Archivist_47 Posted 6 May , 2022 Share Posted 6 May , 2022 William Edward Hargreaves 1891-1914. Died of pneumonia on 15th September 1914 in Connaught Hospital, Farnborough. He was Rifleman A/3434 with King's Royal Rifle Corps at Blenheim Barracks in Farnborough. Can anyone add any further information such as when he joined the army. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 6 May , 2022 Share Posted 6 May , 2022 (edited) 51 minutes ago, Archivist_47 said: William Edward Hargreaves 1891-1914. Died of pneumonia on 15th September 1914 in Connaught Hospital, Farnborough. He was Rifleman A/3434 with King's Royal Rifle Corps at Blenheim Barracks in Farnborough. Sorry I've nothing about his enlistment - Hope you don't mind me posting the following as I think it is an interesting part of the military & social history of the time. WFA/Fold3 have two Widow's and Children's pension cards, they indicate as follows: Image courtesy of WFA/Fold3 Pneumonia contracted on Active Service [so no big surprise there] Widow's pension 10/- pw [as she was under 35] and the children's allowances 5/- pw & 3/6 pw respectively. Widows were under considerable scruitiny of their behaviour and morals to ensure they were/continued to be worthy of a pension and such a discontinued sanction was not unique. From the cards we cannot tell if Louisa's sanction was deserved. Unfortunately the main pension file is likely long lost/deliberately destroyed after its use was ended. From the stamped DEAD, 31 [DEAD referring to the claim and not necessarily the death of anyone] it rather looks like the claim only went on until the youngest child had reached 16 in 1930 [when their allowance would normally end]. The other pension card gives Louisa's address as 40 Attleboro Rd, Lightbourne Rd, Moston, Manchester M Edited 6 May , 2022 by Matlock1418 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajsmith Posted 6 May , 2022 Share Posted 6 May , 2022 His soldier's effects record show he received no gratuity as he had served less than 6 months. He probably volunteered around the time of the outbreak of war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archivist_47 Posted 6 May , 2022 Author Share Posted 6 May , 2022 Hi Matlock1418, this is excellent. It adds another layer to William's life story. Many thanks from myself and his living relative. Just got to find out where he was on active service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 6 May , 2022 Share Posted 6 May , 2022 1 hour ago, Archivist_47 said: It adds another layer If you are now interested in the fate of widows like Louisa Hargreaves and their treatment during and after the war then the following book is an excellent read: "BRITISH WIDOWS OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR, The Forgotten Legion" by Andrea Hetherington, 2018 M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Rayner Posted 7 May , 2022 Share Posted 7 May , 2022 12 hours ago, ajsmith said: His soldier's effects record also shows that he was in 7th Service Battalion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Rayner Posted 7 May , 2022 Share Posted 7 May , 2022 A family tree in Ancestry-always treat with caution-has a daughter born July 1914. A birth certificate may show him in services Birth of child Annie Hargreaves(1914–) 16 Jul 1914 George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Rayner Posted 7 May , 2022 Share Posted 7 May , 2022 Unfortunately not...from Ancestry at least we 'know' he had not enlisted before 29/07/1914! Another document says enlisted Manchester George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archivist_47 Posted 7 May , 2022 Author Share Posted 7 May , 2022 Thanks George. That Ancestry tree is probably mine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busterfield Posted 7 May , 2022 Share Posted 7 May , 2022 (edited) He has a partial service record on Ancestry. https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=1219&gsfn=william&gsln=hargreaves&gsfn_x=NIC&gsln_x=1&cp=11&qh=4992bd1ccc1389469239a04db63cc9f2&new=1&rank=1&uidh=ed7&redir=false&gss=angs-d&pcat=39&fh=41&h=869142&recoff=&ml_rpos=42&hovR=1 Which has ".....reckons on 29/8/14 Joined at Winchester (?) 31/8/14 £10, quite a bit back then. Edited 7 May , 2022 by busterfield extra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Rayner Posted 7 May , 2022 Share Posted 7 May , 2022 The whole document has a lot of information available…wife in South Africa! George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archivist_47 Posted 7 May , 2022 Author Share Posted 7 May , 2022 Hi George, there is a South Africa connection in the next generation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 7 May , 2022 Share Posted 7 May , 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, busterfield said: This is interesting. To me this rather looks like the military were expecting his widow to pay for his body's transport home for his burial. As already commented a £10 cost was not an inconsiderable sum. Though some families were members of funeral clubs/schemes, but .. ?? As so early in the war it rather looks like the military didn't have their act together quite as much as later when they would at least pay the last rail fare home. CWGC have him commemorated on Screen Wall, Manchester (Philips Park) Cemetery I wonder where he was buried. ??? Edit: This site has him buried in grave plot D-1551 at Philips Park Cemetery http://philips-park-war-graves.weebly.com/world-war-one-surnames-h.html M Edited 7 May , 2022 by Matlock1418 grave plot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archivist_47 Posted 7 May , 2022 Author Share Posted 7 May , 2022 Here's his marker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 7 May , 2022 Share Posted 7 May , 2022 (edited) See my edit above - photo of commemoration seems to confirm plot D-1551 M Edited 7 May , 2022 by Matlock1418 add Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan1892 Posted 7 May , 2022 Share Posted 7 May , 2022 15 hours ago, Archivist_47 said: Just got to find out where he was on active service. I have just read his papers as held on Find My Past and I can confirm that he enlisted on the 29 August 1914 and joined his Battalion (see below) at Winchester on the 31 August 1914. His papers show that he did not serve overseas. (see snippet images attached, courtesy of Find My Past) 7th (Service) Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps was raised at Winchester on 19th of August 1914 as part of Kitchener's First New Army and joined 41st Brigade, 14th (Light) Division. They trained at Aldershot, moving to Grayshott in November and to Bordon in February 1915, returning to Aldershot in March 1915. I have added below some further information from his papers in case they are of help to you:- Married Louisa Fletcher on the 1 May 1909 with the marriage taken place at the Register Office, Manchester. They had two daughters names readable but not dates of birth. The names are:- Lilian, born Prestwich (civil birth registration shows March quarter 1911) Annie, born Manchester (civil birth registration shows September quarter 1914) There is a description of William:- 5 feet 9 inches tall; fresh complexion; grey eyes and brown hair. He had a birth mark on his chest, a scar on his right hand and a tattoo on his right bicep. His religion was Church of England. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Rayner Posted 7 May , 2022 Share Posted 7 May , 2022 See above: Annie baptised 29th July George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archivist_47 Posted 7 May , 2022 Author Share Posted 7 May , 2022 Herewith family tree extract for William and Louisa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 7 May , 2022 Share Posted 7 May , 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, Archivist_47 said: Herewith family tree extract for William and Louisa. Think it rather needs an update: Louisa Fletcher, b. 1888, is unlikely to be living in 2022 - Otherwise national recognition and a big celebration is required! M Edited 7 May , 2022 by Matlock1418 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archivist_47 Posted 7 May , 2022 Author Share Posted 7 May , 2022 Updated as suggested. William's brother Samuel 1894-1916 attracted the attention of an onlooker on Ancestry. He send a "photo hint" attached, which I cannot for the life of me, associate with Samuel. I think he was KIA in 1916 but I'm not sure. Anyone got any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan1892 Posted 7 May , 2022 Share Posted 7 May , 2022 57 minutes ago, Archivist_47 said: I think he was KIA in 1916 but I'm not sure. Anyone got any ideas? This man was a Gunner in the Royal Garrison Artillery. He survived the war and was discharged on the 16 December 1918. What paperwork exists for him shows that he lived in Whitwick, Leicestershire. A Michael R Rooney died in 1933, his death was recorded in the December quarter in the ASHBY DE LA ZOUCH REGISTRATION DISTRICT which included Whitwick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archivist_47 Posted 7 May , 2022 Author Share Posted 7 May , 2022 Indeed, but no connection with Samuel Hargreaves though. Odd that a living Rooney should send me it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archivist_47 Posted 7 May , 2022 Author Share Posted 7 May , 2022 5 hours ago, Matlock1418 said: Think it rather needs an update: Louisa Fletcher, b. 1888, is unlikely to be living in 2022 - Otherwise national recognition and a big celebration is required! M She died in Durban in 1941 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan1892 Posted 8 May , 2022 Share Posted 8 May , 2022 17 hours ago, Archivist_47 said: Indeed, but no connection with Samuel Hargreaves though. Odd that a living Rooney should send me it. Might be worth contacting the sender to ask why he contacted you. You never know, there may be a link to Samuel somewhere along the line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archivist_47 Posted 8 May , 2022 Author Share Posted 8 May , 2022 As I'm not a full paying member I don't have that ability. I've binned the hint. I think he sent it by mistake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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