Newspaper lists of men joining up - East Lancashire

[AndrewSid]

I recently visited Colne Library and discovered the absolute gold mine that is the Nelson and Colne  Times microfilms.  I was looking at 1915. These records are not yet part of the British Newspaper archives collections online.  They are packed/dominated  with local WW1 stories, letters, photos, obits & reports.  The weekly publication also has lists on men joining up and what unit they had enlisted into.  I couldn’t find my specific man as I’m after the unit he joined before the MGC but didn’t have chance for a wide search.  Each weekly paper has lists of up to 100 men with names, towns and  Regiment joined.  Whilst not official lists they obviously covered a percentage of those joining. Has anyone come across such lists before?  A screenshot is below:

This one is a bit RFA heavy but the regimental variety on others was of note. 

[brianmorris547]

The Bolton Evening News November 1914 to November 1915 in a feature called "Rally to the Flag" has names, addresses and Units enlisted into. Reproduced in the weekly Bolton Journal. Do the Colne lists you have show any recruits to the County Palatine Royal Engineers (or Manchester Engineers) in 1915. 

Brian

[AndrewSid]

I’m afraid I didn’t screen shot them all but here is one within 8 enlisting into the RE.

 

[brianmorris547]

Thanks

I've been to Blackburn and Burnley Library History Centres but I can see that I'm going to have to take a trip on the M 65.

I have all these men on my CPRE index apart from James Duerden.

J Hill 83323, S Fishwick 83320, H Whittaker 83330, A Mangham 83321, R Hartley 83324, J Medley 83322 and S Pickles 83328. It is possible that James Duerden may be RFA L/15873, which I think may be a CPRA number.

CPRE number 83325 is Joseph Kilburn who enlisted in Bolton on 05/04/1915 and I do not have names for 83326, 83327 and 83329.

Brian

[AndrewSid]

One more here.  Cubbington.

The lists are numbered.  By May 1915 they were on their 28th weekly list.

No doubt a lot of RE men named over the series. 

 

 

[brianmorris547]

I haven't got Albert E Goode on my CPRE index either, nor can I find him on the SMARs. I have traced a good few who were discharged at Morecambe in 1915 during training. Will have to visit Colne Library poss next week.

Brian

[AndrewSid]

You will need to call ahead to book a slot.  I’d suggest a smart phone type device to screen shot and review at your leisure if your slot is short. 

if you come across a Sydney Heseltine or any Heseltine I would be grateful if you could let me know.

I’m not sure of the time lag from someone enlisting (not perhaps mobilised) and it appearing in the paper.  A few week or even longer perhaps.

good hunting.

Edited 22 September , 2021 by AndrewSid

[brianmorris547]

Thanks for the heads up on this one. I spent an hour this morning in Colne library having arranged a visit.

Pre lockdown I was going to check Oldham, Rochdale and Bury Libraries for recruits to the CPRE. I will try and visit soon. Good to make a start somewhere though and the Colne and Nelson Times was excellent as you say. The lists you posted (09/04/1915 and 19/03/1915) showed nine men enlisting into the CPRE. I found five more names, three of which I have Service numbers for but two more that I do not.

Brian

[AndrewSid]

Brian,

Glad you had some luck.  I’d have thought there might have been more RE names. Did you get through all the the lists? I presume they started late 14 and went on for some time?  No Heseltines?

Hopefully it will be digitised at some point,  a real wealth of WW1 history.

[brianmorris547]

I was only able to stay for one hour so I went from 09 00 to 10 00. The ladies were very helpful and friendly. The CPRE only started recruiting in Manchester and the outlying towns in February 1915 and (in Bolton) the last recruits were in June. The Manchester Courier in August and September appealed for more men for the CPRE and CPRA. The CPRE names in the Colne and Nelson Times were from 19/03/1915 to 09/04/1914. I checked up to September but the lists had tailed off by then. The were more recruits to the CPRA than to the CPRE which represented the balance between non tradesmen and tradesmen. This was the same in Bolton. I did not have chance to have a good look for Mr Heseltine, I did not notice him but may have missed him.

Brian