Arthur Atkinson 1894-1916

HMS Defence in 1907 (from Wikipedia)

Born:
20 August 1894  

Son of:
John Atkinson, born 1852 in Barnsley.  Retired Innkeeper in 1911 at Oldtown, Barnsley and of 1 Carlton Lane, Smithies in 1916.
Married in Barnsley in Q2 1886 (9c 274)
Mary Ann Atkinson, formerly Hey, nee Marsden, born in Smithies, Barnsley in 1858 died before 1911.

Position in family: The fourth of five children (plus three older half siblings)
1. Emily Atkinson b.1887
2. Herbert Atkinson b.1890 d.1916 WW1 KILLED
3. Walter Atkinson b.1893
4. Arthur Atkinson b.1894 WW1 DIED AS RESULT OF ENEMY ACTION
5. Frank Atkinson b.1900

Home address, age and occupation:
1901: Redbrook Road, Barugh aged 6 Attending School
1911: Old Town, Barnsley aged 16 Pit Labourer

Marriage: Arthur was married to Alice Johnson (b. 1897 Higham, Barnsley) on 13 May 1916 at St George's church, Barnsley. He gives his occupation as Sailor. Alice was living at 1 Springfield Terrace, Dodworth Road, when notified of his death.

Children: They had no children.

Military Service
Enlisted: **
Regiment and Battalion:    Royal Navy HMS "Defence"
Service number and rank:  SS/116247  Stoker 1st Class
Personal information:   ***

Death:     31 May 1916 at the age of 21 years
Memorial at: Plymouth Naval Memorial
Panel Reference: 15

Information from Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
Son of John Atkinson, of Barnsley; husband of Alice Jones (formerly Atkinson), of 1, Springfield Terrace, Dodworth Rd., Barnsley.

Remembered:
War Memorial at St Thomas' Church, Gawber
Memorial tablet in St Paul's Church Monk Bretton
Memorial book in St Paul's Church, Monk Bretton
War Memorial, Cross Street, Monk Bretton
Plymouth Naval Memorial

Notes:
On the St Paul's memorial tablet Arthur's name is followed by the word Jutland.  The HMS Defence was sunk at the Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916.  There were no survivors. More information and some pictures can be found here.
Alice, Arthur's widow remarried to Robert P Jones Q1 1918 (9c 283)

William Armitage 1892-1918

1906 map of Worsborough Common showing St Luke's Church, Pensioner Row and Howard Street
(from Old Maps)

Born:
1892
Baptised at St Thomas Worbro' Dale 7 February 1892

Son of:
James Armitage 1854-1906 Coal Miner Hewer at 10 Highstone Lane in 1901
He married in Q4 1876 in Barnsley (9c 243) to
Sarah Ellen Armitage 1852-1921 formerly Turner

Position in family: The youngest of 7 children
1. Mary Ellen Armitage b.1877
2. Elizabeth Armitage b.1878 d.1918 in Stothes Hall Asylum
3. George Armitage b. 1880 d.1917 WW1 KILLED
4. Tom Armitage b.1883
5. Miriam Armitage b.1884  d.1886
6. John Armitage b.1888 d.1916 WW1 DIED OF WOUNDS
7. William Armitage b. 1892 WW1 DIED OF WOUNDS

Home address, age and occupation:
1901: 10 Highstone Lane age 9
1911: 1 New House, Howard Street, Worbro' Common age 19 Coal Miner Trammer

Marriage: William was married to Rose Lindley on 27 May 1912 in St Thomas, Worsbro' Dale (9c 438)

Children:
1. Joseph Armitage b.Q4 1912 bap. 20 November 1912 at St Thomas, Worsbro' Dale when William's occupation was Miner
2. Hilda Armitage b.Q1 1914 bap.25 November 1913 at St Thomas, Worsbro' Dale when William's occupation was Soldier. Died December 1915 Buried in Barnsley Cemetery
3. Lucy b.Q1 1918

Military Service
Enlisted: *before 1916* at the age of **years
Regiment and Battalion:    York and Lancaster 9th Battalion
Service number and rank:  19578 Corporal
Death: 22 June 1918  aged 26
Buried at: Dueville Communal Cemetery Extension
Grave Reference: Plot 1 Row C Grave 12

Information from Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
No additional info

Remembered:
War Memorial at St Luke's, Worbrough Common

Notes:
William and Rose appear to have lived with his uncle John and aunt Emmeline at 1 Pensioner Row, Worsbro' Common. They had no children would have had spare room for a young married couple.
If William was badly injured in the 'Big Push' (see newspaper report below) that might account for him being at home in mid 1917 to conceive Lucy, born early 1918.
His battalion went to Italy in November 1917.
Rose Armitage remarries in 1920 to Alfred Whitehead and has two further children with him.

Report in the Barnsley Independent 23 June 1918

Corporal W Armitage (26) York and Lancaster Regiment of Pensioner Row, Worsbro' Common has died in Italy from wounds received in action.  He formerly worked at Barnsley Main Colliery and had previously been wounded in the Big Push, July 1st 1916.  He leaves a widow and two children. 

Joseph Woodcock 1886-1915

From the Barnsley Chronicle 23 Oct 1915
(thanks to Barnsley Archives)

Born:
1886 Barnsley

Son of:
James Woodcock, born 1856 in Barnsley, died 1917.  He was a Coal Miner and lived in Wood Street, Barnsley in 1901. He was married in Barnsley Q3 1877 (9c 185) to
Mary Jane Woodcock, nee Milner, born Darton in 1862. 

Position in family: The third of 7 children
1. James William Woodcock b. 1879
2. Sarah Elizabeth Woodcock b. 1884
3. Joseph Woodcock b. 1886  WW1 KILLED
4. Aaron Woodcock b. 1889
5. Annie Woodcock b.1892
6. Mary Woodcock b. 1897
7. Ernest Powell Woodcock b. 1900 WW1 SERVICE in India


Home address, age and occupation:
1891: 40 King Street, Barnsley aged 5 years
1901: 1 Ct 3 House Wood Street aged 15, a glass bottle taker in
1911: **
Marriage: Joseph was unmarried

Military Service:
Enlisted: *date* at the age of **years
Regiment and Battalion:    York and Lancaster Regiment, 6th Battalion
Service number and rank:  10664 Private
Personal information:   **

Death:     22 August 1915  aged 29 years
Remembered at: Helles Memorial, Turkey.
Panel Reference: 171 to 173

Information from Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
Son of Mary Jane Woodcock, of 10 Court, 5 House, Wood St, Barnsley and the late James Woodcock.

Remembered:
On the memorial tablet in St John's Church, Barnsley which is now lost.

Notes: Haven't found Joseph in the 1911 census yet.  His mother is living with her parents in 1911 but his father is also difficult to find. 

Barnsley Independent 23 October 1915
(thanks to Barnsley Archives)

Alice Hilda Lancaster 1883-1918

Alice Hilda Lancaster's War Grave
in Wimereux Communal Cemetery (thanks to Ron Teague)

Born: 1883 in Barnsley
Baptised: 20 June 1883 at St George's, Barnsley

Daughter of:
Thomas Lancaster, born 24 September 1842 in Barnsley, died 1 March 1930 Monk Bretton, of The Cliffe, Monk Bretton in 1911, Auctioneer and Valuer
who married on 23 April 1874 in Holy Trinity Church in Wakefield to
Alice Halliley Lancaster (nee Milner) born 20 September 1844 in Leek, Staffordshire, died 17 August 1895 in Wakefield

Position in family: The youngest of 5 children
1. Rose Lancaster bap. 24 May 1876 St George's, Barnsley, died 1956
2. Thomas Edward Lancaster bap. 17 Feb 1878 St George's, Barnsley, died 4 February 1909 in Stretford, Manchester
3. George Bingley Lancaster b. 30 May 1879
bap. 10 Aug 1879 St John's, Barnsley WW1 SERVICE died 1956
4. Edith Marianne Lancaster bap. 5 Aug 1880 St George's, Barnsley, died 1952
5. Alice Hilda Lancaster WW1 ACCIDENTLY DROWNED

Home address, age and occupation:
1891: 111 Dodworth Road, Barnsley
1901: Cliffe House, Monk Bretton, Barnsley
1911: Cliffe House, Monk Bretton, Barnsley
Marriage: she was unmarried

Military Service:
Enlisted: *date* at the age of **years
Regiment and Battalion: Territorial Force Nursing Service Special Military Probationer attd.
Service number and rank: Nurse
Personal information:   *unknown*

Death:     3 June 1918  aged 35 years

Buried at: Wimereux Communal Cemetery is approximately 5 kilometres north of Boulogne.
Grave Reference: IV A 2  (There is a picture of her gravestone above and more information on a website here)

Information from Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
Daughter of Thomas and A. H. Lancaster, of The Cliffe, Monk Bretton, Barnsley, Yorks.

Remembered:
Memorial tablet in St Paul's Church Monk Bretton
Memorial book in St Paul's Church, Monk Bretton
War Memorial, Cross Street, Monk Bretton
On her mother's gravestone in Monk Bretton Cemetery (see below)

Notes:
None of Alice's siblings married.  Her mother, father, brothers and sisters are all buried in Monk Bretton Cemetery. Plots A222 and A223.
More about Alice in this blog post.

The gravestone of Alice Hilda's mother and brother
where Alice is remembered in Monk Bretton Cemetery



Close up of Alice's inscription on her mother's gravestone

From the Barnsley Independent 8 June 1918

Barnsley Nurse Drowned
Much regret was expressed in Barnsley on Wednesday at the receipt of the news of the death of Miss Alice Hilda Lancaster, youngest daughter of Mr Thos Lancaster JP of Cliffe House, Monk Bretton, who had been on hospital work in France.  Miss Lancaster, who was drowned whilst bathing, had only been overseas for about a week.  Since October 1916 she had been on the nursing staff of St Thomas' Hospital, London and prior to that period was on the nursing staff at Lundwood Military Hospital.  The deceased lady, who was 35 years of age, was well known, and had been prominently engaged on social work.

From the Barnsley Chronicle 8 June 1918

A Barnsley Nurse Drowned in France
Profound sorrow is expressed at the news of the death of Miss Alice Hilda Lancaster, youngest daughter of Mr Thos Lancaster JP of Cliffe House, Monk Bretton, who had been on hospital work in France.  Miss Lancaster, who was drowned whilst bathing, had only been overseas for about a week.  Since October 1916 she had been on the nursing staff of St Thomas' Hospital, London and prior to that period was on the nursing staff at Lundwood Military Hospital.  The deceased lady was well known at had been prominently engaged on social work.  The news of her untimely death caused a painful sensation amongst Miss Lancaster's many Barnsley and district friends.

Thomas Patrick Knight 1882-1915

Born:
1876 in Bewsey, Williamstown, Co. Mayo (Soldiers Died in Great War) or 1883 in Cork (De Ruvignys Roll of Honour) or 1882 Warrington, Lancashire (1911 census)

Son of:
John Knight  - Foreman at a Steel Works
Catherine (nee Curnes, daughter of John Curnes)

Position in family: The eldest son

Home address, age and occupation:
1901: (Serving in South Africa)
1911: 44 Creswell Street, Pogmoor, Barnsley Coal Miner Hewer
1914: Day's Croft, Monk Bretton Coal Miner

Marriage: Thomas was married to Minnie (daughter of Joseph and Martha Ann Youel) on 27 October 1910 in Barnsley (9c 452)

Children:
1. Honor Knight born 11 August 1911
2. John Thomas Patrick Knight born 26 June 1913
3. Minnie Knight born 15 August 1914

Military Service:
Previous Service: South African War 1899-1902 with the 1st King's Shropshire Light Infantry (Awarded Queen's South Africa Medal)
Enlisted: 4 Aug 1914 at the age of ? years
Regiment and Battalion:  King's Shropshire Light Infantry 1st Battalion
Service number and rank:  6532  Corporal
Awards: DCM - for conspicuous gallantry and initiative on 9th August, 1915, at Hooge, when he reconnoitred portions of the position when first reached, and rendered great assistance to his Officers in organising the section of the line taken.  He displayed great bravery and coolness, and set a fine example to the men with him of devotion to duty. (London Gazette 15 September 1915)
Personal information:   *unknown*

Death:  17/09/1915  at the age of 39 years (CWGC)
Buried at: Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery in Belgium, about 12km west of Ypres.
Grave Reference: III. A. 28A.

Information from Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
Husband of Minnie Knight, of 55, Cresswell St., Pogmoor, Barnsley.

Remembered:
Memorial tablet in St Paul's Church Monk Bretton
Memorial book in St Paul's Church, Monk Bretton
War Memorial, Cross Street, Monk Bretton

Notes:
Minnie remarried in 1916 to William H Wilson and went on to have five further daughters.

From the Barnsley Chronicle 6 November 1915
(partially reproduced in Memories of Barnsley issue 15)

Our portrait gallery this week contains the photograph of Corporal T Knight, of the Shropshire Light Infantry, whose home was at Day's Croft, Monk Bretton, and who has laid down his life for King and country. As announced in these columns some weeks ago Corporal Knight was in August last awarded the DCM for conspicuous bravery at Hooge (Belgium).  On the same occasion he was congratulated by Major General Congreve, VC, and was promoted to the rank of Corporal on the field.  It appears that at a critical moment Pte Knight (as he then was) led his company in a charge, the officer having been killed.  He said, 'Come along lads, I'll lead you to death or glory', and the boys responded, 'Yes we will'.  'Over the parapet we went' said Corporal Knight in a letter to his wife, 'and we sprang on the Germans like lions on their prey.'  He accounted for three German officers.  After the charge Knight further distinguished himself by taking a message to this colonel a distance of two miles under heavy fire. On delivering the message he dropped through sheer exhaustion from want of food and drink.  He sustained a shrapnel wound on the head and the doctor wanted him to go to hospital.  'But' said Knight 'I declined to leave my regiment'.  And not long afterwards the hero mad the greatest sacrifice of all. 

The news of his death was received with very deep regret in Monk Bretton, and much sympathy is extended to his widow and three children.  Monk Bretton people looked forward to seeing him home on an early furlough, when there is no doubt they would have given the hero of Day's Croft a right royal welcome.  Corporal Knight went through the Boer War and did good service there.  He worked prior to going to fight the Huns as a miner at Monk Bretton Colliery, where he had been about five years and he was held in high esteem by the management and workmates alike.  He was a highly esteemed and useful member of the Monk Bretton orchestra of which Mr J W Shaw is the able conductor.    

The widow of the deceased has received a letter in the following terms from Pte J T Johnson of the KOYLI, with the British Expeditionary Force in France: 'You will be surprised to hear from me but I thought I would just drop you a line hoping it will cheer you up a bit in your great trouble.  I am sorry from the bottom of my heart at the bad news.  I was so proud to think we had such a hero in Day's Croft, and then comes the news of his death; but I hope you will have the strength to bear up in this sad time.  You have the consolation of knowing that your husband died a hero, bravely fighting for his King and country.  I wonder what the young slackers of Monk Bretton think of themselves when they read of such heroes as Corporal Tom Knight DCM - nothing but shame I should think.  I hope to hear of the people of Monk Bretton seeing to it that you are adequately provided for, and that you will be able to bring up your little children in respectability, as befits the children of a hero.  That is the very least they can do in memory of your heroic husband. The battle in which he met his death was awful, though it turned out a big victory for us. I wish he had been able to rejoice with us, but the Lord called him to be one of his heroes in a greater battle than this,  With deepest sympathy'.

John Thomas Johnson 1895-1917

John Thomas Johnson (from De Rivigny's Roll of Honour: Find My Past)

Born:
1895 in Monk Bretton

Son of:
George Johnson (born 1852 Penrith, Cumbria, died 1924 Monk Bretton, Barnsley) a Colliery Hanger On Underground in 1911.
Ann, nee Kitchen (born 1855 Appleby, Westmoreland, died 1911 Monk Bretton)

Position in family: Youngest son of nine children
1. James Johnson
2. George Johnson
3. Mary E Johnson
4. Charles Henry Johnson
5. Agnes Johnson
6. Jane Johnson
7. Ellen Johnson
8. Frederick Walter Johnson
9. John Thomas Johnson DIED OF WOUNDS WW1

Home address, age and occupation:
1901: 11 Day's Croft, Monk Bretton aged 6 years.
1911: 11 Day's Croft, Monk Bretton aged 16 years, Coal Miner, Pony Hurrier Underground
1914: 11 Day's Croft, Monk Bretton (on enlistment)

Marriage: John was unmarried

Military Service:
Enlisted: 4 September 1914  at the age of 19 years
Regiment and Battalion:  King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI) 8th Battalion
Service number and rank:  16000 L/Cpl
Awards: Military Medal (awarded 1 July 1916)
Personal information:   *unknown*

Death:  6 June 1917  aged 22 (died from wounds)
Buried at: Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery in Belgium, about 12km west of Ypres.
Grave Reference: XII C 43A

Information from Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
Son of George and Ann Johnson, of 11, Day's Croft, Monk Bretton, Barnsley.

Remembered:
Memorial tablet in St Paul's Church Monk Bretton
Memorial book in St Paul's Church, Monk Bretton
War Memorial, Cross Street, Monk Bretton
His parents' gravestone in Monk Bretton Cemetery.

Notes:Further information on J T Johnson can be found here on another website.

John Thomas Johnson is remembered on his
parents' gravestone in Monk Bretton Cemetery