Tags
football, France, Graham Gardner, Higher Grade School, Molineux Hotel, Newhampton Road East, Old Church Football Club, South Staffordshire Regiment, sport, swimming, Wolverhampton Chronicle
Wolverhampton Chronicle 20 October 1915
The son of Henry and Cecilia Gardner, Dudley, known mainly as Graham, was born in Wolverhampton in 1893. In 1906, his mother remarried a Harry Dews, so Graham and his brother Laurence were living with their mother and step-father at 212 Newhampton Road East, Wolverhampton, in 1911. Graham was working as a locksmith.
According to the article that appeared in the Wolverhampton Chronicle on 20 October 1915, Graham was a prominent sportsman in Wolverhampton. Whilst at the Higher Grade School he competed in school swimming championships in 1907 and 1908, along with Wolverhampton championships. He also played for a number of seasons with Old Church Football Club. A similar notice about him appeared in the Midland Counties Express on 16 December 1916, amongst other “Old Boys” of the Higher Grade School.
He enlisted in the 3rd Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment in August 1914. During his training he was promoted to sergeant, but in order to get to the Front sooner he relinquished a stripe to join the 2nd Battalion. He was drafted to France on 4 May 1915. His actions on the field soon earned him promotion to sergeant again. He was killed in action on 25 September 1915, ordering his men to “Follow the officers.” Two photographs of him with his football team (including one photograph taken at the rear of our building, the Molineux Hotel), feature in Roy Hawthorne & Jim Dowdall’s book, Images of Wolverhampton, although no further details about him are included. He is commemorated on the Loos Memorial in France.
Wolverhampton's War 
I am pretty sure this is Dudley Henry Graham Gardner born 1893 Wolverhampton.
His father is Henry Gardner a Draper from Yorkshire, mother Cecelia Gardner nee Turner born Wolverhampton. They were living in Queen Street in one census then his father died
His mother remarried 1906 a lock manufacturer Harry Dews. Graham is working as a locksmith 1911.
Hello:
I am currently researching this family and was wondering what your sources were for this person being Dudley Henry Graham Gardner? Any help on this greatly appreciated.
Michelle
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