St Catherine’s Church Memorial Service

While looking through the pages of a 1918 newspaper I came across the following article and I became curious as to who these men were.

The Express, Saturday, June 15 1918

 

A Memorial Service was held in St Catherine’s Church on Sunday afternoon last, in memory of Robert Elvey, Arthur Harrison, Joseph Harold Walker, Willie Bolton, Frank Hodgson, and George Wilkin, gallant soldiers who made the Great Sacrifice on behalf of their Country. The service was attended by the relatives of most of the soldiers, and a large number of parishioners came to pay their tribute of sympathy and respect. The service, taken by the Vicar (Rev. W Mahon), was simple, impressive and moving, and the draped National Flag seemed t add to the occasion. Three hymns, “My God my Father, while I stray.” “Now the Labourer’s Task is o’er.” “How bright these Glorious Spirits Shine.” were sung; and the organist (Mr J J Capewell) played Chopin’s Funeral March, Liebe’s Requiem, and Malan’s “Oh Lord my God, hear Thou the prayer thy servant prayeth.”

Let me see if I can find out who these Wakefield lads were when they lived and breathed and walked along our local streets.

Pozieres Cemetery and Memorial via Wikipedia

Firstly, Robert Elvey. During the Great War, after enlisting in Wakefield, he served as Sapper 480716 in 157th Field Company, Royal Engineers. Robert had also served under another service number, T4325. He died on the 25th of March 1918 and rests in Pozieres CWGC Cemetery, France. The Probate entry for Robert tells another snippet of his life – it tells that he lived at 59 Regent Street and that he left a widow, Annie who would have inherited the sum of £469 17s 2d. She would also have received his medals – The British and Victory Medals and a ‘Death Penny’ and Scroll.

Robert had married Annie Kendall in 1915. But let’s go back a few years to 1911 when Robert is living with his parents, Arthur Ed. Elvey aged 46 a Teacher of Pianoforte, and his wife Eleanor Theresa. Robert was one of four surviving children out of 7 born to Eleanor. Robert at this time was 21 years old and earned his living as a bricklayer.

Arthur Harrison is next in line.  After determining which Arthur Harrison was mentioned in the newspaper – there was a few!  This was done by browsing the CWGC (Commonwealth War Graves Commission) website.  I found he enlisted in Wakefield, joining the Yorkshire Hussars (Alexandra, Princes of Wale’s Own), 13th Battalion. He was known as Private, 24657, Harrison, Arthur.  He was Killed in Action on the 24th of November 1917.  Arthur is remembered on Panel 5 of the Cambrai Memorial to the Missing, Louverval, France and is one of over 7100 whose final resting place is known only unto their god.

Arthur enlisted in Wakefield after 1915 and was only eligible for the British and Victory Medals BUT he had been awarded the MM (Military Medal). Arthur’s money owed from the Army was War Gratuitypaid to Mrs Bessie Underwood, his sister. This money included £9 War Gratuity.

Joseph Harold Walker is next in line. According to the CWGC, only one entry fits the bill. Joseph was the son of Walter and Emily of Wakefield. Joseph served in the 1/5th KOYLI King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry as Private, 242886. He enlisted into the KOYLI’s in Wakefield. The 1/5th Battalion was a Territorial Battalion.  

Joseph would have been awarded the British and Victory Medals and his Medal Card also tells that he had served under another service number – 5136. Emily, his mother was registered as his next of kin and was, therefore, granted monies from the Army including £9 War Gratuity.

Joseph died on 3 of February 1918 aged 34. Joseph rests in Anzi -St Aubin British Cemetery in Northern France with 360 other servicemen. After his burial and erection of his memorial stone, his parents had the inscription “Rest in Peace” at the base of his headstone.

Military Medal via Wikipedia

Willie Bolton follows on from Joseph. The CWGC has information on two Willie Bolton’st only one died early in 1918. Willie served in the 9th Btn. of the KOYLI as Private 15271. During his time as a soldier in The Great War, he had been awarded the MM (Military Medal).  The medal being established in 1916 but could be backdated to 1914.

Willie like the other’s remembered in the service enlisted in Wakefield. Willie seemed to have served the longest of the men mentioned so far. He entered France in May of 1915 which made him eligible for the 1915 Star, the British and Victory Medals – plus his MM. Any money owing to Willie was sent to his mother as his next of kin. She was also sent £17 War Gratuity.

Willie has no known grave and is therefore remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing with over 35000 recorded names of other missing brothers in arms.

Frank Hodgson is the penultimate name and the only soldier I can find a service record for. I have decided that he will have a section on his own.

Finally, George Wilkin who sadly at the moment I can’t find anything that positively identifies him.

Clayton’s of Barnsley Road, Wakefield

Who to choose?  Whose life and deeds to tell of?  What a hard decision it has been today.  I thought about the policeman in Wakefield Goal mentioned in my last effort. No. I ended up going through my website to see who was of interest and it was there in the Absent Voters List for 1918 that I found him/them.

As many locals know Barnsley Road, Wakefield is one of the major roads in the area.  The A61, starting in Derby and finishing in Thirsk takes you through a great deal of the old industrial areas of Yorkshire.  Now, sections of this road have been absorbed into the M1 and A1.

Why have I told you this?  Well, just to tell the reader that this road, before the addition of motorways was an important part of the infrastructure of the West Riding of Yorkshire.

Just outside the city boundaries and past the bus depot is Broxbourne.  I remember passing this house as a child and I always remember it being painted a creamy colour with blue paintwork.  I also seem to think at some time the house was the home of a doctor – possibly in the 1950s or ’60s.

As they say in a tv programme ‘Who lives in a place like this?’ or should I say ‘Who lived in a place like this?’

Going back to the Absent Voters List for 1918 section H there is William Kitson Clayton a Lieutenant Colonel in the RAMC (Royal Army Medical Corps) and his son William Douglas Clayton a LIeutenant in the 1st Yorks.

William Kitson Clayton was born in Leeds c1860.  By 1881 William was living in Wakefield with Joe (?) Clayton (possibly a brother).  William was aged 21, a medical student living in the home of Wm. Sanderson, a stationer at 77 Kirkgate.  During the next few years, William met Ada Baldwin and early in 1885 the couple married in St Mary Magdelene’s Church, Outwood on February the 11th.  William’s father, Joe stated he was a wine and spirit merchant.  While Ada’s father, William was a farmer.  The witnesses to this union, well there were a few of them, were W C Clayton, E A Clayton, Wm Baldwin, Joseph Clayton, C Baldwin,? Baldwin and C W Baldwin.

The newly married couple then lived on Main Street, Aberford and in the 1911 census they can be found with their children  Gladys B and Madalene, William’s brother John Clayton, a Granter School Scholar, Jessica Edwards a hospital nurse, and two domestic servants.

The family are now back in Wakefield, 83 Northgate, where William is a physician and surgeon.  His family had grown in the last 10 years – Gladys Baldwin was now 13, Madalene 10, and now included Margorie C, 8 and William Douglas aged 6.  The family now had three servants and a visitor, 38-year-old J E Gledhill (?), a medical practitioner born in Mauritius.

The next 10 years in William’s life are tinted with both sadness and joy.  In 1904 Ada died aged 41.  The following year William remarried to Ada Willcox and the newly married couple were in 1911 living in Grove House, Grove Road, wakefield.  No family was living with them only two servants, one of whom was Norwegian.  During the census year, William Douglas Clayton has now aged 16  a pupil at Epsom College.

William Kitson Clayton during The Great War served in the Royal Army Medical Corps and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.  He must have served from 1915 onwards as he was awarded the 1915 Star plus the British and Victory Medals.  He applied for his medals in August 1921.

Territorial Decoration via Wikipedia

Before receiving his military service medals, he had been awarded the Territorial Decoration in the 1919 New Years Honours List.  The Territorial Decoration being a long service decoration for a minimum of 20 years commissioned service with war service counting as double time.

William Douglas Clayton as we know also served during WW1 – he served in the Yorkshire Regiment as a Lieutenant and later Acting Captain.  Like his father, he was awarded the 1915 Star along with the British and Victory Medals.  William Douglas not only did he serve in Europe, but he also served in India and Ireland.  He Attested in Wakefield on 7th August 1914 before John Hepple, Captain.  He was just 18 years of age, an Oxford Undergraduate of Broxbourne, Sandal.  He was 5′ 7½” tall with good eyesight and now was in the RAMC as a Private number 39 with the Mounted Brigade  Field Ambulance.  He was with the Corps until December 1914 and then left to attend Officer Training College, Camberley.  It seems he might have also been at Sandhurst for some time.

The British Army List has William Douglas born on 24th February 1895 being appointed 2nd Lieutenant in the Yorkshire Regiment on 16th of June 1915.  Attaining the rank of Lieutenant in September of that year.

Sometime after the war but before 1929, the family moved to Scarborough – living on the Esplanade.  And it was on the 17th of October 1929, William Douglas married Hilda Faith Thompson.  Hilda was the daughter of Geoffrey Ward Thompson, Doctor of Medicine, General Practitioner. Less than a decade later, William Kitson Clayton of 13 Esplanade Road, Scarborough died on 12th November 1937.  Probate was granted in Wakefield in February the following year to his widow Edith Mary Clayton and William Douglas Clayton retired Major in His Majesties Army and Thomas Edward Catterall solicitor.  The sum of £5124 11s 1d.

The family were on the move again and Edith Mary by now was a resident of Holloway Sanatorium, Virginia Water, Surrey, on the 6th of  June 1959 died.  Probate again was granted in Wakefield to Christopher Malcolm Percy Willcox, company director, William Douglas Clayton now a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Army and Harry Moxon solicitor. The sum of £2668 4s.

William Douglas Clayton died in St Albans in the summer of 1978.  Hilda Mary died in late spring 1988 aged 82.  Her death was included in The Times death notices.

There is one member of the family Madalene that according to the CWGC (Commonwealth War Graves Commission) was killed while a firewatcher at the Bar Convent, Blossom Street, York.  Madelene was known as Mother Mary Magnes and was one of five sisters who lost their lives during the Baedeker Raids in April 1942.  The Convent during WW2 gave safety to Belgian nuns and refugee children.  The Concert Hall was converted into a hospital for wounded soldiers.

The Baedeker Raids between April and June 1942 were purposely targetted at Britains historical towns including Norwich, Canterbury, Exeter, Bath and York in retaliation for the RAF bombing Lubeck earlier that year.   The attack on the 28/29th of April saw more than 90 civilian casualties and over 200 injured.  It was estimated at the time that over 9000 properties were damaged or destroyed – including many public buildings suffered damage including the medieval Guildhall.  The old Rowntree factory was burnt to the ground.  The incoming King’s Cross to Edinburgh train heavily crowned with military personnel took a direct hit.

Wakefield Institutions listed in 1911 census

While searching through the 1911 census using a place search of ‘Wakefield’ I came across the entries for a few institutions that were in existence at the time (one or two are still in use today).  In order of entry, the places were: Wakefield Prison, West Yorkshire Pauper Lunatic Asylum, The Workhouse at Eastmoor and finally in the consecutive list is Clayton Hospital.

One of the entries for Wakefield Prison caught my attention while scrolling through the pages looking at the various occupations of the inmates.  The occupations were wide and varied and included fishermen, employees at the various mills around the area, theatrical people, labourers, navvies, miners to name a few but one occupation that caught my attention was that of Policeman – what had this policeman done to be placed in the prison on Love Lane?  But the policeman John Huddart (?) is not who interested me but a 53-year-old widow named Bertram Mortimer.

From the 1911 census, there are a few things that are instantly known about Bertram.  As I’ve said he was 53 years old and a widower, what I have omitted was that he was born in New Orleans, USA and his occupation was Quack Doctor.  From knowing this information more questions arise.  When did he come to England?  Who was his wife?  Was she English or American?  What was he in Wakefield Prison for?  All burning questions for a family historian – whether it’s your family or not, you NEED to KNOW!

I needed to find out when Bertram came into the country but the census for 1901 England didn’t help.  On to the 1900 census for the United States, again no help with too many non-specific entries.  With the known information that he was in prison, perhaps the West Yorkshire Prison Records may help.  These records did help somewhat, Bertram had been convicted on the 16th (?) of June 1908 in Exeter for Four years for False Pretences.  He had served time in Dartmoor before ending up in Wakefield Prison.  At the end of his sentence, he was discharged, with one year and 34 days remaining,  under licence to go to London on 18th June 1912.  So far so good.

On the 6th of April 1908, Bertram is before the Swansea Borough Court.  The following week he appears before the Borough Sessions and convicted later that year for False Pretences – so this is further information about him ending up in Wakefield via Exeter and Dartmoor.  The documents tell that Bertram was aged 50 and worked as a Medical Specialist born in N. Orleans, U.S.A. So far so good or not so good in Bertrams case!

Still keeping with records I knew or hoped he would appear in I continued with prison records and eureka!  The Swansea and surrounding area Goal Records throw a bit more light on Bertram but I think a bit more light is an understatement, a lot more light is shed and this information has saved some time-wasting research.  His entry extracted from this Ancestry source tells –
BERTRAM MORTIMER, 15 months, Assizes, Bristol, 26th November 1907 (conspiring to procure a girl to have a carnal connection) as Wm Joseph Powell.
12 months, Assizes, Wells, 7th June 1899, (bigamy), as Wm. Joseph Powell.
5 Summary Convictions for assault and drunkenness
Since Committal:-
15 months, North London Sessions, 12th May 1908 (larceny and receiving).
4 Years penal servitude (concurrent with above) Devon Assizes, Exeter, 19th June 1908 (fraud)

Unlawfully obtaining by false pretences, the sum of £2 from William John Griffiths with intent to defraud on the 17th February 1908 at Swansea
Also unlawfully obtaining by false pretences the sum of £8 from Thomas Date, with intent to defraud on the 22nd February 1908, Swansea.

Bertram pleaded guilty to both of these charges and was sentenced to 6 calendar months hard labour to run concurrently with a sentence of 4 years penal servitude.  A little bit more about the life of Bertram is now known and other avenues of research can be followed.

This new snippet of information led me back to the Incoming Passenger Lists looking for a William Joseph Powell, nothing the same as before when looking for Bertram Mortimer.  OK, alter the search parameters and there he is Dr B J Powell aged 40 arriving at Southampton from

St Louis. Launched in 1894, served as a troop ship in WW1. Via Ancestry

New York, New York – probably so good that in the future it would be named twice……..ooops, sorry! Arriving on the St Louis on the 3rd of February 1898.  He wasn’t in the country long before he started to gain a name for himself.

After spending some time looking for a William Joseph Powell the 1880 census using various formats I decided to search for just the initials, W J Powell and came up with something that could be interesting.  W J Powell born about 1859 in Louisiana, son of B and S E Powell.  When just looking at the transcript I learnt that home for the family was Milan Street, Houston, Texas.  The head of the house was aged 48 and born in Scotland.  The wife was Tennessee born and W J  aged 21 had been born in Louisiana.  Other members of the family ranged in ages from 16 down to 3.  Could this be them?  I needed to see the original image.

The U.S.A. census pages are very long and don’t allow for much space between the words or even lines.  With a great deal of information being crammed onto a form – a greater number of columns that the UK census – but do more columns mean more useful information?

The Powell family are the last family on the page, continuing to the next for a few of the younger children.  Is there anything there that could confirm if this is the person mentioned in the UK documents.  Well, W J is there aged 21, single and employed as a clerk.  This is where things get interesting!  The head of the household, B Powell was a DOCTOR! Could this be the family of Bertram Mortimer / William Joseph Powell?  One thing that I found on this census was that his 16-year-old sister, Mary, was suffering from Malarial Fever on the day the census was taken – yes there is a column to include any illnesses being suffered by the people included in the census – how interesting is that?

All set to go back a further ten years in the U.S.A. census.  Would I find the family names entered as initials?  Or would names be entered in full?  In 1860 there is a J B Powell aged three, so far so good.  Here is the spanner in the works.  The head of the household according to the 1880 census should be B Powell, however in the 1860 census Lucas Powell aged 60 is listed.  One option is that Lucas is not a parent but grandparent.  The occupation of Doctor is consistent though.

What happened to W J Powell or Bertram Mortimer?  There is an entry in the Outward Passenger List for the UK where a Mr J B Mortimer, Gent, born around 1856, leaving Dover onboard Kroonland of the Red Star Line, bound for New York, U.S.A. Obviously from this side of the Atlantic, New York can’t be that good as we only named it once!  Is this the subject of this tale?  Who knows?  Or do you know any better?

At least how he ended up in Wakefield is known and more to the point why he ended up here!

BARNSLEY PALS COLOURS PROJECT HALF-WAY UP THE FUNDRAISING MOUNTAIN!

The Reverend Canon Stephen Race, Rector of St Mary’s Church, and Jane Ainsworth, Volunteer Co-ordinator of the Barnsley Pals Colours Project, are pleased to announce that they are now just over halfway towards their fundraising target to frame the two King’s Colours and conserve the 200 names on the First World War Memorial Pillar. This is thanks to the generosity of many individuals, groups and funders, most recently the approval of £5,000 from South Yorkshire Community Foundation (SYCF).

SYCF was founded in 1986 and has raised £28 million over the last 32 years to support voluntary and community groups in South Yorkshire. Their goal is to improve the lives of local people by helping those facing hardship and disadvantage as well as volunteers working to improve their local community. SYCF ‘connect people who care about South Yorkshire and have the means to invest in its future with the community groups striving to build stronger and healthier communities’. To date, they have supported more than 8,500 groups.

In the last five years, SYCF has awarded over £450,000 in 146 grant awards to community groups and charitable organisations working to improve local communities in Barnsley. In that time, reportedly over 200,000 people benefitted from the funding.

Jane explains: ‘As any individual or group who has been involved in fundraising knows it is hard work and very time consuming, however worthwhile the cause. Having recently returned from a holiday in the Cairngorms with mixed weather, I would compare it to climbing (by car) a mountain or even a mountain range in rain and shine!

‘When I became passionately interested in the Barnsley Pals Colours in 2016 and volunteered to find a way to ‘preserve’ them, I had no idea what effort this would involve. Last year, I increased my fundraising target by a third to just over £20,000 as I offered to include the cost of conserving the War Memorial Pillar and Plaques, because these and the Colours all honour Barnsley Pals.

‘I have suffered disappointment from rejections of applications, which feels like falling into the depths of a valley on a dull, wet day, and the joy of climbing up mountains of different heights in the sunshine as donations or grants come in. I appreciate all funding greatly and continue to publicise donors, most recently in my exhibition for the recent Heritage Open Days at St Mary’s.

‘I was advised by a member of staff at Barnsley Council earlier this year to contact Karen Walke at South Yorkshire Funding Advice Bureau (SYFAB) to discuss other possible sources of funds. I met Karen, who is very knowledgeable and helpful, and she suggested that I apply to SYCF. I also joined their mailing list to receive news about available grants for specific purposes and relevant training courses, two of which I have attended.

‘I am extremely grateful to SYCF for approving my application for £5,000 and paying this grant from their York and Lancaster Fund. Over the summer, I was successful in being granted £500 each from Cudworth, Kingstone, Penistone, St Helen’s and Stairfoot Ward Alliances, having applied to all of them in the absence of any central Council budget for projects that cover the whole borough. Mel Dyke (MBE being presented next month) made a very generous donation at the Commemoration with Procession on 2 June and Friendly Lodge 1513 added another £250 to their original donation from a raffle.

‘I had a very interesting and useful conversation with Melvyn Lunn, SYCF Trustee and Chair of the Barnsley Grants Panel, when he visited St Mary’s during our open days. He was keen to view the First World War Memorial Chapel, where my exhibition was set up, the two Colours and replicas. Melvyn was so impressed with the wealth of heritage, he agreed to become one of our Founder Friends of St Mary’s Church.

Melvyn & Jane

‘The photograph of us was taken holding a flier for the Royal British Legion Churchfield Branch’s Festival of Remembrance, which is returning to St Mary’s Church this year on Monday 7 November at 7pm. We are working closely together once again and my exhibition will be on display along with the replicas of the Colours etc’.

If anyone is interested in supporting this important First World War heritage project by making a donation or if you would like to join Friends of St Mary’s Church please contact 

                Jane Ainsworth at 45 Victoria Road, Barnsley, S70 2BU or janemaa@hotmail.co.uk.

Jane Ainsworth

Lissentheok – in search of Riach’s

On a recent visit to Lijssenthoek CWGC Military Cemetery, with two purposes in mind, I went on the hunt for two Riach headstones, and I went off on a tangent, yet again!

My first stop, as usual, was the small room where the Roll for those who rest within the cemetery walls is kept along with the visitor’s book. I already had the grave references, but I needed to photograph the cemetery plan so I could go directly to the two headstones in question – Nigel Stewart Riach (I’ve blogged about him before but the photograph of his headstone was added information) and a C Riach.

Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery © C Sklnar April 2019

That particular morning, it was a bright sunny Belgium day and I was the only living person among over 10,000 who had given their lives in conflict – from many nations they are all equal in death.

I quickly found Nigel Stewart Riach and C Riach. The two Riach’s were located in adjacent sections, XXV and XX1V – not that far apart really.

I’ve already told you about Nigel Stewart Riach and now it’s C Riach’s turn.

C Riach headstone Lijssenthoek CWGC © C Sklinar April 2019

C Riach, was known to his family as Charles. He had married Mary Shield, the couple lived at 17 Barr Street, Glasgow. Charles joined the Royal Field Artillery in Glasgow and became Driver 7219 and entered France in July 1915.

As part of ‘C; Battery, 64^th Brigade, he served until he died at no. 10 CCS (Casualty Clearing Station) on the 30^th of September 1917 aged 25.

Charles, as he was serving in France in 1915, was eligible for the 1915 Star, along with the Victory and British Medals.

His widow, Mary later remarried and became known as Mary Wilson, as can be seen from documents and from the CWGC entry for Charles.

At the base of Charles’ headstone are the words “He is Gone but Not Forgotten”.

Sayles Family Postcards – who are they?

At a recent meeting of local family history society, I was shown a set of three WW1 postcards. During the society notices the postcards were mentioned as they had a local connection – did anyone know the family or the surname? No one came forward. In the likely hood that no one came forward I had already I volunteered myself the task of finding who the people were – the sender and the recipient.

Each of the hand coloured postcards portrayed pretty young girls in various seated poses, each one held or had a posy of flowers. The 100-year-old cards were nice but what was written on the back was even more interesting, well it was to me.

After leaving the cards alone for a few days I sat down with them and with a couple of minutes I had the family in 1911. A few minutes later I had the service and pension records of the father of the family.

Who were these people found in records over 100 years later? They were Winnie Sayles and her father Ernest who sent the cards to his daughter while he was in France during March of 1917.

Ernest had been born in 1885 in Kirk Smeaton, Yorkshire, the son of William and Annie. In 1891 the family were living at Cistern Cottage, Hemsworth, where William aged 28 worked as a railway platelayer. Ten years later, their home was now on Sand Hill Terrace, Hemsworth where a young Ernest was a chemists’ apprentice.

In the winter of 1906, Ernest married a young lady named Sarah Briggs and the following year their daughter Winnie was born. A few years later the family were living with Ernest’s parents and a lodger, William Wilson, at 11 Top Street, Hemsworth, the address to where the postcards were sent and my initial find with the 1911 census. Ernest was now working as a cycle repairer, probably as an agent for a larger company.

The years passed and on the 11^th of August 1916, Ernest, now aged 31and a mechanic and dealer Attested to the ASC (Army Service Corps) and became Private, M2/201741. He did seem to be a bit picky on where he served as question 9 Are you willing to be enlisted for General Service? Ernest answered Yes, with Motor and Mechanical Transport. Not sure if that went down too well with the recruiting officer as after Yes, has been struck through. There are only three pages of Ernest’s service record but they do give quite a bit of information.

Firstly, information as to his address of 55 Doncaster Road, Goldthorpe, Rotherham. His wife is named along with her maiden name and the date of their wedding – 21^st November 1906 in Hemsworth Catholic Church, Next are his children and their place and dates of birth – Winnifred Annie, 31^st October 1907; Agnes, 23^rd June 1911 and William Edward 13^th October 1914.

When Ernest wet to France in September 1916, life carried on for his family. Ernest was in the Motor Transport Depot, Calais and it seems possible that the three postcards to his daughter Winnie were sent from thereabouts

The postcards are dated, even though the date stamp is very faint, between the 3^rd of March and the 18^th of March. The day following his last postcard Ernest is reclassified as a Technical Storekeeper and on the 11^th of January the following year Ernest is ‘Discharged, No longer physically fit for war service para 392 (XVI) KR.

Following Ernest’s discharge, curiosity leads me to wonder why and thankfully there are pension records surviving that can answer that question. There are 13 pages of these records and they include much of the information a service record would, however, this set of records contain much more. They are not in date order so I will go through page by page and pass on information about the father of our family.

The Pension Record Card for Ernest gives a name; date of birth; rank, regiment and service number – which is expected; date of examination; details along with invaliding disability and degree of disablement plus a short medical report. All very interesting headings but the information contained under those headings answers some questions. Ernest was medically examined and was given the diagnosis of Dilation of Myocardium in December 1916 and given a 20% disability. He had been also examined in France – Dyphoera (?) and Palpitations. The card continues with examinations taking place in Sheffield, Barnsley and Wakefield. Ernest complained of shortness of breath, sleeplessness but overall was well nourished. Although the medical examiners writing is quite technical there are some words that can be understood, including – intermittent and irregular sounds, becoming very faint, ‘has a large hypertrophied heart and definite aortic sclerosis’ when talking about Ernest’s heart.

As I’ve already said Ernest’s medical history started in France in December 1916 which was noted in a Medical Board Examination in December 1917 wrote ‘Not the result of but aggravated by military service, overstrain and hard work. Impossible to state if permanent.’ Ernest’s time in France lasted less than 12 months (6 September 1916 to 31 May 1917), having served at home from 9 Aug 1916 to 5 September 1916.

Ernest was discharged from Woolwich Dockyard on the 11^th of January 1918 aged 33 years and 6 months old. Whoever completed the form included the wrong age for him and it was struck through. He was 5′ 8” tall and a fully expanded chest of 35½”. He had a fair complexion, grey eyes, light brown hair and had three moles on his back and had a good character.

The Medical History for our soldier seems to have made him shrink ½”. Added details include that he weighed 125lbs and the moles were between his shoulder blades. He also had two vaccination marks. This document also includes Ernest’s birth parish – Kirk Smeaton.

Although these Pension papers are not in any order and while writing I feel his life is a little disjointed I do hope that the information is of interest. One more printed sheet tells that in May to July of 1917 he was in Tooting Military his with abscess of lids – Patient was admitted with boils on neck which resulted in complications. As we already know, Ernest left France in May of 1917 – the day he was admitted to Tooting Military Hospital, which was were, after his medical complications, his heart problems were discovered.

And it was that Ernest left the army with a Conditional disability and was given a 24/- pension plus 14/1 for two children – what had happened to the third child he had previously been given a small pension for? His degree of disability going from 20% to 60% in 1922.

An SWB (Silver War Badge) number 315,128 had been issued to Ernest when he had been discharged due to sickness (KR 392 (xvi) 2 (b) I). This document gave his date of enlistment as 12 December 1915, which contradicts his date of Attesting in August 1916.

Did Ernest and Sarah live long enough to be recorded in the 1939 Register? Yes, they did! 6 Parkhill Avenue, in the Dearne Urban District was where the family called home. Ernest confirmed by his date of birth, 29^th June 1884 was a Public Assistance Clerk; Sarah, born on the 22^nd November 1882 was UDD (Unpaid domestic Duties) and William Ed. Born on 13^th October 1914 was the only other visible entry – the other three being officially closed.

Winnie, the recipient of the postcards married Edward Gray in early 1940 in the Doncaster Registration District.

Sarah, Ernest’s wife died on the 14^th of January 1955, a day that has special significance for my family. Don’t you find that in family history there are many coincidences, some stranger than others?

Ernest died in 1967.

Does anyone know this family?

From George Street to Upper Kirkgate

In 1967 a friend of my father, a Mr R G Pearson or Pawson made a list of the shops on Kirkgate from

Kirkgate – opposite side of the road copyright info

the junction with George Street to the junction of Upper Kirkgate.  I found the names shop titles fascinating and evoked wonderful memories of the area.

“Demolition work commenced in Kirkgate from George Street to the corner of Upper Kirkgate, (on the west side) in mid-September 1967.

Prior to this when George Street was widened the corner shop of Kirkgate and George Street, was that of Mr Fred Wood, the Sadder, this was demolished, and it was thought to be the only Sadlers shop in the country to have a Wind and Spirit Licence.  

Also demolished was the Music Shop of Mr Arthur Webster, (Piano’s etc.,) 

Therefore when demolition started in September 1967 the following is a list of premises affected from the corner of George Street:- The British Oak, a public house; Sammy Herbert’s Fish and Chip Shop; Wakefield Radio Co.; The Spinning Wheel, Wool Shop; Hoffman, Confectioners; The Wool King – then an entry into the car park, with a Police Box on the corner (This entry was made by demolishing two shops). Then Malcolm’s Flower Shop; Wormald’s Butchers; Progress Butchers – then a passage.  Halford’s Cycle Shop; The Criterion, public house.  Then an entrance into a yard.  Scarr’s Hardware Shop; Morton’s Post Office; Dewhirst Butchers; The Double Six, public house; Kay’s, gents outfitters; King’s, gents outfitters; Hilton’s, boot and shoe shop; Cavendish Furniture shop (Once Jackson’s Arcade). Another shop occupied by Halford’s (after they left their shop previously mentioned.  The Army Stores, and before that Isherwood’s Radio and Television.  Entrance to a yard.  Timothy White’s, chemist; Leicester and Kettering, boot and shoe shop.  Pickles, gents tailors.  Then Kirkgate Corner.”

So many memories, On a Saturday after shopping it was occasionally fish and chips from Sammy Herbert’s.

One of my school friends lived at the Criterion public house which was run by her parents.  Inside the place was a rabbit warren of rooms, you could easily get lost.  I also remember the man from Wakefield Radio, he had a very large German Shepherd dog who I seem to remember sat a great deal of time in the entrance of the shop.  Timothy White’s and Scarr’s are also vivid in my memory, as is a gents shop, I remember going there with my father – something to do with the fact they would order military blazer badges and re-ribbon medals.