PERCE Posted 21 May , 2005 Share Posted 21 May , 2005 On the war memorial in Gunnerside the name James Carter Spensley appears. http://www.gunnerside.info/GunnChapGraves/...r_memorial.html I've searched the CWGC & there is no record that relates to this name, the only thing that I can come up with is:- http://www.cwgc.org/cwgcinternet/casualty_...asualty=2749603 Reeth is a nearby village to Gunnerside in Swaledale & FO Spensley does not appear on the memorial in Reeth. Can anyone confirm what I have come up with is wrong / right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob HAmilton Posted 21 May , 2005 Share Posted 21 May , 2005 Hello Perce Have you tried looking on the 1901 census to see if James Carter Spensley is recorded. It can be found online on the National Archives site. He may have died after being discharged from the armed forces and did not qualify for recognition by the CWGC because his death was not as a result of his war sevice or for some reason they were never notified of his death. I've found the St Catherines register of deaths to be useful if someone has died after discharge from the armed services. It can be found in your local library Have you tried searching on the CWGC site with variations of the spelling of his name. Have you tried searching on the Soldiers Died CD ROM. Perhaps some kind, rich soul who sees this thread might look him up for you. Is the name on the memorial correct, for instance have they muddled up his christian and surnames. Is the name completely wrong, believe me it did happen. Did he in fact die, there are instances of a person turning up safe and well after the memorial was built and the authorities not bothering to remove his name. As you can see there are many reasons why a name on a memorial cannot be found. It's simply a question of looking at every available record to try and find him. Above all, keep trying, you never know when you might be lucky. regards Rob Hamilton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 21 May , 2005 Share Posted 21 May , 2005 Perce - I agree with Rob that your best way forward is to assume that the name is correct, and explore all the possibilities. I've just checked "Soldiers Died......" and "Officers Died....." with every combination I can think of, including changing the words around and looking for names like "James Spensley Carter" but no luck. There are about 30 soldiers died with "Carter" as a forename, but none of these comes close. I also checked alternative spellings like Spenseley, Spenceley, etc. This only means that he isn't listed - nothing more. There are lots of omissions on SDGW and of course, it only covers the British Army. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardH Posted 21 May , 2005 Share Posted 21 May , 2005 From the 1901 Census: Name: James Spensley Age: 5 Estimated birth year: abt 1896 Relation: Son Household: View other family members Gender: Male Where born: Swaledale, Yorkshire, England Civil parish: Horton in Ribblesdale Ecclesiatical parish: Horton in Ribblesdale St Oswald County/Island: Yorkshire Country: England Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Best Posted 22 May , 2005 Share Posted 22 May , 2005 Hi PERCE Reeth is a nearby village to Gunnerside in Swaledale & FO Spensley does not appear on the memorial in Reeth Come to Whaw, over in Arkengarthdale (see website below). We could talk dirty. Had a similar problem researching a chap born in Arkengarthdale, photo in St Mary's Church, who was a member of my old tribe. CWGC, burnt series, SGDW, Corps Roll of Honour, all consulted. No sight. Was he an imposter? A later, more detailed examination of SGDW showed him, to have been born in Arkengarthdale, Durham (an error as you'll well know). Deduced, then, that he'd not declared his first name and had adopted the shortened version of his second. CWGC search: man now located, grave, in St Omer, visited, a tale to be told. Fascinating. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Best Posted 22 May , 2005 Share Posted 22 May , 2005 Oh, and welcome to the GWF, PERCE Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PERCE Posted 22 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 22 May , 2005 I've tried every spelling I could think of to no avail. I've now gone back & looked at various Census details from the nearby villages to Gunnerside. There is a good site which contains all the local Census records & after an initial look on there it has revealed a James Spensley aged 9 living at Kearton with his Grandmother. A look back 10 years & I find her husband was called James, there's also a Carter Spensley living in the same village. So a quick look into Census 1851 suggests James & Carter were brothers, so hopefully I'm on the right family. I now probably need to ask the right local. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Best Posted 22 May , 2005 Share Posted 22 May , 2005 Followed your earlier lead to the Gunnerside web site. Have joined their Forum. Looks good. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernardmcilwaine Posted 23 May , 2005 Share Posted 23 May , 2005 Followed your earlier lead to the Gunnerside web site. Have joined their Forum. Looks good. Chris <{POST_SNAPBACK}> hello perce,do you think someone has put the wrong mans name on the memorial,its not uncommon,do you mind if i stick my neck out on this one. i think the man you are looking for may be edgar,james brother. christopher spensley,father sarah,mother edith,sister edith,? edgar,brother james,bros harold,bros oswald,brosarthur bros their father was a farmer and cattle dealer from harmsby,he had previously farmed in west derby,lancs,i think edgar must have emigrated to NZ and died with the NZ field artillery,details on cwgc,his name,age and parents details seem to fit,bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PERCE Posted 23 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 23 May , 2005 Sorry but I can't see anything that would tie this family to Gunnerside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PERCE Posted 23 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 23 May , 2005 Followed your earlier lead to the Gunnerside web site. Have joined their Forum. Looks good. I have nothing to do with the Gunnerside site but people who I have been put in touch with through the site have been able to help trace my family back over 200 years. I'm also now in touch with relatives I didn't know existed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PERCE Posted 12 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 12 January , 2007 A reply posted on the gunnerside site:- In 'Swaledale & Wharfedale Remembered' author Keith Taylor includes a page of information on the life and death of James Carter Spensley, MA, AIC, FCS, Research Chemist at the Government Munitions Factory, Gretna. James' father, John Joseph Spensley was head teacher at Gunnerside school and married Mary Ann Woodward. James was born at Gunnerside and the family emigrated to South Africa in the late 1890s. James became a professor and lecturer in chemistry at the University of Pretoria but returned to England in May 1917. After an accident involving the production of chemicals for warfare in 1918 James became very ill, recovered and then died, aged 32 years. 'Swaledale & Wharfedale Remembered' by Keith Taylor ISBN 1 901214 66 4 Ashridge Press/Country Books, Bakewell, Derbyshire DE45 1NN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob HAmilton Posted 18 January , 2007 Share Posted 18 January , 2007 Hello Perce Well done, another mystery solved. regards Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurab Posted 20 February , 2021 Share Posted 20 February , 2021 Only just come across this! James Carter Spensleys mother, Mary Ann was my 3x great aunt- I live near Gunnerside! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BereniceUK Posted 20 February , 2021 Share Posted 20 February , 2021 2 hours ago, Laurab said: Only just come across this! James Carter Spensleys mother, Mary Ann was my 3x great aunt- I live near Gunnerside! Lovely area. The image seems to have disappeared, so here it is again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurab Posted 20 February , 2021 Share Posted 20 February , 2021 (edited) 6 minutes ago, BereniceUK said: Lovely area. The image seems to have disappeared, so here it is again. It’s an impressive stone - even more so in the flesh! I think I’m related to most of Gunnerside graveyard.... Edited 20 February , 2021 by Laurab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BereniceUK Posted 20 February , 2021 Share Posted 20 February , 2021 I found this on a Gunnerside website which seems to no longer exist - "James' father, John Joseph Spensley was head teacher at Gunnerside school and married Mary Ann Woodward. James was born at Gunnerside and the family emigrated to South Africa in the late 1890s. James became a professor and lecturer in chemistry at the University of Pretoria but returned to England in May 1917.After an accident involving the production of chemicals for warfare in 1918 James became very ill, recovered and then died, aged 32 years." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurab Posted 20 February , 2021 Share Posted 20 February , 2021 Yes- that’s right. James is buried at Gunnerside and I think his parents (my great great grandmas sister) are buried in South Africa. They emigrated sometime around 1890ish. He didn’t have any children. Possibly died as a result of working in a mustard gas factory - so I’ve been told! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BereniceUK Posted 20 February , 2021 Share Posted 20 February , 2021 24 minutes ago, Laurab said: Yes- that’s right. James is buried at Gunnerside and I think his parents (my great great grandmas sister) are buried in South Africa. They emigrated sometime around 1890ish. He didn’t have any children. Possibly died as a result of working in a mustard gas factory - so I’ve been told! This museum is on the site of the factory he worked at. About - Devils Porridge Museum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now