Schoolteacher John Whitfield Hetherington - did he serve ?

[davidbohl]

This chap has the last unresolved military career of our first ever rugby team in 1907 http://home.btconnect.com/seftonrufc/s42.jpg, there are about a dozen medal cards for John W. Hetherington, so can anybody identify a middle name of Whitfield please?

 

John Whitfield Hetherington b.1880 Broughton, Cumbria d. 1959 Dartford.

Liverpool Schooteacher 1911 Census attached

 

Closest may be Border Regt 24804 ? may be too old 34 in 1914

 

many thanks

Dave

[HolymoleyRE]

As place to start looking  from 1912, and on registration with the Teacher's Council places him in Farningham, Kent and as a Trustee to the War Memorial Association...any Kent Regiments?

[charlie2]

Dave,

there is only one John W in the medal rolls without a middle name recorded and that is 715578 John W Hetherington RFA TF. 

 

24804 Border Regt is John William

 

Charlie

[HolymoleyRE]

Which would place him the 1/4th East Lancs

 

715001 – 720000: 213 Brigade, RFA/ 1/4 E LANCS Brigade (BROKEN UP DEC 16, BatteryS TO 120 & 211)

[clk]

Hi,

 

Subject to a transcription error/mis-recording in the original record, 715578 Hetherington isn't looking that good at the moment. FWR have a hospital admission/discharge record transcription from 1918 which gives his age as 33.

 

Regards

Chris

[charlie962]

715578 shown as from Carlisle in CasList 18/7/17 Newcastle Journal.

[ss002d6252]

Do we have an suggestion that he did serve overseas ?

As a headteacher I'd have thought he may have served as an officer, if he served.

Craig

[HolymoleyRE]

David, and organisation you mish to contact...the Farningham & Eynsford Local History Society, as he mentioned in a few of their publications.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.felhs.org.uk/&ved=2ahUKEwiS4oH_n-LYAhVrLMAKHfLOAocQFjAAegQICxAD&usg=AOvVaw0F33VwmwBWL7921oKY3oQU

 

They have done their own WW1 research. http://www.felhs.org.uk/WW1.asp and he is not on their list.

Edited 18 January , 2018 by HolymoleyRE

[corisande]

This Ancestry Tree has quite a lot, inc photo. Suggest you contact tree owner

Edited 18 January , 2018 by corisande

[davidbohl]

 

 

The F&E society have an active message board, I'll try and get a post on it right now.

I've got the photie on Ancestry in my notes, he seems quite dapper, perhaps officer type.

good work as per usual chaps 

[corisande]

He appears to be living in Kent from that 1912 Teacher Registration, through 1939 Register to his death.

 

If he did enlist, then it would have been in Kent

 

If he did join up he would fairly quickly have become an officer with his education level

 

One would have expected him to use his full name if he did enlist. Nothing in LG

 

It is looking to me that the balance of probability is that he was not in the Army in WW1

Edited 18 January , 2018 by corisande

[corisande]

[davidbohl]

Definitive answer from Dr Pittman of the F&E Society, he had to run 2 schools.

I'll send her the Ancestry photo which is quite charming.

Well done GWF again.

Dave

 

 

"

Dear Dave,  Mr Hetherington did not serve in the 1^st World War, but took over the running of 2 schools as the records below show.  If you go to felhs.org.uk website on the home page left hand column you will see WW1 this has the contents on an exhibition held in 1914 and under 33 you will find the schools display.  I was unable to find a photo of Mr Hetherington – if you happen to have one we would be delighted to have an image, best wishes Susan

 

KHLC (Kent History and Library Centre) - C/E/S/145/25 /56 Farningham C of E Log Book 1871-1919

20 February 1916 - Diocesan inspector's report.  The exigencies of the times have necessitated the transference of the Head Master to the charge of the neighbouring Boys' Department.  The staff here is consequently reduced to two and the grouping

modified.  In spite of these handicaps the religious instruction maintains most satisfactory standard of efficiency.  The Infants, with Standards I and II now, as in the past years, a happy class of well taught responsive children.  The upper class, too, has done very good work and answered by questions on it with readiness and accuracy.  I am glad that the whole of the Church Catechism is to be made a point of in the teaching of the Seniors. HJ Powell, Diocesan Inspector.

 

26 November 1918 - resumed charge of this school after being in charge of Sutton-at-Hone Boys' School since June 6 1916"

[charlie962]

some particularly good links unearthed by the mole. Well done !