Herbert W Thomas (1895 - 1916) - A Soldier from Spring Hill Sheffield

I've just posted the first new article to the website for nearly two months. In the interim I have been updating earlier articles and content with information from the 1911 Census.

I came across Herbert and his family through the Census - the family were living on "the Hill" one hundred years ago and continued to do so until the mid 1950's and possibly longer. I am now determined to find out all I can about the family and so if anyone can add anything I would be grateful

The Diary of Corporal John William Ballinger

Having access to the 1911 Census is proving to be a great asset. For instance I have had this newspaper cutting from the Daily Telegraph since 2007 but have never been able to incorporate it into the website
I came across it again when I was compiling the article on Walter Hutchinson and his diary and have now found John in 1911

 

(click on image to read text)

Name     John William Ballinger

Condition     Single
Gender Male   
Age 21 Estimated Year of Birth 1890
Occupation Nil
Employed No
Working at Home No
Place of Birth     Forest Gate Essex
Military Rank     Private 1st Bn Manchester Regiment
Enumerator Information
Address     Kamptee Town     Kamptee Inhabited     Y
Reference     RG14PN34980 RD641 SD5 ED1 SN9999 Administrative County     Overseas Military

Enumeration District     1 

Like Walter Hutchinson, John's diary makes for sobering reading

Page Woodcocks Wind Pills - "this most excellent medicine"

This appeared in The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent (Sheffield, England), Friday, June 23, 1899; pg. 7; Issue 13920 as an advertisement. And it started me wondering why these pills are no longer available because they seem to be a cure for those scourges of modern day life - wind, indigestion, liver complaints and biliousness

Sadly  a Google search revealed that Page Woodcock was in fact a purveyor of quack medicine but if that was the case why were his wind pills so successful over many years. Surely if they failed to resolve the symptoms, the patient/user would know about it 

Are You Happy With The Way Things Are In Britain Today?

A letter from Nick Clegg that was sent to me just over a year ago when he was just the leader of the Liberal Democrat party. If there is a reason why people have no confidence in politicians in general and Nick Clegg in particular this letter surely shows you why 

"Rich bankers, millionaires and polluters will all finally be made to pay their fair share" is just breathtaking in its naivety. Rich bankers, millionaires and polluters have never paid their fair share and never will - it is a fact of life and the sooner Nick Clegg grasps hold of this the sooner he and his party can "move" on.

PS I'm still paying tax on my first £10,000 I earn Nick - as it is at the heart of your plans, can you ensure that I don't otherwise you and your party will be seen as heartless!

Cameron - The Supreme Commander

"David Cameron criticises comments over Libya mission

The prime minister has criticised military chiefs who have spoken out in public about the UK's role in Libya.

It comes after the RAF's second-in-command said "huge" demands were being placed on equipment and personnel.

David Cameron said: "There are moments when I wake up and read the newspapers and think: 'I tell you what, you do the fighting and I'll do the talking'."

He said military leaders were "absolutely clear" the mission could be kept going for as long as necessary.

"Time is on our side, not on Gaddafi's side," he said in a news conference.

Last week, the First Sea Lord, Sir Mark Stanhope, warned that continuing operations in Libya beyond September would mean taking ships away from other tasks".

I know all British Prime Ministers see themselves as re-incarnations of Churchill, the most noticeable examples being Thatcher and Blair, and I think that Cameron and his deputy Clegg are heading that way.

Still if the military do become over-stretched in Libya and are unable to fulfill their "fighting" role, Cameron does have a back-up strategy - "he'll do the talking." Gaddafi you have been warned!!  

The War Graves Photographic Project

As readers of the blog have noticed the last couple of months I have been occupied with "grave matters" and more specifically WW1 graves. Whilst researching articles I came across the following site-The War Graves Photographic Project 

and to quote

"The aim of The War Graves Photographic Project is to photograph every war grave, individual memorial, MoD grave, and family memorial of serving military personnel from WWI to the present day and make these available within a searchable database.

Now working as a joint venture with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, this will enable families, scholars and researchers to obtain, via the CWGC or TWGPP websites, a copy of the photograph of a grave or memorial which for many is impossible to visit due to the location".

But if you want a photograph of a grave or memorial that has been taken by a VOLUNTEER you have to make a donation of AT LEAST £3.00 for an e-mailed print or AT LEAST £5.00 for a 7x5" photograph. The Projects justification for the charges can be found on this link

Two things spring to mind - one is that I think the charges are very excessive especially for the e-mail print. A volunteer takes the photo at his own time and expense, sends the photo to the project who promply claim copyright, and then they sell it on to third parties.

And secondly all the photos on the site are watermarked and copyrighted - to quote

"Small print - Copyright remains with the CWGC/TWGPP/Donor. Those wishing to use photographs for publishing purposes should contact TWGPP for appropriate permission"

This site is a commercial venture that will undoubtedly make livelihood(s) and profits for those that run it.But it leaves a slightly bittter taste in my mouth for some reason. In the introduction they state
"make these available within a searchable database". when they should say "make these available at a cost to the user within a searchable database".


I find content and material from my website all over the place - sometimes people place an acknowledgement and sometimes they don't.But the one thing I will never do on my site is start charging for content and material.(not that anyone would pay me!)  If I did that I would be on par with Rupert Murdoch and that would be hard to stomach  

The Sad Death of Nellie Murfin

The cutting is from the Sheffield and Rotherham Independent dated 20th October 1899. It looks as though Nellie age 3 went on her own to the shop to buy a shuttlecock and on the way back was killed by a dray carrying mineral water.

 

The two elements of the report that are surprising from a modern day point of view is that young Nellie went to the shop on her own. If that happened nowadays the parents and/or guardians would be prosecuted for severe child neglect as an absolute minimum, and quite possibly manslaughter. And the second element is the mineral water dray. Attercliffe and district in the late C19th could hardly be described as "spa destinations." and so bottling and distributing the local spring water is a non -starter. It is far more likely that the district had to import water given that the local supplies would be heavily polluted by industry  

As for young Nellie she was buried six days later in Sheffield's Burngreave Cemetery

MURFIN, Nellie (Daughter of A Murfin, age 3). Died at 15-4 Attercliffe Road; Buried on October 25, 1889 in Consecrated ground; Grave Number 15, Section K2 of Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield.

The grave contains 12 other bodies

Harry Poole 1916

I've just posted an article about Harry Poole to the site.


Harry was the eighth soldier that I have identified from Sheffield who enlisted in the British Army in WW1 and was executed for desertion. Harry was working class, just like the other seven soldiers from Sheffield who were executed by the British Army in the Great War. In fact it is now looking a distinct possibility that The British Army was harbouring some deep seated prjudices about the working classes in general, and particularly those who came from the industrial towns in the North.

 Harry's grave is at the front and to the right

I have also posted some information on William Randle who was executed two weeks prior to Harry. He occupies the grave directly behind Harry

George Orwell's Grave

Many years ago I visited the grave of one of the few writers that I would call a "literary hero" - George Orwell (Eric Blair). The grave is situated in the churchyard of All Saints Church in Sutton Courtenay in Berkshire. Photos were taken and then promptly lost by Tripleprint which meant that I did not have no photographic record of the visit. And since then the other point that has troubled me is why George was buried in Sutton Courtenay as he had, as far as I knew, no significant connection with the village.

However due to Wikipedia I now have both a photo of the grave. I should add that when I visited the grave I was rather dismayed about its general condition and neglect - the rose bush then was a rather a poor specimen to say the least!

His memorial bears the simple epitaph: "Here lies Eric Arthur Blair, born 25 June 1903, died 21 January 1950

AND I also ascertained from the same article why George was buried in Sutton Courtenay in the first place.   

 

"The churchyard is notable as the location of the burial place of Eric Arthur Blair, better known by his pen name, George Orwell. As a child he fished in a local stream. He wanted to be buried in the churchyard of whichever was the nearest church to where he died. However he died in London and none of the local churches had any space in their graveyards. Thinking that he might have to be cremated against his wishes, his widow asked her friends whether they knew of a church that had space for him. David Astor, a friend of Orwell's who lived in Sutton Courtenay, explained the problem to his local vicar, and arrangements were made".

I have also found George in the 1911 Census as a 7 year old schoolboy

Name     Eric Blair Relationship to Head of Household     Son Gender     Male Age    7 Estimated Year of Birth     1904 Occupation     School Place of Birth     Rotilesri Bengal India Nationality     British Subject Enumerator Information Address     22 Western Road Henley Parish     Henley Upon Thames Town     Henley Type of Building     Private House Number of Rooms     9 Inhabited     Yes Reference     RG14PN8046 RG78PN406 RD150 SD1 ED12 SN88 Administrative County     Oxfordshire Registration District     Henley Registration Sub District     Henley Enumeration District     12

The Last Day in May

My mum passed away this morning in Sheffield's Northern General Hospital - God Bless Her

Life at the moment

Photo from the local press. Mrs Hobbs has just come to remind me that my team Sheffield United have been relegated this season. It began woefully and went downhill from there. Some of the worst football that has been seen in Sheffield 2 since Wednesday last visited.  North of the border Clyde my "banker" for the Scottish Third Division Championship managed to come LAST  with 32 points, a full 34 points behind Abroath. they did manage to win 8 out of their 36 games.

And to cap it all Saamidd my ante-post bet for the Epsom Derby in June (a horse that Dettori said was like Pegasus) injured himself in the 2000 Guineas and now will not run for the forseeable future.

Oh and Nick Clegg has embraced the concept of "muscular liberalism"

No wonder I look so happy!

George Roe 1894 - 1915

Rather pleased that I have been able to add some further detail to the article
http://www.chrishobbs.com/georgeroe1915.htm
George was the first soldier from Sheffield to be executed by the British Army in the First World War, but it has been difficult to aquire further details of his life. Thankfully access to the 1911 Census and then the 1901 Census has meant that I have been able to trace his family. The fuller story can be found by following the link.
George was definitely born in 1894 and not 1896 as stated by the CWGC

But just after I posted this blog I discovered yet another soldier from Sheffield that had been executed by the British Army. His details are as follows

Private Harry Poole, 8534. 7th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Mr. A. Poole, of 9, Bernard St., Park, Sheffield. Killed 9 December 1916.
Buried CAVILLON COMMUNAL CEMETERY.

Name:     POOLE, HARRY
Nationality:           United Kingdom
Rank:                   Rifleman
Regiment/Service:Yorkshire Regiment
Unit Text:             7th Bn.
Date of Death:     09/12/1916
Service No:         8534
Additional information:     Son of Mr. A. Poole, of 9, Bernard St., Park, Sheffield.
Grave/Memorial Reference:     Near North-West corner.Cemetery:     CAVILLON COMMUNAL CEMETERY.

This discovery now brings the total executed who came from Sheffield to eight. 

George Ainley (1898 - 1918)

For a number of years I have had articles on my website that concern the execution of people from Sheffield by the British army. It has been a matter of adding bits of information and content to the articles as and when it becomes available. It is the one great advantage the web has over traditional printed matter. If you need to update a book you have to reprint it in its entirity.

The access to the 1911 census mentioned in my previous blog has made a harrowing article even more tragic if that is possible. The article in question is

http://www.chrishobbs.com/georgeainley1918.htm

It takes some believing - it is like "Saving Private Ryan" in reverse. "I know you have lost three sons Mrs Ainley, and that George is your only son that has survived childhood, but he is going to be executed because his military character is not good". It could only happen in Britain!  

The Tyler Family

After a lot of prevaracation on my part, I have eventually decided to subscribe for access to the 1911 Census. I have strong feelings about public-governement bodies charging for information and material that was provided freely by our ancestors. They never received any payment for the information, and neither have their descendents, and so why should the state profit!. They will of course point to the various costs involved but these costs have been more that recouped by the value of the information they have received.

Anyway I digress. When you are researching any census you are struck by the stories that lay behind the document. Take for instance the Tyler family. They are living for want of a better term in a two room back to back hovel in the heavily industrialised east end of Sheffield. The details are as follows

Enumerator Information
Address	2 Court 5 H Lovell St Sheffield
Parish	Sheffield
Town	Sheffield
Type of Building	Private House
Number of Rooms	2 Rooms
Inhabited	Y
Reference	RG14PN27971 RG78PN1599 RD510 SD6 ED12 SN85
Administrative County	Yorkshire (West Riding)
Registration District	Sheffield
Registration Sub District	East Brightside
Enumeration District	12

 

The census was taken on 2nd April 1911 but if anyone had told them that before the next five and a half years are up, they would be all killed by a bomb dropped by a German Zeppelin, they would have just looked at you with sheer incredulity. And yet that is exactly what happened. On 25th September 1916 the Tyler family now living in nearby Corby Street were wiped out by a bomb dropped by a Zeppelin

"In Corby Street (now Fred Mulley Road) a high explosive bomb demolished No 142 killing Selina (41) and Joseph Tyler (45) and their five children Joseph Henry (14),Ernest (11), Albert (8), Amelia (5) and John (2). The same bomb also killed 11 year old Richard Brewington of 134 Corby Street and fatally injured Martha Shakespeare of 143 Corby Street, who died later in the day in the Royal Infirmary, Infirmary Road".

It makes you reflect that no-one knows what life has got in store for them - never in a million years would the Tylers have thought in 1911 that they would all die together in an explosion the likes of which Sheffield had never seen before.

As a sad postscript the Tyler family were buried together on Saturday 30th September 1915 in Burngreave Cemetery Sheffield - the grave reference is E3 093 (Gen)

"The Times They Are a-Changin'"

I am now getting seriously worried. When people write, and then publish articles,books, pamphlets etc there is an expectation by the reader that the material in the narrative will at least bear some approximation to the truth. Unless of course there is a disclaimer at the end of the article which states that you, the reader, have just read a load of old baloney and you should not believe a word you have just read. Personally I would not be very happy at all about being "taken for a ride" and would in all probability let the writer know what I think of their lies, deceit and misrepresentation.

An example of what I mean can be seen in the following posters that were delivered to the Hill in April 2010

.

I was fervently hoping that "(liberal democrat) politicians would work for the people" and bringabout "change that works for you" but I am once again astounded by the duplicity and dishonesty of the politicians. But I suppose I could of misread the poster. When they said "We need a change" they were in one respect correct - we now have two parties in government and not just one. 

"It was the worst day that I had ever witnessed"

To put a bit of perspective on our current plight, I have just posted an article on my website that recounts Walter Hutchinson's life in June-July 1916. The term "unimaginable" comes to mind.

Who Do You Know?

I am getting rather worried now. My previous "musings" have mentioned Deputy Prime Minister Clegg on more than one occassion, the most recent being his "hawkish" stance in the NATO bombing of Libya. I would like to move onto different topics and areas of concern, but everytime I contemplate this, DPM Clegg delivers some more of his thoughts about the country and it's plight.

Yesterday it was his views on social mobility. This is the gist of what he said

"Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg says he wants to stop people getting on in life purely because of "who they know". As he launches the government's social mobility strategy, Mr Clegg said no-one should get an unfair advantage because their parents have "met somebody at the tennis club or the golf club".
He told the BBC: "Sadly, we still live in a country where, invariably, if you're born poor, you die poor. Just as if you go to a low-achieving school, you tend to end up in a low-achieving job."

Of course what DPM does not recognise is that his Conservative coalition partners have no interest whatsoever in improving social mobility, and never have had. A succession of Tory initiatives since 1979 have focused on ensuring that the "old order" is restored and then maintained. Even in the last few months the Coalition government have gleefully announced draconian increases in tuition fees and and scrapping the Education Maintenance Allowance. These measures have in effect  erected major financial barriers for those people from low and average-income backgrounds who would aspire to "improve" their station in life. They act as a brake on social mobility rather than enhancing it.

Of course the people of Crookes (Sheffield) have no chance as the Crookes Golf Club and the Crookes Tennis Centre have still to make an appearance. And so we are stumped according to DPM Clegg's analysis. 

In my belief, one of the bedrocks of British society is class. It permeates every strata and section of society and is deeply etched in the nation's psyche. The Tory party is above all a party built on class and the "natural order" and believe me it has no intentions of initiating radical and far reaching measures to improve social mobility. If fact it will do its damnest to ensure that this country will remain "a land fit for toffs to live in"

As the noted French political thinker Alexis de Tocqueville once said t
The surface of society is covered with a layer of democratic paint, but from time to time one can see the old aristocratic colors breaking through."

Given the scale and the vehemence of this coalition's attack on the "ordinary people" of this country, I feel the "paint "will become thinner and more worn within a matter of months rather than years.    

  Photo taken in London May 2015

Note It is a fact that although just 7% of people attend private/independent schools, they account for 70% of High Court Judges and 54% of CEOs of FTSE 100 companies. Perhaps DPM Clegg would like to analyse how this situation has arisen, and what is he going to do about it. Anyone for Tennis!! 

Update on the situation in Libya

I received an e-mail from on Saturday from Deputy Leader Clegg who is sounding a bit too much "Churchillian" for my liking.

Subject:   Update on the situation in Libya From:   "Nick Clegg MP" <LIBDEMSFEDERAL@emarketing.etelligent.uk.com> Date:   Sat, March 19, 2011 2:28 am To:   chrishl@chrishobbs.com

Dear friend,

As you will have seen in the news our coalition government has successfully led
efforts in the UN Security Council to agree a ‘no-fly zone’ across Libya.

Colonel Gaddafi’s treatment of his own people has been brutal, savage and wholly
unacceptable. We have worked with Libya’s regional neighbours, especially the Arab
League, and countries across the globe, to secure a resolution in UN Security
Council. This resolution will allow us to act lawfully in deploying our forces to
up-hold a ‘no-fly zone’ in Libya.

The Prime Minister gave a statement yesterday, which you can read here
http://www.etelligent.uk.com/etelligent/mp-getURL.asp?SOID=545&CC=LIBDEMSFEDERAL&CID=163319&CEMAIL=chrishl@chrishobbs.com&LID=4413&SEID=2056&T=0&FRM=2 And on Monday we will have a full debate in the House of Commons, followed by a vote. In addition we will be publishing a summary of the legal advice of the Attorney-General. That is the right approach. This is a coalition government that will act decisively to protect innocent lives and uphold universal human rights. But one which will do so working with, not against, international law and the international community. Best wishes, Nick Clegg MP Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Liberal Democrats

But apart from the tone of this mail, what worries me most is that he calls "Gaddafi’s treatment of his own people has been brutal, savage and wholly unacceptable". Well you can say that about half the countries in this world of ours, but it seems that only Libya warrants the attentions of the Coalition - I wonder why?
And also I don't know where he gets this notion that his "government that will act decisively to protect innocent lives and uphold universal human rights". Judging by the repeated actions of his government, the protection and security of its citizens,and their human rights come a poor second to the demands of pursuing draconian economic policies that succor the rich and wealthy,and punish the poor and dispossessed. It is a shame that I can't get a UN resolution to impose a "no-bluster zone" on the outpourings of this coalition government of ours. I am sure it would be welcomed by all shades of opinion, both at home and abroad 

A NEW BRITAIN

 

The Conservatives are not alone in the field of announcements and promises. In the interests of balance (and apologies once again for the poster) I have attached on from 1997 and the NEW Labour Party. This announcement by Tony Blair is also rich in vision and promise - "to build a nation with pride in itself, rich in economic prosperity, secure in social justice, confident in political change"

Thirteen years later I think we can safely say that paradise has definitely been put on hold. - those who are looking for jam tomorrow are getting perturbed In many respects you could argue that New Labour achieved the opposite of what it set out to do - a bitterly divided and corrupt nation, economic meltdown, social injustice and a stagnant political system that is long past its sell-by date. But that is the nature of life, you set out with good intentions but someone/something always comes along and scuppers it - in my case I had the double whammy of Thatcher and Blair. 

Sheffield loses another of her sturdy citizens

I came across this obituary the other month dated 23rd July 1895 for a Mr John Watts, What struck me was the language employed by the writer
"Sheffield loses another of her sturdy citizens - men who by their enterprise, integrity and business aptitude have helped to build up the prosperity of the city and the character of its inhabitants. Mr Watts was a typical Sheffielder. He had a generous hand and a kindly heart, and his genial personality and hospitality were known to many"  .
The language bears a strong resemblance to that being uttered by members of the Coalition government, In fact their "growth strategy" is based around enterprise, integrity and business acumen, The only problem is that this type of person has been on the "endangered species" for many years. In fact you can argue he is heading for extinction. (as is the "typical Sheffielder" mentioned in the article).
According to the writer, it was people like John Watts who helped to build the prosperity of the city and the character of its inhabitants.but these are just a few of the incidents that were taking place in Sheffield towards the end of John's life

http://www.chrishobbs.com/sheffield2/distress1878.htm
http://www.chrishobbs.com/sheffield/arthurcoleman.htm
http://www.chrishobbs.com/smallpoxsheffield1887.htm
If this is prosperity the writer talks about I would want no part of it - late nineteenth century Britain for the majority of people was a living hell where squalor, poverty, disease and cruelty were commonplace. I hope that the current Coalition government are not hankering for a return to the good old days! .