Meltham War Memorial

[jl1954]

I'm working my way down the war memorial outside St Bartholomew's church in Meltham, West Yorkshire trying to put some background to the names.

So far, two have eluded me. The problem is that they are just names with nothing else to go on.

These are:

Joseph Bailey

Robert E Davies

I can't find any reference on Ancestry or CWGC to either of these names that includes Meltham.

Any pointers in the right direction would be most appreciated.

[John_Hartley]

Usual next places to look would be:

(1) the parish magazine if one existed at the time

(2) the local newspaper. You'd need to look through from the beginning of the war until the time the memorial was unveiled.

Always tricky when names are common.

I presume you've checked the 1911 census to see if they are listed and, if so, have been able to narrow down with an age?

[BillyH]

Neither of these names appear on Soldiers Died in Great War either Born, Enlisted or Resident in Meltham - which increases the possibility that they could have been in the Navy or gone to Australia, Canada or S.Africa?

Couldn't agree more strongly with John, the local newspapers are your most likely place to identify them.

BillyH.

[Ron da Valli]

Generally if they are not listed in SDGW it could be because they died after 1918.

[John(txic)]

Try searching for Davis and Bayley: variant spellings and straightforward mistakes are common on war memorials!

[Kitchener's Bugle]

jl1954,

With church memorials you also have to remember that out of respect - patrons/benefactors of the church are often listed on memorials.

These men may have not been resident in the area.

KB

[BillyH]

KB,

I take it that you mean these "patrons/benefactors" did also die in, or because of, the war?

I can't believe they would go on a memorial otherwise.

BillyH.

[Kitchener's Bugle]

Hello Billy, yes of course - they died in the war.

Here is an example - this officer is listed on the Lowe House Church memorial in st.Helens.

He did not live in the parish of this church but was a financial benefactor to the church for several years - His family being strong Catholics and wealthy land owners. His family actually paid for the entire constuction of a Church in Rainhill where they lived and most of them are buried there.

http://www.sthelensrollsofhonour.co.uk/casualty-3232-Wilfred_Stanislaus_Stapleton-Bretherton.html

There are a couple of similar stories on this same memorial.

KB.