A Name on a List

2nd Lieutenant Henry Guy Thorp

The memorials erected in Goole are lists commemorated to those who were killed during the First World War. The method of gathering these lists involved extensive work by the Members of the Church or Organisation responsible for erecting the memorial. Typically the research involved a door to door survey of the town and a compilation of a central list. Lists of those in service or those who has been killed were also compiled in the local papers throughout the war. Therefore one would expect that the memorials erected within the town are representative of all those who were killed on active service. However a study of the local newspapers show that several Goole people who were killed during the war were not included on the Goole memorials.

An example of those not included on local memorials is Henry Guy Hanning Thorp, a Goole born 2nd Lieutenant of the 3rd Battalion of the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. Henry Guy was born in Goole in 1895 and lived in the town before attending Public School. His father, Henry Bell, was the Director of the Local Board, and prominent local architect. By 1911 Henry Bell had moved to Doncaster but was still working as a Valuer in Goole and designed the Fever Hospital on Westfield Lane in 1912. In the months leading up to the First World War Henry Guy was touring Canada but returned to Britain upon the declaration of War. Gazetted as a 2nd Lieutenant Henry Guy joined the 3rd Battalion of the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and served in France from March 1915. Lieutenant Thorp’s service was short as he was announced dead on the 13th March 1915, age 19. The local newspaper reported the death and described Lieutenant Thorp as a well-known figure around Goole.

The reasons for people not been included on the War Memorials vary. This may range to clerical error or families not wanting to register the loss of a family member. Other practical aspects include whether any next of kin survived in the town to register the deceased for the memorial. Recently revision of historical practice has also allowed those killed for cowardice clemency and the right to be included on War Memorials.

Lieutenant Thorp was included in several weekly/monthly Rolls of Honour Published in the Goole Times during 1916 and listed within the Roll of Honour published by the Goole Times for the period from the start of the War until June 1917. Despite been known as a Goole Man and listed in the Rolls of Honour Lieutenant Thorp is not included on Goole’s First World War memorials. During 1915 Lieutenant Thorp’s father is noted as living in Doncaster but after this period little information is known about the Thorp family. Therefore it is likely that nobody was available to register Henry Guy Thorp for his name to be placed on one of Goole’s Memorials.