The Gandy Brothers – Charles Leighton

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Bilston, Caledonian Street, Charles Gandy, Grove Street, India, Midland Counties Express, Newbolt Road, postman, Silver War Badge, St Luke's Church, Stourbridge, Warwickshire

The third Gandy brother mentioned in the Midland Counties Express is Charles Leighton, The article states that his address was 14 Caledonian Street, Bilston, and that, like his brother Francis, he was also a postman. He had served 12 years in India with the 1st South Staffordshire Regiment, had been in receipt of a pension, but had rejoined his old regiment in August 1915. In May 1912, he was appointed as a postman in Bilston.

Charles was born in Stourbridge in 1877. He was a clothes folder in 1891. He married Maud Elizabeth Goodridge on 29 October 1904 at St Luke’s Church, Wolverhampton, and they had four children – Florence Maud (1905), Annie Charlotte (1906), Francis Leighton (1908), Gladys Hilda (1910) and Irene (1912). In 1911, he was lodging with William James Shirley at Coventry Road, Meriden, in Warwickshire, as a labourer, while his wife and children were at 19 Grove Street, Wolverhampton.

On 17 May 1915, he attested for the South Staffordshire Regiment (service number 18926). On 1 July 1917, he was discharged from the Army, having reached the rank of Corporal, as being “no longer physically fit for War Service”. He received the Silver War Badge (number 247315) on 8 September 1917. Charles died in Bilston on 18 January 1937 (by which date his address was 9 Newbolt Road, Bilston), and left effects to the value of £50.

The Gandy Brothers – Francis

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Ashland Street, Battle of Mons, Dudley Road Council School, Francis Gandy, Glasgow, King Street, Midland Counties Express, postman, Quarter Sessions, reformatory school, Silver War Badge, theft, Worcestershire Regiment, Yorkshire

Following yesterday’s post, the second brother to feature in the Midland Counties Express is Francis Gandy. The article states that he was a former postman who was married, was serving with the 3rd Worcestershire Regiment and had been wounded at Mons.

Francis was born in Glasgow on 29 January 1884. When the family moved back to Wolverhampton, he attended Dudley Road Board School. On 20 October 1899, he was convicted at Wolverhampton Borough Quarter Sessions of “feloniously stealing two gold rings” to the value of 30 shillings from a shop belonging to John Valentine Player, a watch-maker and jeweller at 5 King Street. One of the depositions at the trial came from a pawnbroker by the name of Robert Westworth, where Francis’s associate, George Williams, had tried to pawn one of the rings. When Francis was arrested in possession of the rings, he claimed he had found them in the Park. After hearing the depositions, he asked to be tried and “give me a good birching”. Because of his three previous convictions for theft between 1898 and 1899 (his character was described as “Bad. An associate of reputed thieves”), he was instead sent to East Moor Community Home School, a reformatory school in Yorkshire, until he reached the age of 19.

He became a postman in June 1909, and by 1911 he was living at 10 Ashland Street, Wolverhampton, together with his wife, Elizabeth (whom he married in 1910) and son Maurice. He served in the Worcestershire Regiment (number 8134) from 12 August 1914. He became sick, and was discharged on 20 October 1916, being awarded the Silver War Badge (number 24865) on 7 February 1917. He died in Wolverhampton in 1958.

 

The Gandy Brothers – James Henry

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Ashland Street, Cobden Street, Glasgow, James Gandy, Midland Counties Express, South Staffordshire Regiment, Star Engineering Company, Whittington Barracks

The Midland Counties Express of 9 October 1915, spoke proudly of the five sons of a Mrs Gandy, of 15 Ashland Street, Wolverhampton, who were all serving in the army. These were the sons of Annie Gandy. Their father’s name variously appears as William Francis, Crighton or Laighton/Leighton Gandy.  In 1891, the family were living in Glasgow, but had moved back to Wolverhampton by 1901. Due to the amount of information for each one, they will be featured in separate blog posts over the next few days, beginning with James Henry:

The article states that J. H. Gandy was a 22-year-old reservist working for the Star Engineering Company. When war broke out he rejoined the 1st South Staffordshire Regiment.

James Henry was born in Wolverhampton in 1892. In 1901, he and John were the only brothers still living with their parents at 21 Cobden Street, Wolverhampton. By 1911, he was with the South Staffordshire Regiment (service number 8770) at Whittington Barracks.

He disembarked with the British Expeditionary Force on 10 November 1914. He later joined the 9th Training Reserve Battalion (number 192612). In 1917, he married Faith Bentley in Wolverhampton.

James survived the war, and the couple had four children – Faith (1918), James H. (1920), Ronald (1923) and Iris (1926). James died in Wolverhampton in 1962.

Arthur Jubilee Goodreid

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Arthur Goodreid, Bank Street, Bilston, Bradley, Canal Road, France, Greenaway's, Midland Counties Express, South Staffordshire Regiment

Arthur was born in Bilston on 14 April 1887, the son of Edward and Maria Goodreid. In 1901 they were living at 7 Canal Road, Bilston, along with Arthur’s siblings Edward and Florence. By 1911, they were living at Bakers Cottage, Bank Street, Bradley, Bilston, with Arthur’s cousin, William Edward Goodreid, and Arthur was an ironworker. At some point, he worked at Greenaway’s in Bradley.

In January 1915, he enlisted in the 3rd Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment (number 16820), and was later transferred to the 1st Battalion. He was killed in action in France on 25 September 1915, and his death was noted in the Midland Counties Express on 6 November 1915. He is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, as well as on the Bradley Memorial in Bilston.

 

The Davies Brothers

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Bilston, France, George Davies, Horseley Fields, Hospital Stret, Jonah Davies, Leicestershire Regiment, Manchester, Midland Counties Express, Sherwood Foresters, Smith Street, South Staffordshire Regiment, William Davies

The Midlands Counties Express of 6 November 1915 included the photographs of three young brother serving their country, sons of Mr & Mrs Davies of 21 Hospital Street, Bilston:

• Private William, 8th Leicester Regiment
• Private George, 18th Sherwoods (Notts and Derby)
• Private Jonah, 2nd South Staffords, who had been at the front for several months and was wounded and gassed.

They were all the sons of Peter and Rosannah Davies, who were living at 21 Smith Street, Bilston in 1901, and at 2 Hospital Street, Bilston, in 1911.

William Frank was born in Wolverhampton in 1894. By 1911, he was a helper in a foundry works. There is a William Davies in the 8th Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment (service number 17957), who was killed in action on 15 Jul 1916. His next of kin is given as his wife, Alice, so I cannot confirm whether this is the same man.

George Henry was born in 1895. By 1911, his and Jonah’s name were included on the household census entry, but then crossed out with the word “dead” next to it. However, as I have been unable to find confirmation of their death, and as they are clearly mentioned as serving in the army in the newspaper article, this is obviously an anomaly. There is a George Henry Davies living with his uncle, George William Crane, at 166 Horseley Fields, Wolverhampton, but I’m not sure whether this is the same man. I have not been able to confirm details of his military service, either. However, there is a George H. Davies who died in Wolverhampton in 1916. He does not appear on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, so if this is him, his death was not due to his war service.

Jonah was born in Manchester on 4 April 1896, although I have not been able to confirm this. He served in the South Staffordshire Regiment (first service number 9144, and later 61638). He first served in France from 23 March 1915, and was promoted from Private to Corporal. He appears to have survived the war, but I have not been able to confirm further details of his life.

 

George Augustus Carless

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Brickkiln Street, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, France, George Carless, Greece, Lion Inn, Lowe Street, Portobello, Willenhall

Following our recent appeal for information, we have been able to find out more about George Augustus Carless, who mistakenly appeared on the First World War Roll of honour as “Careless”.

George was born in 1890, and baptised on 6 Feb 1890 at St Stephen’s Church, Willenhall, the son of Samuel & Mary Ellen Carless. Samuel was a Wheelwright and they lived at Upper Lichfield Street. In 1891 Census he was living with parents and 5 siblings in Upper Lichfield Street, but by 1901 George, his parents and 6 siblings were at the Lion Inn, 46 Brickkiln Street, Portobello, Willenhall. His father Samuel was now a Beerhouse Keeper. By 1911, George, his parents and remaining 2 siblings were at 143 Lowe Street, Wolverhampton. By this date, George was working as a Wood Machinist at a Furniture Factory.

George enlisted at Birmingham as a Private in the 2nd Battalion of the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry (service number 13622), and he first served in France from 24 August 1915. He died on 24 October 1918 in Salonika, Greece, although there does not appear to be any further detail about the circumstances surrounding his death. He is buried at the Mikra British Cemetery in Kalamaria.

 

Joseph Holmes

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Arabia, Bilston Road, Blakenhall, Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Joseph Holmes, Midland Counties Express, Sherwood Street, South Africa, South Staffordshire Regiment, St Luke's Church

The son of Joseph and Georgina Holmes, Joseph was born in Wolverhampton in 1889. His mother died in 1899, so by 1901 Joseph was living with his widowed father and siblings Edith, William, Daisy and Dora at 261 Bilston Road, Wolverhampton. He enlisted with the 1st Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment (number 7853), so by 1911 he was a Lance-Corporal in the army, stationed at Arabia, Cyprus and Gibraltar.

When war broke out, he was in South Africa. After spending a short leave with his brother, Police Constable Holmes who lived at Sherwood Street, Wolverhampton, he went to France in 1914. He was promoted to Company Quartermaster-Sergeant, but he died from wounds received in action on 28 September 1915 at the 3rd General Hospital, Le Treport. He is buried at Le Treport Military Cemetery, and remembered on the St Luke’s Church memorial in Blakenhall. The Midland Counties Express on 9 October 1915 stated that his brother, who was in the retreat from Mons, had had the chance to see him in hospital before his death.

John Thomas Harris

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Balkans, Bradmore, Egypt, Gallipoli, John Harris, Midland Counties Express, South Staffordshire Regiment, Sunbeam Motor Company, Trysull Road, Walsall

The son of Henry and Ann Harris, John was born in Walsall in 1868. In 1891, he was a general labourer living with his parents at 442 Old Pleck Road, Walsall, along with his siblings Annie and Lizzie. He later moved to apartments in Trysull Road, Bradmore, Wolverhampton, and worked at the “Finishing” Department at Sunbeam Motor Works.

On the outbreak of war, he enlisted in the 7th Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment (number 9785). He first served in the Balkans from 21 July 1915. However, he was wounded at Gallipoli and died of his wounds on 8 September 1915. An article in the Midland Counties Express on 9 October 1915 stated that he was “a splendid soldier, always willing to assist in any undertaking, no matter how difficult it might be.” He is commemorated in the Alexandria (Chatby) Military and War Memorial Cemetery in Egypt.

Gilbert Falconbridge

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Army Service Corps, Cardiff Street, Gilbert Falconbridge, Great Western Railway, Lancashire, Penn

The son of Frederick William and Florence Falconbridge, Gilbert was born in Worthington, Lancashire, on 9 July 1898. By 1911, he had moved with his parents to 35 Cardiff Street, Wolverhampton, along with his siblings Harold, Dorris, Marion, Rosabella, and Frances. On 19 August 1919 he began work as an engine cleaner for the Great Western Railway, but he left voluntarily a day later.

Gilbert’s name is listed on the Penn Road war memorial, but, unlike his brother Harold, he served and survived the war. I have found what I believe to be his Medal Roll Index card, which indicates that he served as a Driver with the Army Service Corps (number T4/243292).

Gilbert married Alice A. Holden in Wolverhampton in 1925. The couple had a daughter, Beryl J., in 1926. Gilbert died in Wolverhampton in 1980.

Horace Cartwright

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Horace Cartwright, Merry Hill, Owen Road, Penn, Trysull Road

Horace was born in Wolverhampton in 1897, the son of Edward B. and Elizabeth Cartwright. In 1901, they were living at 29 Owen Road, Wolverhampton, along with Horace’s siblings Catherine A., Sidney, William H., Gertrude, Bertram, Edward and Grace. By 1911, they were at Red House, Trysull Road, Merry Hill, and Horace had become an apprentice carpenter.

Horace’s name is listed on the Penn Road war memorial, so he served in the army during the First World War, but was not killed. I have not, however, been able to confirm further details of his military service. He appears to have married Gladys L. Sadler in 1923, but I could not find any records of any children.