Harry Blanchard Wood VC

[Guest Mike G Yorky VC's]

Hello new to the forum.

Could anyone help in finding Harry Blanchard Wood VC's birth place?

I have looked it up and some sources say York, Newton on Derwent and Pocklington All in the north of Yorkshire, Gods country incidently!

Any help would be very grateful

Many thanks

Mike Gomersall

Castleford,West Yorkshire

Yorky VC's

[Raster Scanning]

Hi Mike.

I tried the 1901 census but it is not conclusive, plenty of Harry Woods from Yorkshire.

I agree about God's Country I still have family in the Castleford area.

John

[Guest Hussar]

Hi,

Harry Blanshard Wood,

Born 21st June 1882 in Pocklington, Yorkshire

Corporal, 2nd Battalion Scots Guards.

VC won on 13th October 1918

Gazzetted 14th December 1918

Achieved the rank of Lance Sergeant and was also awarded the MM.

Died 15th August 1924 in Bristol

Buried in Grave No. 1738, Soldiers Corner at Arnos Vale Cemetary, Bristol.

His VC is on display at York Castle Museum.

More detail of his biography and an account of the action can be found in

"VCs of the First World War - The Final Days 1918" (Gerald Gliddon, 2000)

[Bob Coulson]

Sorry to muddy the waters on this one but my info states -

Harry Blanshard Wood born June 21st 1881 at Newton-on-Derwent near York.

VC presentation by the king at Buckingham Palace on February 22nd 1919.

Bob

( In N Yorks )

[Raster Scanning]

The date 21 June 1881 is the one on his grave stone.

[Hedley Malloch]

'Gun Fire', no. 28, carries a large article by Alf Peacock, a professional historian, on Harry Blanshard Wood. Alf writes: "Where did Harry Wood come from? ... The York papers said he was born at Newton on Derwent in 1882, the son of a farmer. (His birth certificate says he was born in Pocklington)"

The only clue in the piece is that Harry was given a Civic Reception by the Mayor of York, James Melrose, who happened to be a relative of Harry's mother. During the speech Mayor Melrose dwelt at length about a famous storm that devastated Newton, the inference being that the Mayor clearly thought that HB was a Newton man. HB was present throughout this speech and if the Mayor was wrong, then he did not bother to correct him.

[andrew_jackson]

Judging from the 1881 Census, Newton-on-Derwent looks a better bet than Pocklington. Anyone know the name of Harry's father? There was a John Wood, Agricultural Labourer of Newton-on-Derwent, with wife Maria Nicol and three children Laura Preston (aged 7), Jessie Grace (3) and Hilda Jane (1). No obvious candidates at Pocklington.

Andrew

[Alan Seymour]

The following is taken from 'The Victoria Cross 1856-1920' edited by Creagh & Humphris

Wood, Harry Blanshard, Corpl. (L.-Sergt),was born on 21 June 1881 at Newton-on-Derwent, near York, son of Mr. John Wood and Maria Wood (nee Dey).

His birth would have been registered in the Registration Office in Pocklington, this is where the confusion arises. You can find his actual place of birth in Newton-on-Derwent, from his birth certificate. See Andrew's posting above for the family's 1881 Census listing for 3rd April, 1881, ten weeks before Harry, was born.

He was educated at Strensall, near York and joined the Scots Guards on 3 Feb. 1903. He served in the European War; went out with the 2nd Battn. Scots Guards in Oct. 1914. He was then No.4796 Private H. B. Wood; and won the Military Medal. He was awarded the Victoria Cross (London Gazette, 14 Dec 1918) "Harrry Blanshard Wood, M.M., No. 16444, Corpl. (L.-Serg.), 2nd Battn. Scots Guards ......

The following additional information is taken from 'Monuments To Courage Victoria Cross Headstones & Memorials' Vol. Two by David Harvey

Died: 15 August 1924 aged 42. In Bristol Mental Hospital , after a six week coma. He had a seizure after his bride was struck by a truck on honeymoon, she was unhurt.

Buried: 20 August at Amos Vale Cemetery, Bristol. Soldiers Corner. Grave 1738. Headstone.

Commemoration: (i) Headstone. ii) Name on War Memorial in Bristol Catherdal. iii) Medals in The Castle Museum, York.

As mentioned in Hussar's earlier posting there's excellent six page biography on Harry in 'VC's of the First World War The Final Days 1918' by Gerald Gliddon.

Alan Seymour

[David_Blanchard]

Hello

I am very interested in Harry Blanshard Wood. My family came from the Bulmer/Easingwold area in the 19th Century close to Newton on Derwent, where I think one or two Blanshards were born. I have looked into this but have yet to make a breakthrough with a Wood family.

Incidently on a TV programme produced by ITV , made about 5 years ago called 'Shot at Dawn' on the credits at the end a Blanchard or Blanshard is mentioned. I contacted Julien Putowski about this, he mentioned that Blanchard referred had enlisted under another name which is listed in his book. He promised to go back to his original file (PRO) to establish which casualty listed in his book under another name was originally a Blanchard, but he was never replied.

It would be interesting to think that there was a Blanchard?Blanshard VC winner as well as one shot at dawn- a rare event for a relatively unusual name.

Regards

David Blanchard

[David_Blanchard]

I have just checked out my e mail records from 1999, my apologies to Mr Putkowski, my findings were:

Dear Mr Putkowski,

I have a copy of your book 'Shot at Dawn' and I watched the television documentary based on a number of cases from the book. However, I noticed in the credits at the end of the documentary there was reference to a Blanchard, who was shot at dawn, but there is no mention of any Blanchards in the book. Has new research into the identities of these men brought new evidence to light? I am interested as I have a list of Blanchard' killed in the war and none of these appear to tally with casualties mentioned in your book in terms of dates of death or location of cemeteries.

Regards

David Blanchard

To which he replied:

Thanks for your enquiry. I'm a bit busy at present to reply to your

enquiry in detail however I'll try to address the task over Christmas.

From what I recall, Blanchard was the real name of one of the Durham light

Infantry fellows who were executed. I'm pretty certain that he originally

came from Belfast and my recollection is that he had been a pre-war

regular army man whose medical record suggested he had been suffering from

the effects of venereal disease.

Julian

Dear Julian,

Thanks for your reply by a process of elimination I think the soldier was A

Hamilton who was serving in the DLI, but I wonder why he changed his name

from Blanchard?

Regards

David

David,

You are correct. I'll dig out the information I've gathered and e-mail you

when I get a spare minute sometime over Christmas.

Julian

So if anyone more infomation concerning A Hamilton, and why he changed his name from Blanchard, or indeed where he was from, or any other details I would appreciate it.

David Blanchard

[Frank_East]

David,

There is a Newton on Derwent village about 4 miles due west from Pocklington on the south side of the present A1079,Market Weighton to York road.

Alan Seymour has said correctly that this was the birthplace of Harry Blanchard Wood VC from "The Victoria Cross 1856-1920".

Mike G has said that H.B Wood's birthplace has been quoted as York,Newton on Derwent and Pocklington.All three places are from the detail recorded according to the requirements of the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1837 and entered in the Register and detailed on his Birth Certificate.

Newton on Derwent was a village located in the Sub-District of Pocklington which (believe it or not) was in the Registration District of Pocklington in the County of York.The place York was not the birthplace but a birth in the the County of York for birth registration purposes.

The Registration District of Pocklington in the County of York had three Sub-Districts, namely East Stamford Bridge,Market Weighton and Pocklington,each then with a number of locations and villages which made up the respective Sub-District.

In accordance with the 1837 Act ,H.B.Wood's Birth Certificate would record his birth at Newton on Derwent in the Sub-District of Pocklington in the District of Pocklington in the County of York.

For the 1881 Census, I think Newton on Derwent was in the East Stamford Bridge

District within the Pocklington Area.

Regards

Frank East

[John Nottingham]

Hello folks

Better late than never... I've just stumbled on this thread while looking for local Blanchard/Blanshards. Being local (Pocklington), I can confirm all of the above and pin down Harry Blanchard Wood VC as almost certainly having been born in Newton-on-Derwent.

Family Search tells us that he was baptised in 1882 at Wilberfoss - which is a village just across the A1079 York-Beverley trunk road (previously a turnpike) and less than a mile from Newton-on-Derwent. The reason for involving Wilberfoss is that Newton-on-Derwent does not have an Anglican church, so Newton residents routinely used the nearest church, at Wilberfoss. (Previously the ancestral seat of my hero, that nice William Wilberforce.)

Harry's dad was an ag. lab, John Wood, also born at Newton-on-Derwent and baptised at Wilberfoss on 26 Jan 1841. Mum was Maria Nichol Day, b. c. 1840 at Escrick, a village on the A19 a few miles south of York. They most likely married at Wilberfoss on 29 Oct 1872 (other dates are given).

To date I've drawn a blank as to where Harry got his 2nd forename from. Forenames were traditionally taken from the surname of a family member or in-law, and Blanchard/Blanshard is a common surname hereabouts. 

HTH, regards to all
John N

[John Nottingham]

I've pinned down the probable source of the 'Blanchard' forename. In the 1871 census, Maria N Day was listed as the granddaughter and general servant to retired farmer John Blanshard [sic] and his wife Elizabeth, both aged 77 and living in Newton-on-Derwent. 

So it seems that 'Blanchard' came from Harry's g-grandparents. (Blanchard and Blanshard are routinely used synonymously hereabouts.) 

 

 

 

[Guest]

He was born at Pigeon Cote farm ( which is now Holly Farm, Carr Lane) here in Newton upon Derwent.

All births locally were registered at Pocklington but that doesn’t mean he was born there.

I can’t  understand the confusion.

10 minutes spent on Ancestry.co.uk will trace the family to Newton on both his mothers and fathers side vis. Day and Blanchard.

 

We here in Newton are campaigning to secure that the VC paving slab comes to our Parish on 13/10/18 when a commemoration service

will be held.

Harry was a regular soldier before the war. He had mood swings and was prone not only to losing his temper ( he was twice demoted) but  also to bouts of disorientation.

Prof.Peter Venables believed that he suffered from diabetes which would also explain how he went into shock at the sight of his wife being in the accident with a vehicle.

 

Reply to John Nottingham....if I were you I’d be interested in tracing your family tree here in Newton.

The Nottingham’s were a family of considerable wealth and moved to the Easingwold are@.

[John Nottingham]

On 04/01/2018 at 07:27, Lady H said:

Reply to John Nottingham....if I were you I’d be interested in tracing your family tree here in Newton.

The Nottingham’s were a family of considerable wealth and moved to the Easingwold are@.

 

Thanks for that! Off-topic but my 8x great grandad George farmed in Newton (bur. Wilberfoss in 1684), as did 7x g-grandad John & family who then moved to Sutton-on-D. 6x g-grandad, also John (of Laytham), inherited 223 acres in Newton, including Hall Farm and the early-1800s Ogles' brickyard across the road at the then White House on Carr Lane, but I'm not sure if Pigeon Cote Farm was included.  I don't know of any link with Easingwold but I'll follow that up. (If you wish to get in touch, I'm on admin at toms12 dot plus dot com) Thanks again for the link.