the Green at Reeth

In May of 2008 we spent a day in North Yorkshire – I think I’d said something like, ‘do you fancy a day out on Sunday?’.  ‘Where?’ Would have been the answer and my reply would have been that I didn’t mind.  Ben, by now would have known the places I’d been and would certainly have known there would have been a war memorial or 10 involved, with the odd churchyard thrown in for very good measure.  It was a nice day but I seem to remember a little windy in Reeth.

The War Memorial, The Green, Reeth, © C Sklinar 2008

The Green in Reeth is a very large open piece of ground in the centre of the village surrounded by houses and a few shops.  The War Memorial sits proud, high on The Green, protected by small posts and a rail.  Although the structure is large, it is simple in design and bears the names of 28 men from the Grinton, Reeth and Marrick areas.

The memorial seemed very much similar to others I’ve transcribed over the years – young men who were sons, brothers and husbands but each with a simple story to tell, until…….. It came to sort out the WW2 section.  The first name of the memorial is that of Major A K Charlesworth.  I found him on the CWGC and that gave me his full name, I then went onto look at the Army Roll of Honour 1939 – 1945 and confirmed information.

But when I googled him – he had a rank and a medal, so I thought there could be a little bit more about him on the great www. Yes, there was ! A connection to Wakefield. Albany Kennett had lived at Grinton Lodge and this had been purchased with its kennels and outbuildings by Col. Albany Hawke Charlesworth, born in Stanley, Wakefield,  who had been MP for Wakefield in the mid 1890’s, having purchased the hall in the 1880’s and becoming Lord of the Manor having purchased the rights from the Crown, using Grinton Lodge for shooting.

The census of 1891 has Albany Hawke with his family living at Chapelthorpe Hall, Wakefield.  He states he is  a ‘West Riding of York Colliery Proprietor’, born Chapelthorpe, West Riding of York – the transcription of that census is not correct. The family consists of Albany H aged 37, his wife Eleanor aged 24 and daughter Eleanor aged 21 months snf 15 servants including :- Housekeeper; Ladies maid; Housemaid; Laundress; Dairymaid; Grooms; Footmen, to name a few.

The census of 1901 has the family living in Portman Square, London with Albany Hawke living ‘on his own means’ with his family and 14 servants, including :- Governess x 2 ;  Housekeeper; Hospital Nurse; House and Kitchen Maids and Footman to name a few.  The nurse would have been for Albany Hawke as he had been injured in a hunting accident.  He had Grinton Lodge adapted to take his wheelchair.

Ten years late in 1911, we have Albany Hawke with his wife and two daughter living at Brockhurst, W Didsbury and a  mis-transcribed entry for places of birth.  A H is a Colliery Owner / Director and his wife is listed under occupation as Christian Science Practitioner, with two other people in the household giving their occupation as Christian Science Teacher or Practioner, aswell, as the usual amount of servants.

Albany Kennett, seems to be missing from the 1911 census or has been mis-transcribed and needs a little more time to find him.

Also mentioned on the WW1 section is Stanley H Moore.  Stanley Harding Moore had been born in 1898 in Reeth and in 1911 his father was  recorded as being Head Teacher of the Friends School, Reeth.

Tom Was, was the son of John Thomas Ward and Louise Alice.  Tom was 1 of 7 children and in 1911 was a Student Teacher – could he have been working under Mr Moore at the Friends School?  Tom’s father John Thomas Ward was noted as being the Registrar for BMD’s and a Mine Manager.

If you can help with further information or a photograph, please let me know.

To see Reeth War Memorial click here

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