Waddell Posted 15 September , 2009 Share Posted 15 September , 2009 Just curious about this soldier who was killed by a shell at Fromelles whilst assisting in putting out a fire on 18 June 1916. Born in Albury, Worcestershire and his father is named as S Barnett, orchardist, from Tipton Staffordshire. His service record indicates that he had no family whilst living in Australia. Am curious as to whether he is named on any UK memorials? Thanks, Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 15 September , 2009 Share Posted 15 September , 2009 Scott I was surprised not to see a Royal British Legion Roll of Honour for Tipton Staffs,as I would have thought he may have been shown there. There is one,or one planned,for every such War Memorial in the UK. I have seen one for St Mark's Church,Tipton (around 70 WW1 names) but he isn't one of them. There is a War Memorial in Victoria Park Tipton,maybe we have a correspondent here who can go along and check if his name is there. Good hunting ! Sotonmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJohnson Posted 16 September , 2009 Share Posted 16 September , 2009 Scott The War Memorial in Victoria Park Tipton is a magnificent obelisk, but has no names inscribed. The names are on two sign-written boards in Tipton Library but Arthur Barnett's name does not appear here. Arthur Barnett's name may well have been on the St Michael's roll of honour in neighbouring Tividale, but this church was demolished 20/30 years ago - the roll may well be in what used to be the Church Hall and now acts as the Church. Arthur's father, Councillor Samuel Barnett, was associated with St Michael's Church, and his house "The Orchards", Burnt Tree, Tipton, was adjacent to the Church. Councillor Barnett was something of a local entrepreneur owning brickworks and coal mines as well as being a local Councillor. He was killed in 1918 when his horse bolted after being scared by a steam engine, causing Barnett to be thrown from the horse and trap. The Tipton Herald of Saturday August 12th 1916 says:- THE DEATH OF PRIVATE ARTHUR BARNETT Private Arthur Barnett, son of Councillor S. Barnett, and brother of Councillor W. Barnett, of Burnt Tree, Tipton, was killed in France whilst serving with the Australian Forces. Private Barnett was articled to Mr W.H. Jukes, surveyor of Tipton, and subsequently became assistant engineer to the Midland Tramway Company in Birmingham. Upon the Corporation taking over the service he went to America as draughtsman in a large ironworks in Philadelphia. He subsequently went to Australia, and had only been there a few months before war broke out. Private Barnett was a popular young man in the district, a first class cricketer, and a good all-round sportsman. A friend, writing of him, says: "You have played the game straight, sturdy, merry and bright "sport" right up to the end, and your many pals miss you and mourn you." There is a specific memorial with a sad story which I'll post seperately due to up-load limits. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJohnson Posted 16 September , 2009 Share Posted 16 September , 2009 Scott Samuel Barnett wished to commemorate his son, and commissioned a statue of St. George slaying the dragon, this was dedicated in St Michael’s Church, Tividale in April 1917. Looking at the relative scale, it seems to have been about 5 feet tall, and made in part from metal. When this church was to be demolished, the statue was removed to a local school because the children of the school had always been fascinated by the statue. Unfortunately over the years, changes of staff at the school meant that no one knew the statue’s origins and it was consigned to a stock room. During a renovation, just a few years before I wrote to the school enquiring about the statue, it was consigned to a skip and lost forever. Tragic!! Scott My information says that he was killed by a shell just after returning to the trenches after a Church parade. Can I ask where you get your information about a fire? Regards Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJohnson Posted 16 September , 2009 Share Posted 16 September , 2009 Scott Arthur Barnett's grave at Rue-David Cemetery at Fleurbaix Please feel free to take copies of any of the images/words I've posted and use however you wish. I have better copies if you have the need and also more information from the local newspaper. It's nice to see one of "my" Tipton men being remembered on the other side of the world. I would be interested to know how you came across Arthur Barnett. regards Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddell Posted 16 September , 2009 Author Share Posted 16 September , 2009 Andy, Thank you and quite amazed with all that information. Will send you a PM about this a little later. Bit of a story behind it you will be interested in. Regards, Scott. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liverpool annie Posted 16 September , 2009 Share Posted 16 September , 2009 Hi Scott ! I've been watching Andy put up his posts .... what a wonderful outcome ! It is tragic about St George but how cool that there is still a photo of it ! Please give us a hint of what started you looking for Arthur ....... Annie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 16 September , 2009 Share Posted 16 September , 2009 Scott/Andy Astounding ! All customers should be satisfied thus ! Sotonmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddell Posted 16 September , 2009 Author Share Posted 16 September , 2009 Andy- PM sent. Soton- Definitely a good result. It always pays to ask questions. Annie- Arthur Barnett was a friend of my wife's grandfather and family and they served in the 3rd Battalion AIF together. Regards, Scott. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frev Posted 16 September , 2009 Share Posted 16 September , 2009 Wow Scott - you're certainly on a roll - finding the elusive Das - and now all this fascinating info on Arthur - the story grows & grows. Don't you just love this forum. Keep on asking questions. Cheers, Frev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJohnson Posted 16 September , 2009 Share Posted 16 September , 2009 Scott Sometime in the next week I'll pop across to St Michael's in Tividale and see if I can find a memorialtablet/plaque. Now I've got your email address, I'll get copies with more pixels to you, plus some other newspaper articles, including the death of Arthur's father. Might be a couple of days. Thanks for the info you've sent me - excellent! Regards Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philippa Bayley Posted 30 June , 2020 Share Posted 30 June , 2020 Scott, Found these posts completely by chance - hope you are still active after all these years. My mother is Arthur Barnett’s niece. She is 97 years old and is the daughter of the youngest child of Samuel Barnett. She is passionate about family history and research. She would love to her from someone who had contact with Arthur in Australia. Keeping my fingers crossed, Philippa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyH Posted 30 June , 2020 Share Posted 30 June , 2020 You are in luck, Scott is still a regular visitor to this Forum. i will send him a message to alert him to your post. BillyH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philippa Bayley Posted 30 June , 2020 Share Posted 30 June , 2020 Scott, Found these posts completely by chance - hope you are still active after all these years. My mother is Arthur Barnett’s niece. She is 97 years old and is the daughter of the youngest child of Samuel Barnett. She is passionate about family history and research. She would love to her from someone who had contact with Arthur in Australia. Keeping my fingers crossed, Philippa Thanks BillyH, that’s more than I could wish for! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddell Posted 1 July , 2020 Author Share Posted 1 July , 2020 Hello Phillipa. Nice to hear from a descendant of Arthur Barnett’s. I have written up a story about Arthur for a family book I had been working on before another one got in the way. If you send me a private message with your email address I can send it on to you sometime over the weekend. I think if you reply to this post you should be able to private message me. Thanks Billy as well. Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philippa Bayley Posted 1 July , 2020 Share Posted 1 July , 2020 Hello Scott, Wonderful to have a reply from you - I can’t wait to tell my mother!! She will be astounded. I will indeed do as you propose and look forward to hearing your story. My mother has plenty of family photos, so perhaps some of these may also be of interest to you. I remember seeing the statue you refer to above, as a child in the church in Tividale. And sadly it did end up as previously described. All the best, Philippa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJohnson Posted 4 July , 2020 Share Posted 4 July , 2020 Hello Philippa I just stumbled into this post on my occasional Forum search for Tipton. Your mother actually contacted me in the last few months and we had a telephone conversation, very enjoyable - what a bright lady, and a very fine family tree on ancestry. She even persuaded me to visit and photograph the Barnett family monument in Dudley Cemetery. When I win £5m on the Euro Lottery I will have it restored from its current sad state! SInce I added detail to this thread way back in 2009 (how long!) I have put my Tipton website live, and Arthur's page can be seen at: https://www.tiptonremembers.net/index.php/barnett-arthur Please say hello to Betty for me regards Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philippa Bayley Posted 6 July , 2020 Share Posted 6 July , 2020 Hi Andy, Thank you for your message and photo. I visited the cemetery with Mum several years ago, but it wasn’t in such a bad state then. Unfortunately, we don’t have the money either to restore the monument. I will certainly pass on your greeting to Mum. Kind regards, Philippa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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