George Wildin 1887-1916

George Wildin from the Barnsley Chronicle 29 July 1916
(with thanks to Barnsley Archives)

Born:
8 April 1887 20 New Scarbro' Wombwell, Yorkshire

Son of:
David Wildin b. Oct 1843, Baptised 29 Oct 1843 in Newhall, Derbyshire
d.21 Oct 1892 at New Scarbro' (as Wilden aged 49, 9c 129) Buried in Darfield All Saints Cemetery, grave number 483.
1891 census: 20 Elliotts Terrace, Wombwell Coal Miner
who had married on 17 April 1870 in St John's Church, Newhall, Derbyshire to
Hannah (maiden name Smith) b.Oct 1851 Swadlincote, Derbyshire
d.Jun Q 1932 in Barnsley RD (9c 236)
She remarried in March Q 1894 Barnsley RD (9c 323) to John Morgan (b.1861 Wolverhampton RD) who had been the family's lodger in 1891.  
He died in Barnsley in Dec Q 1932.

Position in family: The 7th of at least 9 children to Hannah's first marriage
1. Sarah Ann b.1870 Burslem, Staffordshire
2. Daniel Wildin b.1873 Darfield
3. Joseph Wildin b.1875 Darfield
4. Jane Wildin b.1879 Wombwell
5. William Wildin b.1881 Wombwell
6. Edith Wildin b.1884 Wombwell
7. George Wildin b.1887 New Scarbro' Wombwell WW1 KILLED
8. John Wildin b.1889 New Scarboro' Wombwell  WW1 SERVED Royal Naval Division KW/197 as Weldon
9. Ellen Wildin b.1891 Wombwell
 
10. Thomas Weldin b.24 October 1893 (Thomas appears to have been conceived after David Wildin's death making him George's half brother)  WW1 SERVED 13th Y&L Service no. 13/683 as Weldin.  He died in Leeds in 1948.

Home address, age and occupation:
1891: 20 Elliotts Terrace, Wombwell age 4
1901: 41 Elliotts Terrace, Wombwell age 13 Horse Driver Coal Mine below ground
1911: Brins Buildings, Great Houghton age 23, Timber Drawer Underground

Marriage: He was married
In Barnsley Registration District Jun Q 1907
to Norah (maiden name Jennings) b.1888 Gawber, Yorkshire

Children:
1. Hannah Wildin b.1908 Wombwell
2. Thomas Wildin b.1909 Wombwell
3. Florence Wildin b.1913

Military Service:
Enlisted: 1914 Barnsley
Regiment and Battalion:   13th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment
Service number and rank:  13/682 Private
Awards: British War Medal, Victory Medal

Death:    1 July 1916
Buried at: Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps
Grave Reference: I. A. 37.

Remembered: 
Ardsley, Christ Church, Christ Church Parishioners - WW1 Plaque 

Notes:

Lives of the First World War entry 

Relative Andrew Wildin has been researching George and has submitted most of the above information for this soldier story.  With our grateful thanks!  His Ancestry Family Tree entry for George Wildin can be seen here.

The entry on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for George previously listed him as Weldon, Andrew was able to get this updated to Wildin in 2015.

Barnsley Chronicle 15 July 1916
(thanks to Barnsley Archives)

This cutting from the Barnsley Chronicle clearly states George's name as Wildin and gives his home address as Stairfoot, explaining why he is on the Ardsley Memorial Plaque.

"A Stairfoot First Barnsley Battalion man to fall is Private G. Wildin, of 17, Albion Road, who prior to the war worked at Dearne Valley Colliery.  He leaves a wife and three children.  He has a brother, Private T. Wildin, in the same Battalion, and in a letter home the latter says he assisted to carry his dead brother, who was killed instantaneously."

There is more information in the Sheffield Telegraph on 17 August 1916 under the heading "Wombwell Casualties".

"The death is also reported of Private George Weldin, who formerly resided in Elliot's Terrace. Deceased was killed in a simple manner of a small piece of sharpnel entering his side. None of his pals thought that such slight a wound would cause death, but passed peacefully away a few minutes later."

Norah, George's wife, remarries in Sept Q 1920 to Walter Scarfe and has at least three children with him, George, Walter and Alice.

James Arthur Warden 1885-1917

James A Warden from the Barnsley Chronicle 26 May 1917
(thanks to Barnsley Archives)

Born:
1885 in Jump, Barnsley, Yorkshire

Son of:
Arthur Warden b.1860 (in either France or Cleckheaton!) d. 1936 buried in Barnsley Cemetery, section 6, grave 177.
1911: 21 Wright's Terrace, Barnsley Coal Miner
married in the Barnsley Registration in Jan Q 1884 to
Agnes (nee Robinson) b. 1861 Wombwell, Yorkshire d.1952 Wright's Terrace buried in Barnsley Cemetery with her husband.

Position in family: The eldest of 7 surviving children plus an older half sister. One child has died young before the 1911 census.
1. Kate Robinson b.1883
2. James Arthur Warden b.1885 WWI DIED OF WOUNDS
3. Sarah J Warden b.1887 m.Walter Hudson c.1905 2 children (with her parents in 1911)
4. Richard Warden b.1889 m.Ruth Emily c. 1908 3 children WW1 SERVICE
5. Lottie Warden b.1891
6. Agnes Warden b.1894
7. Spencer Warden b.1899
8. Wilfred Warden b.1902

Home address, age and occupation:
1891: Kitroyd, Jump, Barnsley aged 6
1901: New Street, Barnsley aged 16 Platelayer's Labourer
1911: 2 Garden Cottages, Worsbro' Common aged 26 Coal Miner
1917: 19 House, 7 Court, New Street (wife's address at his death)

Marriage: 
James was married at St John's, Barebones on 7 March 1914
to Louisa Christiana Stockton b.1886 Carlton, Yorkshire d.1952 in Cundy Cross.
[However in the 1911 census the couple claim to have been married for 8 years and have already had three children, one died young]

Children:
1. Horace Warden b.1906
2. (another child died young)
3. Agnes Warden b.1910
4. Irene A Warden b.1914 d.1915
5. (three children alive in 1917)

Military Service:
Enlisted: November 1914 at the age of 29 years (according to his obituary)
Regiment and Battalion:   2nd/5th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment
Service number and rank:  Sergeant 240733
Awards: British War Medal, Victory Medal

Death:     10 May 1917 age 32
Died of wound following injury to left thigh and compound fracture of femur
Buried at: St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France
Grave Reference: P.I.I.8B

Information from Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
Son of Arthur and Agnes Warden, of Barnsley; husband of Louisa C. Warden, of 19 House, 7 Court, New St., Barnsley.

Remembered: 
St John's Church, Barnsley - Oak Memorial Tablet 

Notes:

James Arthur Warden's Army Service Records have not survived.  The details of his family and children are a little puzzling, but maybe there are family members who can fill in the gaps in this story.
 
Listing on Lives of the First World War

Barnsley Chronicle 19 May 1917
(thanks to Barnsley Archives)

From the Barnsley Chronicle on 19 May 1917:

Sergeant James Arthur Warden, Y and L, died of wounds at Rouen on May 10th.  He was 32 years of age and enlisted in November 1914 at which period he was employed at Barrow Colliery.  Sergeant Warden leaves a wife and three children who reside at 19 House, 7 Court, New Street, Barnsley.  The Senior Chaplain (Rev. S. W. L. Richards) has written to Mrs Warden expressing his sorrow: "Your son was admitted to XI Stationery Hospital, Rouen, this afternoon (10th May) with a very severe wound in the left thigh, with a compound fracture of the femur, and his condition was almost hopeless from the first.  I saw him at once and ministered to his spiritual needs.  Towards the end he grew a little delirious, but whilst in possession of his faculties he desired me to write and give you his love and tell you not to worry.  I know how fruitless must be any attempt of mine to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming, but I pray Our Heavenly Father to give to your husband a place of eternal peace, also to assuage the anguish of your bereavement and to leave you only the cherished memory of him who so willingly gave himself a sacrifice upon the alter of his country's welfare.  The funeral will take place in the cemetery of St. Sever, Rouen with full military honours."  Captain Hall and Second-Lieut. E. C. Gore also forwarded their condolences and pointed out that the gallant sergeant suffered no pain.  "The work he did throughout was most valuable: he encouraged the men at the most critical time and proved the brave man we all knew him to be."

John Docker 1885-1915

John Docker (photo from ST with permission)

Born:
1885 Dalton in Furness, Lancashire

Home address, age and occupation:
1911: 13 Vaal Street, Ardsley, Barnsley 26 years old, Colliery Labourer (below ground)
1914: 5 Vaal Street, Measborough Dyke, Barnsley  30 years old

Marriage: 

Louie Foweather Docker (from ST with permission)

John was married in the Barnsley Registration District June Q 1909 (9c 490)
to Louie Foweather (b.1892 Ardsley)

Children:
1. John Docker b.4 September 1909
2. Harry Docker b.2 July 1911
3. Edward Docker b.10 April 1913

Military Service:
Enlisted: 27 October 1914 at the age of 30 years
Regiment and Battalion:  1st/5th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment
Service number and rank:  Private 2578
Arrived in France: 14 April 1915
Awards: 15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal

Personal information:   5' 2" tall, 37" chest (inc 4" expansion), good physical development

Death:     Killed in Action 10 July 1915
CWGC Remembered: Panel 36 and 55, Menin Gate, Ypres

Remembered:
Stairfoot, Wesleyan Reform Church WW1 Roll of Honour, Hunningley Lane
Ardsley, Christ Church, Christ Church Parishioners - WW1 Plaque

 Notes:
Thank you to Susan Thomas (nee Morton) for the photographs and initial information on John Docker, her great grandfather.

Harry, John and Edward Docker
(from ST with permission)

Louie was awarded a pension of 50/6 (2 pounds 10 shillings and 6d) for herself and the three children from 31 January 1916.

Louie remarried to a Allan Wilcock in Sept Q 1918 and was living at 34 Cemetery Road, Barnsley in August 1919 when she filled in the Army Records next-of-kin form.