Brewood (just north of Wolverhampton)

[rmtruby]

A recent article in the Black Country Bugle (27th January, 2005) dealt with men from the village of Brewood, just north of Wolverhampton. There is a red-brick wall in Newport Street in the village which is covered with inscriptions (or graffiti) carved by men leaving for the trenches.

The earliest inscription is that of “J.M.” carved in 1915. “B.B.” and “G.W.” appear to have joined up together in 1916. “F.H.” and “H.D.” appear to have joined up in 1917. They have a Staffordshire Knot carved under heir initials, suggesting that they may have joined the South Staffs or the Staffordshire Yeomanry. Other initials include: A.E., W.G., D.M.M., J.R., P.B., W.G., J.W.P. and W.F.

Among the fuller names are: D. Ward, James Bradley and William Bradley.

A war memorial was erected in the churchyard of St Mary the Virgin and St Chad. Among the thirty four names inscribed around the column are:

W.H. Ward

P. Bradley

P. Bentley

G. Newman (awarded the MM)

W. H. Green

two with the surname Lewis

two with the surname Moorhouse

Many of the names on the memorial correspond with surnames and initialscarved on the wall just a few streets away.

Some Brewood lads returned and lived to carve their initials once more into the red brick. Among them were “G.W.” who first made his mark in 1917 and returned in 1922, and “F.H.” who joined joined a local regiment with a pal, and added the date 1921 to his original carving.

It would be great if anyone could help find out more about some of these men.

If anyone is passing through Brewood, I would really appreciate photos of the memorial and the graffiti.

Also, this grafitti has got me thinking: are there any other examples elsewhere of graffiti left by soldiers?

On a related issue: what is the status of this graffiti in terms of our heritage? Should this graffiti be preserved? Is it possible to interpret this graffiti as constituting a less formal type of war memorial?

Thanks

Ray

[Doug Lewis]

Ray

Here is a start -

Patrick Bradley Private 3170

Born & Resident Brewood

Enlisted Wolverhampton

1st/6th Bn. South Staffordshire Regiment

Attached to 172nd Coy Royal Engineers

Killed in Action 06/06/1915

III. G. 6 PERTH CEMETERY (CHINA WALL)

George Newman M.M.& Bar Sapper 48242

12th Div Signal Coy Royal Engineers

Born & Resident - Brewood

Enlisted – Stafford

Died of wounds 30/11/17

Son of George and Marianne Newman, of Yew Tree Cottage, Brewood, Stafford.

Panel 1 and 2. CAMBRAI MEMORIAL, LOUVERVAL

William Green Private 39967

10th Bn Worcestershire Rgt

Formerly 3847 South Staffordshire Rgt

Born & Resident- Brewood

Enlisted –Himley Worcs

Killed in Action 20/9/17

Husband of Ellen Bethell (formerly Green), of Newport St., Brewood, Staffs.

Panel 75 to 77. TYNE COT MEMORIAL

Regards Doug.

[rmtruby]

Thanks Doug for the information.

Ray

[Doug Lewis]

Ray

Here are some more, I will try and get you the photo's in the next week.

Albert Daniel Lewis Private 8461

164th Coy Machine Gun Corps

Formerly 19126 Shrops Light Infantry

Born – Brewood

Enlisted – Birmingham

Residence – Stretton, Staffs

Died of Wounds 5/10/16

Son of John and Emma Lewis, of Engleton Mill, Stretton, Stafford.

B. 15. 45. ST. SEVER CEMETERY, ROUEN

Edward Rutter Lewis Family Private 3835

1/6th Bn South Staffordshire Rgt

Born & Resident – Brewood

Enlisted – Wolverhampton

Killed in Action 13/10/15

Husband of Florence Jones (formerly Lewis), of 22 Woodbourn Rd., Attorcliffe, Sheffield.

Panel 73 to 76. LOOS MEMORIAL

Regards Doug.

[Chris_Baker]

Here are a few more.

Name: BILL, JOHN

Initials: J

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment: South Staffordshire Regiment

Unit Text: Depot Bn.

Age: 18

Date of Death: 24/09/1917

Service No: 46421

Additional information: Son of John and Caroline Bill, of Shop Lane, Brewood.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: Near South-East corner of Church.

Cemetery: BREWOOD (SS. MARY AND CHAD) CHURCHYARD

EVANS, JOHN

Initials: J

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment: Lincolnshire Regiment

Unit Text: 10th Bn.

Date of Death: 28/04/1917

Service No: 203057

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: Bay 3 and 4.

Cemetery: ARRAS MEMORIAL

A Brewood man according to SDGW

Formerly 22672 S Staffs R

GREEN, WILLIAM

Initials: W

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment: Worcestershire Regiment

Unit Text: 10th Bn.

Age: 39

Date of Death: 20/09/1917

Service No: 39967

Additional information: Husband of Ellen Bethell (formerly Green), of Newport St., Brewood, Staffs.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 75 to 77.

Cemetery: TYNE COT MEMORIAL

Formerly 3847 S Staffs R

Name: HAYCOCK

Initials: W

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment: South Staffordshire Regiment

Unit Text: 1st Bn.

Age: 37

Date of Death: 14/07/1916

Service No: 6115

Additional information: Son of Thomas and Elizabeth Haycock, of 73, High Green, Brewood, Staffs.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: XII. G. 25.

Cemetery: CATERPILLAR VALLEY CEMETERY, LONGUEVAL

Killed at High Wood

Name: HAYNES, GEORGE EDWARD

Initials: G E

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment: Essex Regiment

Unit Text: 10th Bn.

Age: 24

Date of Death: 21/09/1918

Service No: 47699

Additional information: Son of Elizabeth Haynes, of Newport St., Brewood, Stafford, and the late Robert Henry Haynes.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: II. C. 2.

Cemetery: UNICORN CEMETERY, VEND'HUILE

Name: LEWIS, EDWARD RUTTER

Initials: E R

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment: South Staffordshire Regiment

Unit Text: 1st/6th Bn.

Age: 24

Date of Death: 13/10/1915

Service No: 3835

Additional information: Husband of Florence Jones (formerly Lewis), of 22 Woodbourn Rd., Attorcliffe, Sheffield.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 73 to 76.

Cemetery: LOOS MEMORIAL

Killed at Hohenzollern redoubt

Name: MOOREHOUSE

Initials: C

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment: South Staffordshire Regiment

Unit Text: 2nd Bn.

Date of Death: 25/10/1914

Service No: 8007

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: II. A. 2.

Cemetery: POPERINGE COMMUNAL CEMETERY

Name: NEWMAN, GEORGE

Initials: G

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Sapper

Regiment: Royal Engineers

Unit Text: 12th Div .

Age: 22

Date of Death: 30/11/1917

Service No: 48242

Awards: MM and Bar

Additional information: Son of George and Marianne Newman, of Yew Tree Cottage, Brewood, Stafford.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 1 and 2.

Cemetery: CAMBRAI MEMORIAL, LOUVERVAL

Possibly 18020 Pte James Onions, 7th Bn South Staffs R, 14 Oct 1916. But I can't find him on the CWGC register.

Name: POWELL

Initials: J

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Serjeant

Regiment: The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment

Unit Text: 8th Bn.

Date of Death: 11/05/1916

Service No: 14206

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: I. B. 36.

Cemetery: AUBIGNY COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION

Apparenetly lived in Brewood

Name: SMITH, ERNEST CHARLES

Initials: E C

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment: Worcestershire Regiment

Unit Text: 4th Bn.

Age: 31

Date of Death: 06/08/1915

Service No: 10728

Additional information: Son of Charles and Esther Ann Smith, of Dean St., Brewood, Staffs.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 104 to 113.

Cemetery: HELLES MEMORIAL

Also two 1st South Staffs R men, who I can't locate on CWGC:

10265 Pte John Jefford Stones (13 Nov 1917) and

9290 Pte Ernest Louis Donlan (17 May 15 at Festubert). Both Brewood men.

[Terry Denham]

Chris

Here's one of them...

Le Touret Memorial

DONLON, Private, ERNEST LOUIS, 9290. 1st Bn. South Staffordshire Regiment. 17th May 1915. Panel 21 and 22

[Terry Denham]

And here's the other

Kortrijk (St Jan) Communal Cemetery, Belgium

STONES, Private, JOHN JEFFORD, 10265. 1st Bn. South Staffordshire Regiment. Died of wounds whilst a Prisoner of War 13th November 1917. Age 38. Son of John Jefford Stones and Elizabeth Stones, of High Green, Brewood, Stafford. Served in the South African Campaign. C. 6.

[rmtruby]

Thanks for the replies so far. Brilliant!

Ray

[Doug Lewis]

Ray

Here is a picture as promised. The detail is difficult to pick up, this the best.

I also took a picture of the memorial and recorded the names,I have put it on my site to save Chris's bandwidth.

http://wolverhamptonwarmemorials.com/War-M...n-?r=1108137420

Regards Doug

[rmtruby]

Thanks very much for the photo.

Ray

[stevehol]

One of the Soldiers Listed is Private.C.Moorehouse, The info given is what I also picked up fromthe CWGC Site. Anyone have more info. ie Place of Birth, Date of Birth, age. I am interested as I have the Death plaque of this soldier and I would like to find out more about him.

[Tom Morgan]

Stevehol - "Soldiers Died in the Great War" says that Pte. Moorehouse died of wounds. The place of birth entry is blank, but it does say that he lived in Brewood and enlisted in Lichfield.

Tom

[stevehol]

Thanks Tom for the fast responce and info

[apwright]

For Charles and Alfred Moor(e)house, see other thread:

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...showtopic=68087

Regards,

Adrian

[Jon6640]

It should be said that Brewood (for the benefit of non locals) is pronounced 'Brood' and NOT 'Bree Wood'

Jon

[Roger D]

Sad news folks. My parents, who know Brewood well, tell me the only wall they can think of that matches the description given in Newport Street was demolished as part of a housing development last year. They will check it out next time they are in Brewood to see if there is anything else they have forgotten about but mum worked in Brewood for 25 odd years and knows it well so I fear the worst.

Sadly I fear it has been lost through local ignorance of what was on the wall. My parents, who have lived in the area for 30 odd years, had never heard of this and the wall did not appear in a self guided walking tour of historic Brewood that was produced a few years ago. Fingers crossed someone knew what was being lost and the relevant bricks have been preserved and will re-appear at some point but……..

[Doug Lewis]

Roger

Here is the picture I posted earlier in the thread of the wall. As you can see,carved are the initials FH & HD 1917 and Staffords badge.

Regards Doug.

[Roger D]

Cheers Doug. Regrettably the general state of the wall in that picture does suggest it is the wall my parents were thinking of.

As an aside there is another possible example of something similar nearby. I grew up in the next village along the Shropshire Union Canal, Wheaton Aston. I remember well one of the Whittingham family, prominent in Wheaton Aston for centuries, had engraved his name on one of the canal bridges. I have a suspicion he figures on the war memorial at Lapley church (it was the parish of Lapley & Wheaton Aston.) Stress the word suspicion, I left the area nearly 20 years ago now so my memory may be playing tricks.

[Doug Lewis]

Roger

Thinking about it now,when I took the photograph in 2005 there was some house building going on near to the wall. I will have to drive over,to satisfy my curiosity.

Regards Doug

[Doug Lewis]

Roger

Good news!!! went to Brewood this morning and the wall is still in one piece. I have took a number of close up pictures you can find on my site to save Chris's bandwidth, but here is one of the wall.

Here http://www.wolverhamptonwarmemorials.org.u...own/brewood.htm

Regards Doug.

[Anthony Gorst]

Hi

Nothing to add on the names but on the wider point of graffiti and it's significance as a memorial - on the lead flashing on the parapet of the HQ building of the University of Westminster (formerly the Polytechnic) there are several items of graffiti from the Great War (including RFC men who trained there on W/T). As far as I am concerned this is a memorial to those who served (none of the names or initials match the names on the memorial as far as I can tell),

[Guest Sheep73]

Rank:

Driver

Service No:

77610

Date of Death:

10/03/1919

Age:

23

Regiment/Service:

Royal Field Artillery

"B" Bty. 102nd Bde.

Grave Reference:

IV. A. 30.

Cemetery:

CAMBRAI EAST MILITARY CEMETERY

Additional Information:

Son of Mr. G. J. and Alice Ward, of The Pavement, Brewood, Stafford.

[BereniceUK]

As an aside there is another possible example of something similar nearby. I grew up in the next village along the Shropshire Union Canal, Wheaton Aston. I remember well one of the Whittingham family, prominent in Wheaton Aston for centuries, had engraved his name on one of the canal bridges. I have a suspicion he figures on the war memorial at Lapley church (it was the parish of Lapley & Wheaton Aston.) Stress the word suspicion, I left the area nearly 20 years ago now so my memory may be playing tricks.

No Whittingham in the WW1 names at Lapley but there's an Ishmael Whittingham among the three WW2 names.