Thursday 31 July 2014

Harry Haigh 1886-1916

Harry Haigh in the Barnsley Chronicle
(Thanks to Barnsley Archives)
Born:
1886 Barnsley

Son of:
Samuel Haigh b.1863 Barnsley d.1931 Barnsley 

1911: 22 Pontefract Road Coal Miner
married at Barnsley on Q4 1881 (9c 283)
Harriett (maiden name Wroe) b.1862 Barnsley d.1917 Barnsley

Position in family: The third eldest of 11 children (2 died before 1911)
1. William Haigh b.1883
2. Florence Haigh b.1884

3. Harry Haigh b.1886  WW1 KILLED
4. Ethel Haigh b.1887 d.1903 (Drowned in Canal)
5. Eliza Haigh b.1889
6. Jenny Haigh b.1892
7. Nora Haigh b.1893
8. Hilda Haigh b.1894
9. Herman Haigh b. 1900
11. Clarence Haigh b.1902

Home address, age and occupation:
1891: 9 Highstone Fold, Worsbro' Common aged 6 Scholar
1901: 78 Spring Street, Barnsley aged 15 Glasshand Labourer
1911: 15 Elm Row, Hoyle Mill aged 25 Bricklayer in Glass Bottle Works
1914: 21 Winn Street, Barnsley Coal Miner

Marriage: Harry was married
to Minnie Ellis b.1886 Thornhill Lees, Yorkshire
at Barnsley on Q4 1909 (9c 341)

Children:
None according to the 1911 census and a newspaper report

Military Service:
Enlisted: 5 August 1914 at the age of 28 years

Arrived in France on 18 March 1915
Regiment and Battalion:    2nd Battalion York & Lancaster Regiment
Service number and rank:  3/2661 Private
Awards: 1915 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal

Death:     22 August 1916  age 30
Buried at: Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps
Grave Reference: II N 7

Remembered:

Barnsley, St John's Church, Barebones
 
Notes:
On his Soldier's Died in the Great War Record his surname is given as Kendall, and birthplace Gawber - which is odd, could be a transcription error?  Have they confused him with some other man?  The date of death, regiment and service number are correct.


A report in the Barnsley Chronicle on 9 September 1916 reads:

At the outbreak of war, Pte Harry Haigh, a reservist, joined the 2nd Y & L Regiment and went out to France the day following the declaration of war, August 5th 1914.  He was wounded on July 2nd, 1915 and again in September last year.  After being at home for a period of six weeks he returned to France last February and was killed on August 22nd.  Pte. Haigh's home address is 21, Winn Street, Barnsley and before the war he worked at Barnsley Main Colliery.  He was 25 years of age, married with no children.  Mrs Haigh has received the following letter from Company Sergeant Major T. Simpson: "It is my painful duty to have to inform you that your husband was killed by a shell on the night of August 22nd.  He was buried in the presence of some of some of his comrades.  I know it will be a great loss to you but try and face it bravely.  I can hardly express to you how much I, along with his comrades miss your husband.  He was one of the best and was killed in the execution of his duty.  I and his comrades offer you our deepest sympathy."
                    ..........................................

Harry's age has been given incorrectly ... he is around 30 years old in 1916.  

I can find no record of Minnie, his wife, after the war except a possible death for a lady the right age in 1972.

Monday 21 July 2014

Walter Reginald Booker 1897-1918

A full story about Walter Reginald Booker has been researched and written up by Gay Yates and her husband.  You can download it here.

Gay would love a photo of Walter - she was unable to find one in the local newspapers and none exists in her family.  If you can help please contact us.

Update - September 2015: A photo of Walter has now been found in the South Yorkshire Times in Barnsley Archives.
South Yorkshire Times July 1918 (thanks to Barnsley Archives)

Walter Reginald Booker 1897-1918

Born:
December 1897, Sackville Street, Wombwell

Death:     15 June 1918 aged 20 years
Buried at: Magnaboschi British Cemetery in Italy
Grave Reference:  Plot 1, Row B, Grave 5

Also Remembered:

Wombwell War Memorial, St Mary's Church, Wombwell
Barnsley, Holgate Grammar School Old Boys - WW1