Tag Archives: Derbyshire

Harriett Acton

02 Sunday Dec 2018

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Born on 15 December 1882 in Ripley, Derbyshire, Harriett was the daughter of George Herbert and Harriett Acton. By 1911, they were living at Strathmore, Stockwell End, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, along with Harriett’s siblings Elizabeth, Henry, and George Herbert.

In September 1915, Harriett was engaged as a VAD nurse for the British Red Cross. She began working locally, at the Tettenhall V.A.D. hospital, before serving in a number of locations:

  • Lady Almeric Paget’s Convalescent Home (Auxiliary), Panshanger, Hertfordshire (4 May 1916 – 15 Jul 1916)
  • General Hospital Birmingham 1st Southern (19 Jul 1916 – 20 Aug 1918)
  • USA Base Hospital, Dartford (1 Nov 1918 – 17 Dec 1918)
  • 1st London General Hospital, Camberwell (Military) (31 Dec 1918 – 2 Feb 1919)

She was awarded two scarlet efficiency stripes on 20 August 1917 and on 27 February 1918. Harriett was living with her invalided mother in Stockwell End in 1939, by which date she was working as a school mistress. She died in Surrey in 1964.

George Henry Bignell

17 Saturday Nov 2018

Posted by in Front Line, Men who served

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The son of James Bignell, George was born in Wolverhampton in 1884. In 1901, he was living with his father and brother Walter at 4 Wood Street, Bilston, and was working as an iron castings dresser. He later became an actor, and was boarding in the home of Edwin Hallam in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, in 1911. 

George enlisted as a Private, first in the Machine Gun Corps (number 6421), and later in the Border Regiment (number 20845). George was killed in action in France or Belgium on 1 July 1916. He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial, as well as on the Bilston Town Hall Ward Roll of Honour. 

Thomas Claypole

17 Friday Nov 2017

Posted by in Front Line, Men who served

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claypoleThe son of John and Fanny Claypole, Thomas was born in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, in 1896. By 1911, the family were living at No 1 Court No 4 Melbourne Street, Wolverhampton, along with Thomas’s siblings Emma, John, lfred and Henry. Thomas was a boot and shoe maker responsible for tacking insoles.

Thomas enlisted in the 2nd Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment (service number 9149), and rose to become a Lance Corporal. He fought in the Battle of Mons and other battles, “and the only injury of any kind that he received was that which has just resulted fatally”, according to the Wolverhampton Chronicle on 26 May 1915, which reported that he had died from wounds on the 10th Stationary Hospital, St Omer, on 17 May 1915. He is buried at the Longuenesse (St Omer) Souvenir Cemetery in France. Articles about his death also appeared in the Express & Star in May 1915, and in the Midland Counties Express on 29 May 1915.

Norman St Claire or Sinclair Everett

16 Wednesday Aug 2017

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Norman was born in Osmaston, Derbyshire in 1897, the son of Shadrach C. and Caroline Everett. They were still in Osmaston in 1901, together with Norman’s siblings Alfred, Bertrand, Elsie and Victoria. Norman’s family were at 29 Thorne Street, Ettingshall, by 1911, but I have been unable to track down Norman himself.

On 2 June 1915, he enlisted in the 3rd/6th South Staffordshire Regiment (service number 241174). His address by this date was 29 Thorne Street, Ettingshall, Wolverhampton. He was promoted to Lance Corporal and later Corporal. He served in France from 12 May 1916. His service record includes a statement from Norman, dated 14 April 1918, which tells of an incident when a Lewis Gun limber ran over his foot. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, as printed in the London Gazette on 3 June 1919 with the citation appearing 11 March 1920, as follows:

Near Bellenglise, on 29th September, 1918, he took command of his platoon at a critical stage of the attack, .and led them to the final objective. With his Lewis gun he successfully engaged an enemy machine gun, and himself killed and captured a large number of the enemy.

Norman was demobilised in March 1919. There is a Norman S. Everitt who married Elsie M. Kibble in Wolverhampton in 1924, which may be the same man. This couple had two children, Roma S. (1925) and Patricia M. (1929) in Wolverhampton. Norman died in Bilston in 1950.

Herbert Frost

04 Tuesday Apr 2017

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Herbert was born in Derbyshire in 1898, the son of Henry and Kate Frost. By 1911 he was living at 3 Spring Vale Drive, Millfields, Wolverhampton, with his parents, and siblings Lizzie, Annie, Hilda and Ernest.

Herbert originally enlisted in the South Staffordshire Regiment (number 2156), before transferring to the 2nd Battalion of the Cameronian (Scottish Rifles), number 235395. He was killed in action in France on 3 October 1918. He is commemorated at the Sucrerie Cemetery, Ablain-St. Nazaire, as well as the Bilston Priestfield Roll of Honour.

Edgar Wells Page

30 Saturday Jul 2016

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Edgar Page was born in Wolverhampton on 31 December 1884, the son of Samuel Wells and Matilda Aston Page. Samuel Wells was the Official Receiver of Wolverhampton. In 1901 he was at school in Repton in Derbyshire. He became a well-known field hockey player, including representing England and winning a gold medal with the Great Britain team at the 1908 London Olympics. His mother Matilda died on 16 November 1910. By 1911 he was a chartered accountant and living with his father at Penn House, Wolverhampton, along with his siblings Raymond Charles, Constance Muriel and Harold Aston, and servants Frances Hammond, Eliza Rogers, Beatrice Wells and Lily Hickey.

Along with his brothers, he served in the army during the First World War. He became a Lieutenant in the South Staffordshire Regiment, serving in France from 20 October 1915. He survived the war, but does not appear to have married. He died on 12 May 1956 at Connaught Nursing Home, Wolverhampton. According to the National Probate Calendar, his address was Gorsty Hayes, Tettenhall, and the value of his effects was £9044 19s.

Bernard James Bland

20 Monday Apr 2015

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The son of Frank or Francis and Emily, Bernard was born in Wolverhampton on 22 November 1896, and baptised in St Andrew’s Church on 2 May 1898. The family moved to Lancashire, and by 1901 were living in Rochdale, together with Bernard’s siblings Ernest, Elsie and Arthur.  By 1911, they were in North Wingfield, Derbyshire, with additional siblings Frederick, Herbert, Ethel and Hilda. By then, Bernard had become an apprentice to a blacksmith. 

On 23 February 1914, he enlisted in the Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) (service number 2124, later 240424). His trade by then was blacksmith/shoeing smith, working for H. Reeses Pilsby. He served in France with the Expeditionary force, apart from a period he spent at home from August 1915 (when he received a gun shot wound to his left leg and foot) until March 1916. He died on 7 November 1918, not long before the end of the war. He is buried in the St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen.

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