Sunday 9 August 2015

Goole Zeppelin Raid Centenary - Service of Re-dedication 9th August 2015

Goole Cemetery

The Service of Re-dedication

The Service of Re-dedication

The Service of Re-dedication

The Service of Re-dedication

The Service of Re-dedication

As in 1922 the Union Jack Draped Over the Memorial.

The Service of Re-dedication

Relatives of the Deceased and Councillor Ian Blackburn Unveiling the Restored Memorial

Relatives of the Deceased and Councillor Ian Blackburn Unveiling the Restored Memorial

The Laying of Wreaths - Mike Howard, Goole First World War Research Group

The Laying of Wreaths - The Acaster and Stainton Family. 

The Re-dedicated Memorial.

Relatives of the Deceased - The Acasters, Harrisons and Staintons.

The Restored Memorial in its full glory. 





Ancestors of the Deceased - Members of the Acaster, Harrison and Stainton Familes.

The Goole First World War Research Group. 

The Service - "This Blessed House" - Sung in 1922


The Service of Re-Dedication


'Peace Perfect Peace' - Hymn at the 1922 Service. 

The Memorial before restoration.

 Pictures taken by Alan Dodsworth (Goole First World War Research Group), Katherine Walker and Rachel Walker. 






Sunday 2 August 2015

Goole Zeppelin Raid Centenary Commemorations

GOOLE ZEPPELIN RAID
CENTENARY COMMEMORATIONS
SUNDAY 9TH AUGUST



ZEPPELIN RAID EXHIBITION
 THE GOOLE FIRST WORLD WAR 
RESEARCH GROUP
THE LOWTHER HOTEL – 1030 – 1315 & 1415-1600
 


SERVICE OF REDEDICATION
OF THE 
GOOLE ZEPPELIN MEMORIAL
GOOLE CEMETERY – 1330-1400
 


THE HATFIELD BRASS BAND
GOOLE TOWN COUNCIL
RIVERSIDE PARK BANDSTAND – 1415


Saturday 14 March 2015

THE FIRST WORLD WAR SERVICE RECORDS OF GOOLE AND DISTRICT MEN AND WOMEN


Last weekend the Find My Past web site had a 'free access' policy allowing people to access a large number of records for no charge.

Given that this site has many records not available on Ancestry, Chris took the opportunity to take a look for any records regarding Goole men which the Group didn't already have, mainly concentrating on the 452 men named upon the Cenotaph. Detailed below is a summary of all of the records found to date.

As a result of research that started 9-and a half years ago, the Group now have 100 service records relating to some of those men named; this breaks down as 81 Army (including those men who served with Australian, New Zealand and Canadian Forces) and the Royal Flying Corps/Royal Air Force; and 18 who served with the Royal Navy, Royal Marine and Royal Naval Division - in addition to this number is the record of William Henry Dean, who had served briefly with the Royal Engineers but being deemed 'unlikely to make an efficient soldier' he was discharged, going back to sea, and eventually to HM Drifter 'Spotless Prince' upon which he lost his life on 26th October 1916. Two of the records relate the 'other ranks' service of two men who were later Commissioned (for some reason these pages were not included within their 'new' record when they completed Officer Training).

All of the above records, except seven of them, are also accompanied by the relevant Medal Roll pages detailing the medals awarded to each man for his service. The seven who are not named within the medal rolls didn't serve abroad during their time of service - three had already been discharged, with two of them, Charles Richard Marshall and George Dennison dying on dates that have yet to be ascertained.

Even without a service record, details are contained within the medal rolls of men who arrived in France, Egypt (some being bound for Gallipoli), or the Balkans throughout the latter part of 1914 and all of 1915. Further details are recorded for those men who had served with other units prior to the one with which they were serving when they lost their lives.

With regards to those who served with the Army (and RFC/RAF) records that give the amount of pension paid to next-of-kin are found within the 'Register of Soldier's Effects'. The weekly amount paid was based on rank, marriage and any children. All of these records also bear another amount paid in 1919 - a 'War Gratuity' payment, this being a 'one-off' payment again based on the criteria above. Most of the men for whom service records and medal rolls have been found also have these pages accompanying them - though three would appear to have either been lost or misidentified.

An opportunity to further research men named on the Cenotaph but about which no information regarding any service during the First World War had so far been located was also taken; this has led to one very intriguing story.

Within the Goole Times' 1916 Almanac is the following entry, 'Stephen Jos. Kelly, Swinefleet, seaman in the Royal Navy'. Within the 1917 'Roll of Honour' booklet is this, 'S.J. Kelly, Swinefleet, Seaman, RN.; died from pneumonia'; and within a list of fallen men from Goole, nearly all of whom being named on the Cenotaph, that was printed in the Goole Times on 28th November 1919 is this entry, 'Stephen Joseph Kelly (HMS Pembroke)'.

Among the records for Goole who men who served with the Royal Navy is a record for one Stephen Kelly, which shows that he was born in Goole on 15th January 1894. On 10th March 1914 he enlists in the Royal Navy, stating that he wants to serve for 12 years, assigned to HMS Pembroke as a Stoker Class II. On 17th April 1914 it is recorded under 'If discharged, whither and for what cause' as 'DD' - 'Discharged Death'. Stephen had been admitted to Chatham Hospital with Broncho Pneumonia. Is this record related to the 'Kelly SJ' named on the towns' Cenotaph? Stephen's name is also included on a Chancel Screen within Swinefleet Chapel that lists Swinefleet men who had fallen during the Great War - though his name is not recorded on Swinefleet Memorial.

Unfortunately at the time of writing there are 16 men who are named upon the plaques on the Cenotaph which bear the names of the fallen from Goole about whom no information has been found. All of these men are named with the Goole Times edition of 28th November 1919 under the headings Royal Navy and RND; Army; and Mercantile Marine, but even with this information details as to their individual service and deaths remain elusive.

Similar endeavours to look for records regarding those men who had some association to Goole who also lost their lives but who aren't named on the Cenotaph is continuing. Why weren't they named on the Cenotaph? This was, and still is, solely down to the preference of the family concerned. This particular list currently contains 309 men, some of whom spent their whole lives within the town prior to serving (Fred and Arthur Moody, both Mercantile Mariners; Fred enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force, killed at Gallipoli; Arthur aboard s.s. Duckbridge, lost off north Scottish coast), while for others their only connection to Goole is that they formerly worked within the town (as did Clifford Riley, ex Master, Goole Secondary School, killed 1st July 1916) or that they enlisted within the town.

What of those men who survived their time within the Forces, either being placed on the 'Reserve' and liable for a return to service should the Armistice fail, or who were discharged owing to wounds. To date 399 records, from the barest detail (name listed within the London Gazette announcing the award of the Military Medal, for example) through to full service histories have been found. As with the service records detailed above, it is hoped within time to have each of these records interpreted so that other people can read the details of the men, and women, from Goole who served with distinction and courage during the 'Great War'.

It isn't just Goole though that the Goole First World War Research Group is looking at in terms of those men who enlisted. A great deal of work has been done by one of its members, Alan Dodsworth, in researching the men of the Marshland villages (Swinefleet, Reedness, Whitgift, Adlingfleet and Eastoft). Having a smaller number of men and records to deal with, Alan's work also includes more family background information (from the Census records), as well as the Wills filled in by the men, detailing to whom their belongings, and in some cases, to whom the pensions payable on behalf of their service should be paid to - more often than not named within the 'Register of Soldier's Effects'.

One final question - what remains to be found? The easy answer would be 'don't know'. There is no general index on what records survive, it is only when a search is conducted that records regarding the men of Goole and District come to light. Chris compares it to a jigsaw - "Imagine a jigsaw to which you have no picture to work with, you don't know how big it is and you don't know how many pieces there are when it's finished."

Sunday 18 January 2015

A POSTCARD OF THE KING AT THE GRAVE OF A FALLEN HERO

This postcard was sent home by William Henry Butcher, to his parents John William and Selina Bertha (nee Morley) at 46 Bridge Street, Doncaster.
 

The front of the card shows King George V 'at the Front' and being 'at the grave of a fallen hero'. The card is one of an official series released by the Government showing various scenes at which to inspire the people at home to continue the support of the War; to help raise recruitment; to keep the morale of the troops in France and elsewhere high - as well as depicting that the head of state was also as much concerned about the efforts of those men in uniform. 
 

On the reverse William (Billy) wrote the following:

'Dear F & M, Just received a writing pad from Goole. Will keep sending you a p p c instead of Field Service card. Hoping to get full set. B'

The card was passed by the censor (stamp No. 5015), and stamped by the Field Post Office on 9th July 1917.

Billy' service record has either been lost, as a result of WW2 bombing, or is still held by the MoD on account of his service after the First World War but some details can be given from those records that are accessible.

Billy was born on 15th April 1894 and in 1901 the family are living at 7 Gordon Street, Doncaster, with his father John William working for Doncaster Corporation as a waterman. Ten years later the family are still at the same address, with John now employed as a Tap Inspector at the Borough Council Water Works; Billy, now aged 16,  being employed as a 'fettler' within an iron foundry at an electrical engineering firm. At this time John was aged 42 with his wife Selina being 40, the rest of the family being George (13); Annie (10); Ernest (6); Harold (3) and Ethel (1).

When he enlists on 29th May 1915 in the Royal Field Artillery Billy was given the 'Territorial Force' number 786602, being assigned to 2/3 West Riding Brigade Royal Field Artillery. At some point he is transferred, being given the number 291143 - all this time his rank being 'Driver' (one of two men in charge of the horses, both when teamed up with gun and limber, and when the gun is in 'action').

On 11th March 1919 he is discharged from the Army, but on the following day at Catterick he re-enlists, again in the RFA, now aged 24 years and 10 months. His former trade is given as 'skilled labourer', with his father' address given as 46 Bridge Street, Doncaster. His number now being 1046730.

At some time after the above date Billy is posted to Mesopotamia, and as a result of his 'good work' he is 'Mentioned in Despatches' - his name being printed in the London Gazette (Supplement 32452 pg.7179 dated 9th September 1921); his rank at this time is stated as 'Signaller'.
 



Extract from Form W5398 detailing the service of William Henry Butcher

On 31st March 1922 Billy is stationed at No. 3 Depot RFA, Hilsea, when he is discharged on account of the 'Termination of Service' under King's Regulations Para 392 (xxi). Now holding the rank of Bombardier, his conduct is noted as 'exemplary'. He gives his address upon discharge as 10 Flanderwell Villas, Bramley, Nr Rotherham.

As a result of his service in France Billy is awarded the British War and Victory Medals, both bearing the rank of Driver and No. 291143. He is also awarded the General Service Medal, with the clasp denoting 'Iraq'.

Billy married Alice Sturman in the late summer or early autumn of 1930. He died in 1974.

On the postcard sent to his parents, Billy states that he received a writing-pad from Goole. It was probably from his Mother’s sister, his Aunt Agnes. Agnes Mary Morley was married to a boiler-maker named Arthur Atkinson. They were married in Doncaster in 1895 and shortly afterwards moved to Goole. They had a daughter Edith who was born in 1897. In 1901 Arthur and Agnes are residing at 8 Kingston Terrace, Goole; ten years later they are 'boarders' at 18 Heber Terrace, Old Goole. On the latter date Arthur is 35, with Agnes aged thirty-four. Edith, in 1911 is stated as being a drilling machine worker at a brass foundry in Doncaster, while living with her mother' parents, George and Mary Ann Morley, at 8 Wellington Street, Doncaster.

[My thanks to Pauline Stainton for her assistance on this - Chris]

Thursday 18 September 2014

Inland Waterways Transport, Royal Engineers 1916 Football Team Photograph


Very recently a picture of a Royal Engineers football team, pictured in France during 1916, was published within the pages of the Goole Times. The accompanying information mentioned that a man named Matthew Glaves, of Goole, was within the picture and that he, along with his four brothers served in the Army during the First World War.

Matthew’s brothers were Ernest, George, Wilfred and Ambrose – Matthew being the ‘middle’ one.

The following information has been extracted by Chris Laidler, from three Services Records that have survived the years since the ‘Great War’.
 
Matthew enlisted on 8th Dec 1915, being assigned to the Inland Waterways Transport, Royal Engineers, as No. 156928. Upon his attestation form he gives his home address as 16 Widop Street and that he was employed as a coal trimmer on the docks. Aged 26 years and 11 months he gives his next-of-kin as his wife, Mary Ann (nee Barlow) whom he married in April 1911, as well as naming his children – Annie Mary (b. June 1913) and Ambrose Leslie (b. Dec 1915 – days after he enlisted).
 
After his initial training he was ‘mobilised’ on 3rd April 1916 and posted to I.W.T., R.E. Ten days later he is appointed to the rank of Sapper. From 11th Aug Matthew was raised to the ‘Superior’ rate of ‘Engineer Pay’ meaning an extra 1s 8d per day; and from 11th Feb 1917 as ‘Very Superior’ and granted 2s. (This money would be in addition to his normal rate of pay of 1s 2d per day.)
 
Matthew left England for France on 10th May 1916, and arriving the next day he was immediately posted to his unit. On 6th June he was admitted to hospital – cause not recorded, rejoining his unit two weeks later.
 
At some point Matthew was granted leave to the UK, but he was to lose 14 days’ pay after overstaying his leave pass by 24 hours, reporting at 4pm on 18th October.
 
Matthew was admitted to 5th Stationary Hospital, St. Omer on 10th Nov 1917 suffering from severe appendicitis; permission for Mary Ann to visit him being refused. The date on which he left hospital is not entirely readable but during the latter half of Jan 1918. He was again admitted to hospital on two other separate occasions – 16th Dec for 8 days; and 2nd Aug 1919 for about ten days, neither the hospitals or the reasons for both admittances’ being recorded.
 
Sometime during 1918 he is allocated a new regimental number – 509309, and it is with this number he is discharged on 21st Sept 1919 at the RE Depot, Chatham. At a medical examination taken six days earlier he claims to be ‘not suffering from any disability due to my military service’.
 
Matthew Glaves seated middle row, second left.
(Picture courtesy of Dave Roe)


Matthew gives his address on discharge as 31 Elsie Street; he is still there in July 1922 when his British War and Victory Medals are sent to him.
 
Ernest enlisted on the same day as Matthew, giving his home address as that of his father Tom – 3 Widop Street, whom he also names as his next-of-kin. Aged 33 years and 11 months he states his trade as ‘Seaman’.
 
Like his younger brother he too is assigned to I.W.T., R.E., as No. 149676. Mobilised on 27th Jan 1916 he is promoted to the rank of Sapper four days later. He left England on 9th March, joining his unit upon his arrival in France.
 
On 27th April he is appointed (and paid) as a Lance-Corporal; in mid-October 1917 he is appointed as Acting/2nd Cpl. In early 1918 he is assigned a new regimental number – 501905. In Oct 1918 Ernest is subsequently promoted to the rank of Corporal.
 
From 27th Aug 1918 Ernest is granted 14 days leave to the UK. About three months after his return to France he is admitted to hospital in mid-October; where he stays for nearly three weeks. After being discharged he is sent to 12th Command Depot, thence to ‘J’ Infantry Base Depot, from where he       re-joins his unit on 17th Dec.
 
At some point during early 1919 Ernest is granted a further 14 day period of leave to the UK, being back in France before 23rd April when he is again admitted to hospital – no cause given; he is returned to the UK aboard the Ambulance Ship ‘Brighton’, arriving on 4th June.; being admitted at some point to Kitchener’s Military Hospital, Brighton.
 
Having served for 3 years 193 days Ernest is discharged from the Army on 7th Aug 1919. Upon discharge he is assessed as having 30% disability due to bronchitis, being ‘attributable to Service’ and a weekly pension of 9s was to be paid from 8th Aug, which was to be reviewed after 26 weeks.
 
Ernest states his intended residence as his former home in Widop Street; but by the time his medals are awarded in July 1922 he is living at 16 Marlboro’ Avenue.
 
On 11th Dec 1915, Wilfred enlisted, just like his brothers at Goole, and like them he is posted to Inland Waterways Transport, Royal Engineers, as No. 149715. He too gives his home address as 3 Widop Street, his age as 25 years 2 months and that he was employed as a (locomotive) cleaner. No date is given as to his eventual transfer to the Railway Company, R.E.
 
Wilfred was ‘mobilised’ on 31st Jan 1916, being appointed to the rank of Sapper that same day. On 20th March he is posted to the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, embarking at Falmouth three days later; disembarking at Corfu on 14th April – departing on 1st May for Greece. Wilfred’ stay in Greece is brief being returned home from Salonika on 30th May.
 
Subsequently based at Sandwich Camp Wilfred is ‘admonished’ for overstaying his pass, having being recalled by telegram for leave to expire midnight Sunday 2 July, and being absent for 18 hours. Penalty imposed by 2 Lt RG Wright, OC B Coy being loss of pay for 2 days.
 
On 23rd Aug Wilfred is informed in Part II Orders that he is rated for ‘Engineer Pay’ of 2s per day, being payable from 28th. On 5th March 1917 Wilfred is admitted to hospital having had a football kicked in to his face and displacing his septum, being released to his unit seven days later.
 
Wilfred again leaves the UK on 29th June 1917, bound for France, arriving the following day. In early 1918 Wilfred is assigned a new regimental number – 501925.
 
After having a period of leave (to the UK) in March 1919, Wilfred seems to have spent some time away from his unit, rejoining 282 Railway Company R.E. on 26th May. On 3rd Sept he returns to the UK, being discharged on 4th October 1919, whereupon Wilfred gives his address 3 Widop Street.
 
Wilfred signs for his British War and Victory Medals on 6th July 1922, though no address is given.
 
Despite the good fortune that all five of the Glaves brothers' survived the War, due to the fact that a lot of records were lost during WW2, it has been unable at the time of writing to determine the units that George and Ambrose served with, but looking at the details of those that have survived it would appear that these two men’s records have been lost.

Sunday 10 August 2014

Recruitment in Goole

 In terms of archival records very little has survived to document Goole’s involvement in the First World. Fortunately the town has a newspaper which published a weekly newspaper and a twice a week short local news editorial. The Goole Times printed details of nearly every service man from the town killed, awarded gallantry medals, weekly feature articles with pictures of Goole men and also recorded how Goole men were enlisted. It is thanks to the Goole Times that over 3000 men have been listed of a database of Goole men who served in the First World War. Below are two articles extracted from the 1915 Goole Times detailing the impact of the Voluntary Enlistment Scheme established in 1915, naming men whose service record would otherwise have been lost.

Goole Recruiting Returns – 19/03/1915

Response to the Household Circular

Capt. Featherstone, recruiting officer for Goole and district supplies us with the following figures relative to the number of recruits obtained as a result of the issue of the “Household Circular” by the Parliamentary Committee last November. It will be remembered that the circular was accompanied by a form to be filled up by men of eligible age who were willing to serve in the Army when required, if called upon. The 405 men who assigned the form have all been called upon, but only 64 have been enlisted. The following are the figures:

Town
Called
Fit and Enlisted
Medically Unfit
Rejected Under Standard
Already enlisted or working for Government
No Response
Goole
203
22
73
26
92
48
Rawcliffe
30
7
8
3
5
7
Snaith
35
4
11
3
5
12
Askern
27
8
9
3
2
5
Whitley Bridge
15
5
2
3
2
5
Thorne
63
12
25
12
4
10
Airmyn
12
4
3

2

Swinefleet, etc
18
2
9


7
Drax
2

1

1


Recruiting at Goole – 14/05/15

Goole Scoutmaster Enlists

Goole Town F.C. Goalkeeper Enrolled

Since the recruiting demonstration at Goole on Tuesday last week, there has been a steady flow of men to the local Recruiting Office at the Labour Exchange, Goole, to offer their services to fight for King and country, and a number of local men have also gone to enlist at Hull, and others have been secured by the Territorial Regiment, now at York.

In “The Goole Times” last Friday we gave a list of thirty names of men who had been enrolled after medical examination, at the Goole Recruiting Office. Since then twenty-nine others have offered themselves and been enlisted, besides a number of others who were willing to join, but had to be rejected on medical grounds.

Among the recent enlistments are Mr Arthur Florence, scoutmaster of the 1st Goole Troop of Boy Scouts, and himself a “King’s Scout”; C. Guest, another Boy Scout; J C Garner, goalkeeper for Goole Town Football Club; three men from Goole Gasworks; two clerks from the Goole Urban District Council Offices, etc. The following are the names of the recruits accepted since Friday:

Forename
Surname
Record
Herbert
Crosby
Survived
Albert
Walker
Survived
Robert
Johnson
Survived
Arthur
Florence
Survived
Cass
Guest
Underage - discharged
John G
Garner
Survived
Frank
Temple
Survived
James
Ricks
Survived
A W V
King
Survived
George H
Barrow
Survived
John W
Bowman
Survived
Alfred G
Turner
Survived
H C H
Hargreaves
Survived
Louis
Cook
Survived
John A
Edmondson
Survived
Albert
Jackson
KIA
George A
Beavors
Survived
John
Hitchen
Survived
Pike
Henry
Survived
George A
Lane
KIA
George
Gill
Survived
C. Duncan
Miler
KIA
George E.
Isle
Survived
William Oscar
Wright
Survived
Harry
Simms
Survived
George
Glew
Survived
Ernest
Wilson
KIA

In addition to the fifty-nine who have enlisted at Goole since the demonstration and whose names have been published, there are at least five or six who have enlisted at Hull, and another dozen have gone to York, making a total of eighty.