Harry Francis Hall

[mandy hall]

100 years ago today my Great Uncle Harry Francis Hall enlisted in the 7th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment. He was part of a group of 30 employees of Shippams of Chichester that on that Monday morning made their way to the Barracks in Chichester.

The site of the former Shippams factory in East Street Chichester. Part of the original frontage remains including the entrance door and clock.

The local paper the Chichester Observer on 2nd September 1914 reported that

"Early in the morning about 30 employees from Messrs Shippams factory went to the Barracks as a body. The firm had made them a generous offer of an allowance of 10s a week all the time they remain on active service. Most of them joined the 7th Battalion which is being trained at Colchester, but one or two failed to get accepted owing to their youth and they went away quite dejected because they could not go to the front.

Until Monday recruiting at Chichester had been far from brisk but the yield on this day was well over a hundred from the city and immediate district"

Entrance to the former barracks at Chichester now being turned into a housing estate

The keep still remains

[mandy hall]

Plaque at entrance recording the history of the site

Royal Sussex badge, this has been moved from the side of the keep to the side of the houses at the entrance.

For the last few weeks it has been going through my mind, did his parents, my great grandparents have any idea he was going to enlist. I can find no family history of military service before this point. At this time they would not have realised the heartache and worry they would experience for the next four years, as Harry's younger brother enlisted in the 4th Batt Royal Sussex Regiment and eventually my grandad joined the Royal Engineers in 1916.

Harry and his fellow work mates kept in touch with their employer Shippams throughout the War and their letters are now in the West Sussex Records Office.

It is my intention to try and follow Harry and his work mates, War through this thread.

Mandy

[Jim Hastings]

This is wonderful Mandy, great photos, looking forward to more additions to the thread, know how much work you have put into researching the Shippams men

Great!!

All the best, Jim

[mandy hall]

On 3rd September 1914, Shippams wrote to Major W Osborn at Sobroan Barracks in Colchester

Dear Sir

We wish to thank you for the kind message you sent us through the Mayor of Chichester which we very much appreciate.

We give below the names of 17 of our men who have already gone to Colchester and they have asked us to use our best endeavours through you that they may be kept together, if you are able to do this we are sure the men will be very grateful.

Yours faithfully

For C Shippam Ltd

Director

C Tulett F Hewson James Hammond

Thomas Budd W M Cook Ernest Hull

A Stephens T H Newman Harold Lintott

L Humphries Frank Gardiner A F Turner

A G Lee W H Wiltshire G J Farndell

EE Hopkins H F Hall

On the 4th September Osborn replied

Dear Sir

Your letter requesting 17 of your employees who have enlisted is to hand. I will transfer them to serve together if I find they have been separated. Probably this arrangement will not be possible till the end of September as the men are taken on at once for pay by the Company officer to whose command they are sent. Anyhow it should be done this month.

I am exceedlingly obliged to you for your patriotic endeavours and will keep an eye on your men as far as possible we hope to complete strength tomorrow or Monday. Clothing and equiping is difficult as we have not the stores for it and cannot get them as quickly as we would wish.

Yours faithfully

W L Osborn Lt Colonel Commd 7th Batt Royal Sussex Rgt

William Lushington Osborn, was appointed to command the Depot in Chichester in July 1910, but in August 1914 he was promoted to temporary Lieutenant-Colonel with the responsibility for raising and training the 7th Battalion, the first 'New Army' battalion of The Royal Sussex Regiment. He commanded the new battalion in France from May 1915, and in July 1916 he was promoted to temporary Brigadier-General in command of the 16th Infantry Brigade of the 6th Division., then the 192nd Infantry Brigade from 1917 to 1918.

Mandy

Thanks for the encouragement Jim.

[Steven Broomfield]

Mandy - thanks; that's really interesting. i drove past the Barracks a year or so ago and thought then how impressive they looked.

Out of interest, how many of the Shippam's men made it back?

[Jim Hastings]

Did Osborn manage to get the Shippam's men into the same Coy, if so which one? Did your research find any later Shippam's men (i.e. those underage in 1914 and who joined when eligible) who joined the 7th?

Thank you for sharing your research with us

All the best

Jim

[mandy hall]

Mandy - thanks; that's really interesting. i drove past the Barracks a year or so ago and thought then how impressive they looked.

Out of interest, how many of the Shippam's men made it back?

Thats a question, I don't know the exact answer to. I know how many died, because Shippams have their own War Memorial. It used to be in the East Street building, but now hangs in the Basil Shippam Center in St Pancras Chichester. The Memorial does gives a clue as to how many from the company served. At the bottom of the memorial it says "and of over one hundred others who answered their country's call and happily survived".

Mandy

[mandy hall]

Did Osborn manage to get the Shippam's men into the same Coy, if so which one? Did your research find any later Shippam's men (i.e. those underage in 1914 and who joined when eligible) who joined the 7th?

Thank you for sharing your research with us

All the best

Jim

Hi Jim

Most of the men who joined together in August are in D Coy, some of the others are in A and B. I don't think they got moved.

I don't know who got turned away on that Monday morning 30 August, so can't say who then eventually joined up.

Mandy

[mandy hall]

Shippams honoured their pledge to pay 10 shillings a week. The ledger for payments from 5th September 1914 until February 26th 1914 is in the West Sussex Records Office (WSRO). It gives a list of those who were paid and the signature of the person who collected the money. Usually a family member, my grandfather signed for his brothers money every week. I have put their christian name in brackets, where known. The men listed in the ledger wrote the bulk of the letters back to Ernest Shippam, that are now in WSRO

We severally acknowledge to have received from Messrs C Shippam Ltd the sum of Ten Shillings being amount due to the undermentioned employees now serving with the colors and which we undertake to hand over to the relatives of such employee as per their instructions.

Week ending 5th September 1914

England

West (I believe served in the navy)

Phillips (Eo)

Masters (George)

Windsor

McGregor (Collingwood)

Tulett (Charles)

Hewson (Frederick)

Budd (Thomas)

Cook (William)

Hull (Ernest)

Hall (Harry)

Stephens (Arthur)

Humphries (Leonard)

Gardner (Frank)

Wiltshire

Hammond (James)

Farndell (George)

Hopkins (Ernest)

Newman (Thomas)

Lintott (Harold)

Turner

Lee (Albert)

Mandy

[mandy hall]

Most of the first letters written to Shippams, concern the men getting their photographs taken. These photos have not found their way to The West Sussex Records Office. I am personally of the opinion, that if Shippams kept the letters, they would also have preserved the photos of their employees. There is no photo of Harry in uniform within my family. Maybe one day.

13th September 1914 F Hewson no 633 B Coy 7 Batt Royal Sussex Sobroan Barracks Colchester

Dear Sir

I am writing this letter to let you know that the Germans have not killed me yet. We are leaving these barracks next month and going to Aldershot or Canterbury. Sir I hope you don't mind accepting my photo as a keepsake but it is not like me much. When the other chaps get their kit we are going to have it taken in a group. It is a fine place up here, and we get plenty of marching and rifle drill but the only thing I must say and that is that I am happy and comfortable. The captain of our company say we shall be going to the front in January or February if the war lasts as long as that which I hope don't. We are allowed out of barracks from seven o'clock till nine and lights out at quarter past ten and have to be up in the morning by half past five. There are about seven or eight different regiments in the barracks where we are and the whole area seems to extent of fifteen miles, all round. Well Sir I think this is all this time and will write again shortly. Please remember me to all the lads especially Ted Allen.

I remain

Yours truly

F Hewson

on the back of the letter is a message

Pte D Hewson

B Coy no 633

7 batt Royal Sussex

Sobroan Bks

Colchester West

Essex

Please put D and not F in address as I am not known by Fred but by Dick

13 Sept 1914 Pte H Lintott D Coy no 443 Royal Sussex Sobraon Barracks Colchester Essex

Dear Sir

I'm pleased to inform you, that Hopkins is out of hospital, and that we are all quite well. We have been issued out with rifles and bayonets, also belts, and this morning we wore our belts and bayonets to church in town. Tomorrow we start skirmishing and Thursday we have our first firing and hope to be a successful shot. Cannot make a start with the promotion list yet, but will continue to try, as I'd like to see somebody get a stripe for the firms honour list as theres plenty of stripes waiting for owners.

Am sending a photo along of myself but its not very grand as it was taken in a bad light and thats the reason why some of chaps wont let me send theirs on, as theirs is just the same.

from

Yours faithfully

H Lintott

23 September 1914 Pte W Cook B Coy RSR Sobraon Barracks Colchester Essex

"I have got nearly all my kit and I do look quite smart in it. I am sorry the others have not got theirs but as soon as they do we will let you have our photos. I daresay I shall have mine taken next week so I shall let you have two. Tullett had his photo taken and he came out very good." "I live in hope to see the fighting and I daresay I will if it lasts more than six months"

Mrs Hall 6 St James Road Portfield (my great grandmother)

Dear Sir

I am sending one of Harry photo which I received from Harry this morning I hope Mr Shippam will please accept it with Harrys best wishes

Harry writes in the best of spirits and says he is keeping well and very happy. He is expecting to start for Shorncliffe Friday morning.

Also thanking Mr Shippam for Harrys 10 shillings weekly

Yours sincerely

Mrs Hall

Mandy

[mandy hall]

The first to be discharged was Ernest Hopkins, who wrote to Shippams on 25th September

25 September 1914 Ernest E Hopkins Colchester

81 Oving Road Portfield Chichester

Dear Sir

Owing to one of my toes being swollen and very painful at times, I am being discharged from Lord Kitcheners army as I should not be able to march the distances required. I must thank you for your generosity but am very sorry that I am not able to take advantage of it. Trusting you will do your utmost to return me to my present position. I am leaving tomorrow and trusting you will send me a grateful reply to enclosed address

I beg to remain Sir

Yours very respectfully

Ernest E Hopkins

Mandy

[mandy hall]

Photographs were still uppermost in everyones mind.

October 1st 1914 Colchester

Dear Sir

This is the first time I have written to you, but I do so now thanking you so much for the pipes and other kindness you have shown us since we have joined the Army. My mother as written to say you have asked how I was getting on, so I will tell you. I like Army life very much quite a change from work. I find the drills very interesting and I think I am getting on very well. We are learning how to take cover now, a thing which is very important part and which must be learnt well. For it may be the means of saving your life. We are moving from here tomorrow (Friday) for Shorncliffe in Kent. Where we go under canvas for four or five weeks. I am afraid it will not be so comfortable as the barrack room. No doubt, we shall so get used to it. I think it is likely that Shippams lads will be put together at Shorncliffe as some have transferred from A Coy to D Coy today. I am sending you my photo I don't think we shall be able to have it taken together yet as some of the chaps have not received their uniform yet. So, I am sending one, which I have had taken since I have been here, and we must be all taken together later on. We get plenty of good food here, and have by now got used to the different beds which are nice and cosy, when you know how to sleep on them.

I think I must close this letter this time and Beg to remain your obedient servant George J Farndell

On October 2nd the 7th Batt Royal Suusex Regiment moved to St Martins Plain Shorncliffe in Kent

On 4th October my great grandmother wrote to Shippam asking about the condition of Harry's photo, she had sent. The son she is refering to, who has opened the letter is my grandad Frederick Hall (seated in my avatar).

October 4 1914 Mrs Hall 6 St James Road Portfield

Dear Sir

Mr and Mrs Hall wishes to thank Mr Shippam for his letter also for good wishes for Harry.

I will send Harry address as soon as I hear from him which I expect any day now as I look forward for his letter, Harry is a very good boy to his mother.

But I am writing chiefly to ask you Sir in what condition you received the letter with Harry photo, for Mr Joyce told Mr Hall that Fred Hall had the letter and photo showing to the boys in the factory and as I sent the letter properly sealed to Mr Shippam he must have cut it open. His father told him of it and he did not deny it, I can hardly think boys would have taken the liberty of opening a Master letter. I asked him to take it and he refused to do so I sent it by his little brother to deliver at the shop and he took it away from the boy and opened. I suppose if boys would do one they would another I told him and I told him Mr Shippam ought to have him birched for it, of course Sir I should be sorry to have him discharged from work as it means trouble for myself and his father as well but he gives us more trouble than all the other together. I would not allow him his best clothes today so he had to stay in all day.

I expect there were others that wanted to see inside as well, I have told him Sir if Mr Shippam discharged him I would not have him home any longer so Mr Joyce can tell you Sir Fred has a good home and I do my very best for him, but it others he get with so I think I only hope Sir you will talk to him about it. I am sorry to have to complain about my own son but I think it is only right and interest to all Sir.

Yours sincerely

Mrs Hall

Mandy

Edited 5 October , 2014 by mandy hall

[mandy hall]

18 October 1914 L Humphries no 471 A Company 7th Batt Royal Sussex Regt St Martins Plain Shorncliffe Camp Kent

Dear Sir

I am writing to you at last, I expect you wondered why you had not heard has all the others had written. I am not much good at letter writing and don't seem to find much time. I have to rough it a bit here under canvas, I don't find it very warm nights and when it rains it is not very comfortable, but I don't take much notice of that now. I think all of us will make very good walkers for we get a lot of tramping about over the hills here. The work is very interesting now, such has picquets and outposts. I suppose you know we are not together, I and Gardner are in the same tent and we get on very well with the others in it. We manage to get about with each other nights and visit Folkestone which is about 2 1/2 miles from here. The town at present is crowded with wounded soldiers and refugees. There was a camp concert held here the other night and Farndell made a great hit with his singing. He had to give encores before the people were satisfied. I think this is all I have to tell you now

I remain

Yours respectfully

L Humphries

ps excuse the writing and blots as the rain is coming through the tent and as made the ink run.

Frederick Hewson was the next to be discharged. He has a surviving service record on Ancestry.

Thursday F Hewson no 633 B Coy 7 Batt Royal Sussex St Martins Plain Shorncliffe Kent

Dear Sir

I am sorry to tell you I am being invalided out on Saturday owing to a swelling which was caused by inoculation on my chest but it will go away alright after a while with constant rubbing they tell me but I was not to do any parades so they say I shall get so much behind with my drills that I shall have a job to pick them all up so they say it is best for me to be out of the service but I dont like the idea as I wanted to go and have a bit of a smack at them. Last night there were four hundred Belgiums came in Folkestone and it was a pitiful scene to see them come off the boat but they didnt have far to take them as the hospital is just opposite the harbour there is about fourteen thousand altogether in Folkestone and Cheriton. I will call in Monday and see you after breakfast if you don't mind to see if I can start again. Thank you very much for the money you have been so kind to give my people and they thank you the same. The weather is awful up here and the rain comes through the tent wholesale. Well Sir I don't think I have anymore news hoping you are in the best health and also Mr Walter

I remain yours truly

F Hewson

Frederick Hewson, would rejoin the Army later in the War and the Shippam family would honour his request to be known as Richard (see letter in post 10)

Mandy

[mandy hall]

Charles Tulett wrote many letters to Ernest Shippam during his time in the Army. In October 1914, he asked if Ernest Shippam would use his influence with Colonel Osborn to get the boys leave together.

Charles Tulett No 780 B Company Royal Sussex Rg St Martins Plain Shorncliffe

Mr Ernest Shippam

Dear Sir

Many thanks for your letter which I received quite safely, on Saturday. As myself and most of the other boys are putting in passes to come home this week and I thought I would write and ask you if you would kindly write to Colonel Osborn to see if we could all come together. The Company I am in, have got the privilege to have from Friday evening untill Sunday midnight but Farndell and Hall and several of the others are not so well favoured, so I thought if I wrote and asked you to mention it to the Colonel, we should stand a very good chance and preference to others and be able to all have the same amount of time and come together.

Hoping it will not put you to any inconvenience and that we shall succeed

I remain yours

sincerely

Charles Tulett

All passes have to be in by Thursday

Ernest Shippam duly wrote to Colonel Osborn

22nd Oct 14 Col W L Osborn 7th Batt Royal Sussex Regt St Martins Plain Shorncliffe.

Dear Sir

I received a letter from one of our old hands this morning in which he says - "As myself and most of the other boys of our lot are putting in passes to come home this week end, I thought I would write and ask you, if you would kindly write to Col Osborn to see if we could all come down together. The Company B I am in have the privilege to have from Friday evening until Sunday Midnight, but several others are not so well favoured so I thought if I wrote and asked you to mention it to the Colonel we should stand a very good chance and be able to all have the same amount of time and come together".

I hope you will have no objection to my asking you to do this for them, if you are able to do so I am sure it will give them great pleasure. I have had many interesting letters from them and in spite of the hard work they all seem awfully keen and take such pride in their Battalion.

Mandy

[sputnik]

Just came across your post while researching Emery George Stephens who joined up in Chichester to the 7th Battalion on the same day. Really interesting bit of Chichester history I was unaware of. I believe one of your Shippams employees Arthur Stephens was his cousin. Arthur and George were a year apart in age and Arthur had been living with George's family in the 1911 census.

Edited 8 June , 2017 by sputnik

[mandy hall]

Hi Sputnick

Do you have a family interest in the Stephens cousins?  Arthur (449), Harry(452), Albert Lee((453) who also worked for Shippams and Emery(454) must have all stood in line together as their numbers are almost consecutive.

 

Arthur wrote a number of letters back to Shippams that are in The West Sussex Records Office.  His Aunt Anne also wrote to Shippams thanking for the 10 shillings that Shippams paid weekly.  She wrote on 13 July 1917, that Arthur was in trouble "I am sending his letters to you as they will explain matters to you".  Shippams made a note on the letter "A Stephens sentenced 3 years imprisionment for shifting back Lewis M G when out with working party about 30 yards to a better position".   From Arthur's letters it looks like he was away from his Regiment for 3 months.

 

Mandy

[sputnik]

Yes Mandy, I do have a family interest largely through Emery George Stephens. Emery George's mother who would have been Arthur's aunt was called Anna. Possibly the aunt you mention as we know Arthur was living with her in 1911. I know nothing about Arthur after this. He was already working at Shippams at this time. This is all fascinating new information to me. 

Edited 9 June , 2017 by sputnik

[mandy hall]

The letters from his Aunt are signed A Stephens, so that would be Anna.  

 

In 1939 ( 1939 register on Find My Past) Arthur is living in Adelaide Road in Chichester and his occupation is Manufacturing Preserved Food Cooking Dept, so he went back to work at Shippams after the War, as did most of the other men, including my own Grandfather.

 

Got to rush out and meet Michael also from the Great War Forum in Hove Old Cemetery,  Arthur maybe in a group photo from before the War of Shippams workers, will check later.

 

Mandy

 

 

 

[sputnik]

I notice from Arthur's medal index card he was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps, presumably before the incident you mention. Do his  letters give any further information about his offence and/or punishment?

 

[mandy hall]

Sorry for delay in replying, work getting in the way of GWF.

 

I assume that Arthur would have possibly had a court martial to be sentenced to imprisonment, I don't think those records have survived and his service record does not seem to have survived.

 

A Stephens wrote from 60 Copnor Road Portsmouth on 24 October 1917, "In answer to you letter dated 24th I received a letter from my nephew last week, he said he had been before the doctor and had one year of his sentence taken off for good behaviour, he is also quite well, but still only allowed to write once a month."

 

The sentence seems to have been reduced to only 3 months.

 

Arthur wrote on 27 October 1917, that he was back with the regiment and very pleased to get away.  He never says what has happened.  

 

Miss E Stephens wrote from 91 Marine Parade Worthing, she did not date the letter, but Shippams noted on it that it was answered 31 October 1917.  "I have received a letter from Pte A Stephens this morning and he wished me to let everyone know he is out of the MP Camp and with his own Batt again and his old address will find him."

 

Unfortunately Arthur does not appear in the photo, I mentioned in post 18.

 

Mandy

 

[sputnik]

Thanks for the update Mandy. Three months served for a three year  sentence shows how desperate the army was for men at the front by this stage. I can see I shall have to visit the West Sussex Records Office fairly soon to have a look at these letters. 

Thanks again.

[mandy hall]

Last Wednesday evening I visited the site of the old race course in Rouen where the Australian Hospitals where sited.  Harry was gassed in the Mailly Maillett area and was taken to hospital in Rouen.  Harry was in 1st Australian General Hospital on this evening 100 years ago.   The race course is now playing fields.

 

 

 

Thread with more info about race course

 

Edited 27 May , 2018 by mandy hall
Link to previous thread

[mandy hall]

 

 

The next morning Thursday, 24th May I visited Harry’s grave on the 100th anniversary of his death.  Leaving behind a pot of Shippams paste.  I also sprinkled  some earth from Portfield Cemetery Chichester where his parents are buried and from The Litten Chichester, the site of Chichester’s War Memorial onto his grave.