The Lees family

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Aldersley Road, Arthur Lees, Bertie Lees, France, George Green, Hussars, James Lees, Midland Counties Express, Royal Army Service Corps, South Staffordshire Regiment, Staffordshire Yeomanry, Tettenhall, William Mears

This image appeared in the Midland Counties Express on 11 December 1915, showing three sons of Mr and Mrs Lees of 122 Aldersley Road, Tettenhall, along with a son-in-law and “a young man who resides with the family”:

• Private Bert Lees, 27 years old, serving with the 1st/6th South Staffords, was wounded in France and was in hospital in Norwich
• Private James Lees (aged 21) and Private Arthur Lees (aged 19), both in the Staffordshire Yeomanry
• Private William Mears, who lived with the family, in the 2nd/6th South Staffordshire Regiment
• Driver George Green (son-in-law), was in France with the Transport section.

These were the sons of Thomas and Mary Ann Lees, who were already at 122 Aldersley Road in 1911, with children William, Thomas, Bert, Florence, James, Harold, Arthur and Freddie.

Bertie was born in Wolverhampton in 1886. He was an errand boy in 1901 and an unemployed general labourer in 1911. On 8 October 1914, he enlisted with the 6th Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment (number 3181), by which trade his occupation was given as barman. He attained the rank of Corporal but was admonished and later reverted to the ranks for two instances of absenteeism from Himley in January 1915. In 1917 he married Hilda Addison in Wolverhampton, and the couple had seven children – Hilda M. (1918), Rose (1919), Alber H. (1921), Florence (1923), Ada (1926), Violet (1928) and Frederick (1929). Bertie survived the war.

James was born in Wolverhampton in 1892. He was a billiard marker at a public house in 1911. He enlisted first with the Staffordshire Yeomanry (number 3234), and served in Egypt from 10 November 1915. He later transferred to the Corps of Hussars (number 300519), before he was disembodied on 10 April 1919. I have been unable to confirm further details of his life.

Arthur was born on 12 July 1895, and was a gardener at an iron foundry in 1911. Like his brother James, he served with the Staffordshire Yeomary (number 3238) in Egypt from 10 November 1915 and later transferred to the Corps of Hussars (number 300523). He was disembodied on 3 July 1919. He died in Wolverhampton in 1976, but I have been unable to confirm further details of his life.

I am able to confirm that William Thomas Mears served with the South Staffordshire Regiment (number 9265), but I am unable to confirm further details about him. He certainly was not living with the family in 1911.

It was initially tricky to find out which of the Lees daughters George Green married. However, it appears that Kate Lees married William Anslow in Wolverhampton in 1904. Her husband died in Walsall in 1906 at the age of 24, and she remarried, to George Green, on 24 November 1906 at Wolverhampton Registry Office. The couple were living at 92 Aldersley Road in 1911, with their two children, George Leslie and John William. They had a daughter, Katie Elizabeth, in 1913. George Green enlisted with the Army Service Corps (number 144254) on 25 October 1915, by which date he was a horse driver. He served in France, until he was demobilisted on 25 May 1919.

Bertram Harry or Henry Edwards

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Aldersley Lane, Aldersley Road, Bertram Edwards, Canada, Canadian Infantry, France, Lincolnshire Regiment, St Michael and All Angels Church, Tettenhall, Wrottesley

Bertram was born in Tettenhall, Wolverhampton on 7 January 1893, the son of George Henry and Sarah Jane Edwards. In 1901, they were livint at 16 Aldersley Lane, Wrottesley, together with Bertram’s siblings Charles B., Frank Samuel, Harriet A. and Harry. By 1911, only Frank, Bertram and Harry were still living with their parents, at Aldersley Road, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton. Bertram was a butcher.

He served in the 19th Lincolnshire Regiment, but on 4 August 1915, he enlisted with the 76th Overseas Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (service number 141664), so presumably he emigrated to Canada at some point. By this date, his trade was listed as boiler maker. He married Rose Breedon in Lincoln, Ontario, Canada, on 1 September 1915.

Bertram received a gun shot wound to his left shoulder in 1916, and was discharged from that Battalion, being transferred to the 4th Canadian Reserve Battalion. On 17 May 1917, he had recovered so was transferred to the 1st Battalion, serving in France. On 8 October 1918, he died, having received gunshot wounds in both thighs. He is buried at the Etaples Military Cemetery in France, and is remembered on the war memorial at St Michael & All Angels Church in Tettenhall.

Thomas Montague Garner

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Aldersley Road, Bilston, France, London Gazette, Military Medal, Oxford Street, South Staffordshire Regiment, St Michael and All Angels Church, Tettenhall, Thomas Garner

Thomas was born in Wolverhampton in 1891, the brother of John Garner. By 1911, he was a visitor at the home of Martin Cunniffe, of 181 Oxford Street, Bilston. Thomas was a labourer on the railways. In 1915, he married Mary A. Reynolds in Wolverhampton, but the couple do not appear to have had any children.

In August 1914, Thomas enlisted with the 1st/6th Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment (number 2746 and later 240480). He first served in France on 5 March 1915. He was promoted to Serjeant, and later awarded the Military Medal (the third Tettenhall man to receive it), as noted in the London Gazette on 13 November 1918. He received it for digging out one of his men who had been buried by a heavy shell, while he was himself under heavy shell fire. Unfortunately, he was himself killed in action on 21 August 1918. His commanding officer wrote to his wife at 80 Aldersley Road, Tettenhall, stating that “He was my bravest sergeant, and did not know what fear was. He repeatedly did acts of bravery, and was a grand example to his platoon.” His death was reported in the Express & Star on 7 September 1918. The article mentioned that his brother, J. E. Garner, was also serving at the front. He is remembered at Fouquieres Churchyard Extension in France, as well as on the war memorial at St Michael and All Angels Church, Tettenhall. Further details about both brothers are available here.

 

Ernest Thomason (Aug 1900)

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Aldersley Road, Ernest Thomason, Leicestershire Regiment, Lower Street, Tettenhall

Ernest was born in Wolverhampton on 28 August 1900, the son of Henry and Elizabeth Thomason. In 1901, he was living at 88 Lower Street, Tettenhall, together with his parents, siblings George, Alfred, Frank and Amy, and step-brother Henry Rowley. BY 1911 they were at 47 Lower Street.

On 11 September 1918, at the age of 18 years and 14 days, Ernest enlisted in the 53rd Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment (number 62467). His address by this time was given as 50 Aldersley Road, Tettenhall, and his trade was “Bread Deliverer”. He was discharged on 18 March 1920.

He married Elsie Elkin in Wolverhampton in 1923, and the couple went on to have four children – Ernest, Elsie, John and Patricia – between 1924 and 1943. Ernest died in Wolverhampton in 1972.

George Henry Venables

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Aldersley Road, George Venables, Military Police, Park Brewery Street, Tettenhall

George Henry Venables was born in 1884 in Wolverhampton, the son of James and Sarah Ann Venables. In 1901 he was living with his parents and sister Florrie in Park Brewery Street. He married Clara Wesley in 1904, and they went on to have seven children – George Henry, Vivian Wilfred, Gladys Florence, Jessie May, Archie James, Constance Mary and Mabel J. – between 1904 and 1917. By 1911, he was living at 116 Aldersley Road, Tettenhall, together with his wife Clara, son Vivian Wilfred, and daughters Gladys Florence and Jessie May. His occupation was a bricklayer.

George enlisted in the army on 9 November 1915, by which date his address was 9 November 1915. He joined the 18th Battalion of the Military Police and was later transferred to the Military Mounted Police. He was demobilised on 7 July 1920 when he suffered a broken ankle, and was awarded a weekly sum of 8/- for himself and 10/8d for his wife and children until further notice.

John Thomas Rotton

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Aldersley Road, Beacon Street, John Rotton, Royal Engineers

John Thomas Rotton was born in Wolverhampton in 1895, the son of George and Mary Ann Rotton (nee Jones). In 1901, John was living at 34 Aldersley Road, not with his parents (who were at number 33), but with his grandparents William and Elizabeth Jones, and his brother William. By 1911, John was living with his parents at 62 Aldersley Road, along with his five sisters (Lilian, Lucy, Daisy, Florence Beatrice, and Elizabeth Rose) and three brothers (William, Charles and Alfred).

John enlisted in the Royal Engineers on 11 December 1915, aged 20 years (no 146097). By this date, his trade was listed as “bricklayer”. He was 5 ft 6 and weighed 111 lbs. He married Edith Jane Russon on 22 January 1916 at Wolverhampton Registry Office, and the couple moved to 73 Beacon Street, Springfield. A daughter, Winifred May, was born on 30 June 1916.

John became a Sapper in the Royal Engineers. After his training he embarked on the SS Royal George to Salonica, arriving on 22 October 1916. He had a number of hospital stays including one for tapeworm in December 1916 and January 1917, and rejoined his company on 4 February 1917. I have not been able to track down his death record, but he does appear to have survived the war.

Morris Christopher

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Aldersley Road, Blakenhall, British Red Cross, Caledonia Terrace, Church Road, Cleveland House Hostel, Dudley, Dudley Street, Emily Barker, Freemasons, James Baker & Sons, Morris Christopher, Oxley Park Golf Club, Queen Street Congregational Church, South Staffordshire Joint Smallpox Hospitals Board, Steelhouse Lane, Tettenhall, the Staffordshire Mental Hospital Board, Voluntary Aid Detachment, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Dudley Joint Committee for Tuberculosis, Wolverhampton Borough Council, Wolverhampton Patriotic Committee, Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club

Morris Christopher c. 1934

Morris Christopher was born in Walsall in 1871, the son of Morris and Percilla [sic] Christopher. According to the 1881 census, the couple were living at Oxford Street, Walsall, together with Morris’s siblings Alice and Thomas. By 1891 the family had moved to Caledonia Terrace, in Wolverhampton.

Morris started working for the shoemakers James Baker & Sons at their shop in Dudley Street. He married Emily Barker in Wolverhampton in 1895. He was promoted and moved to the Dudley branch, and he and his wife were living at 44 High Street, Dudley, in 1891. By 1911, they were back in Wolverhampton, at Caledonian House, 172 Steelhouse Lane, Blakenhall.

As he was 43 when the First World War broke out, he did not enlist, and instead became Treasurer to the Wolverhampton Corporation and Secretary to Wolverhampton Patriotic Committee. He received numerous medals for his commandment of Stafford No 33 St John’s Voluntary Aid Detachment, where he supervised the transportation of the wounded. He served with the British Red Cross from the outbreak of war, supervising orderlies and transport work. His wife, Emily, died on 10 February 1915, and he remarried to Sarah Louise Evans in 1918. His father, then of Aldersley Road, Tettenhall, died shortly after the War broke out on 15 August 1914. He left behind effects totalling £782 5 s. 7d.

Christopher was elected President of Oxley Park Golf Club, and he annually presented a golfing competition cup named in his honour. He gave support to Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club and was a member of Dudley Swimming Club. In 1921 he was elected to Wolverhampton Council as a Liberal member, representing St James’ Ward. Christopher represented the Council on the South Staffordshire Joint Smallpox Hospitals Board, the Staffordshire Mental Hospital Board, Wolverhampton and Dudley Joint Committee for Tuberculosis as well as Cleveland House Hostel. He also became Chairman to the Parks & Cemeteries Committee and the Director of South Staffordshire Permanent Building Society. Christopher was a member of the Prince of Wales Lodge of Freemasons and was elected as Mayor in 1934 and three years later he became Alderman. Christopher died aged seventy-one on the 4th September 1942 at his home ‘The Bungalow’, Church Road, Tettenhall. His funeral at Queen Street Congregational Church was followed by cremation at Perry Barr. He left behind effects totalling £4930 8s. 6d.