Arthur Waller

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Arthur Waller, Bank Street, Bilston, Bradley, France, Hall Green Street, South Staffordshire Regiment

Arthur was born in Wolverhampton in 1895, the son of Mary J. and Thomas Waller. In 1901 they were living at 33 Bank Street, Bilston, along with Arthur’s siblings Walter J., Albert, Gertrude, Florence, Thomas, William and Mary. They were living at 15 Hall Green Street, Bradley, by 1911, and Arthur was working as a brass trade polisher.

Arthur enlisted as a Private in the 2nd Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment (number 17089). He first served in France from 25 May 1915, but was wounded and died on 29 May 1916. He is buried in the Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery in France, and commemorated on the Bilston Town Hall Ward Roll of Honour.

Richard Bird

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Bank Street, Bilston, Bradley, British Red Cross, Richard Bird, Sedgley, Wolverhampton General Hospital

Richard was born in Sedgley on 20 April 1874. In 1895, he married Louisa Rudge in Wolverhampton, and they were living at 59 Bank Street, Bradley, Bilston, by 1901, with their daughter, Violet. Richard was working as a boot maker. They had a son, Lawrence, by 1911, and were living at 14 Bank Street, with Richard working as a boot repairer.

He was still at that address in 1915, when he began working as an orderly for the Military Section of the Wolverhampton and South Staffs General Hospital. He does not appear to have done any military service, but served instead with the British Red Cross. He served in this capacity until May 1919.

They were still at 14 Bank Street by 1939. Richard died in Wolverhampton in 1959.

The Hudson Brothers

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Bank Street, Deanery Row, Harold Hudson, Harry Hudson, Heath Town, Herbert Hudson, John Hudson, Midland Counties Express, Navigation Street, Park Village, Royal Field Artillery, South Staffordshire Regiment, Sutherland Place, Worcestershire Regiment

On 6 November 1915, the Midland Counties Express printed the photographs above of the sons of Mrs Hudson of 31 Dartmouth Street, Wolverhampton:

• Private Harry, 2/6th South Staffordshires, who had joined in May and was 19
• Private Harold, of the 3rd Worcesters, who was 29. He had been missing since March
• Farrier-sergeant John, Royal Field Artillery, who served in the Boer War (receiving two medals) and had been at the front since the war began
• Driver Herbert, Royal Artillery, aged 24, had been in France five months and was in South Africa when war broke out.

These were the sons of John and Mary T. Hudson, who were living at 11 Deanery Row in 1891, and at 54 Navigation Street in 1901.

Harry was born in 1898. He was the only one of the sons still living with his parents in 1911, at Court 4, Sutherland Place. The 14-year-old Harry was an errand boy for a fruiterer’s. I have not been able to confirm details of his military service or details of his , although he did survive the war.

Harold Edward was born in Wolverhampton in 1886. By 1901 he was a striker at the Edge Tool Works. Harold married Lucy Clift in Wolverhampton in 1906, and by 1911 they were living at 51 Bank Street, Park Village, Heath Town, and Harold was now a railway Carriage Cleaner. From 12 August 1914, Harold served with the 3rd Worcestershire Regiment (service number 7405). However, he was killed in action on 12 March 1915. He is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, as well as on that at Heath Park.

John was born in Wolverhampton in 1884. Like his brother Harold, he was a Striker at the Edge Tool Works in 1901. I have not been able to confirm details of his military service or further details of his life.

Herbert was born in 1891, but again I have not been able to confirm any further details.

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.

 

Henry Williams

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Bank Street, Belgium, Field Street, France, Henry Williams, Midland Counties Express, Park Village, South Africa, South Staffordshire Regiment, Springfields

Henry was born in Wolverhampton in 1874, the son of Evan and Frances Williams. He married Harriet Eccleshall in Wolverhampton in 1906, and the couple had five children – Joseph, Nellie, Mary Jane, Harriet I. and Harry B. In 1911, they were living at 28 Field Street, Springfields, Wolverhampton, and Henry (now known as Harry) was a maltster labourer for a brewery. They later lived at 10 Bank Street, Park Village.

Having served in the South African War, Henry rejoined the 8th Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment at the outbreak of war (number 118923), rising to become a Corporal. He first served in France from 15 July 1915. He died on 12 October 1917 in Belgium. His medal card states that he died of wounds, but the account in the Midland Counties Express states that he was killed in action. He is remembered at the Tyne Cot Memorial.

William Edmund Norman Baker

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Bank Street, Bilston, Coseley, France, March End, Prince of Wales Own (West Yorkshire) Regiment, Wednesfield, William Baker

William was born in Coseley in 1899, the son of John and Mary Ann Baker, and christened on 6 April 1899. He was living with his parents at 171 March End, Wednesfield, in 1901, along with siblings Dorothy May, Harold, and John Rowland. By 1911, William was living with his step-father Thomas Elton, mother and siblings at 8 Bank Street, Bilston. William was a galvanizer.

William (now known as Norman), enlisted in the 15th/17th Battalion of the Prince of Wales’s Own (West Yorkshire) Regiment (number 60708). He was killed in action in France on 20 October 1918. He is remembered at the Nechin Communal Cemetery in Belgium, as well as on the Bradley Memorial.

Alfred Cheeseman

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Alfred Cheeseman, Bank Street, France, Heath Town, Heath Town Church Choir, J. Evans and Sons, Park Village, South Staffordshire Regiment, St Faith's School, Wednesfield

The son of William Henry and Mary Ann Cheeseman, Alfred was born in Wolverhampton in 1897, and was christened in Wednesfield on 10 March the same year.In 1901, they were living at 21 Bank Street, Heath Town, together with his brother Isaac and sister Hilda. Alfred is listed here as “Arthur”. Alfred attended St Faith’s School in Park Village. Later he worked at the Heath Town pump manufacturers J. Evans and Sons, as well as being a member of the Heath Town Church Choir.

He enlisted with the 6th Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment (service number 1997), and became a member of the machine gun section. He served in France and first entered the Theatre of War on 5 March 1915. On 24 November 1915, he died of wounds. He is now buried at the Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery in Souchez, France.  His death was mentioned in the Wolverhampton Chronicle on 5 January 1916. He is commemorated on the Heath Park war memorial.

George Thomas Greasley

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Bank Street, Bilston, Bradley, Dudley Street, George Greasley, Sankey Street, Weldless Steel Tube Company Ltd

George Greasley was born in Bradley, near Bilston, on 14 January 1899. In 1901 the 2-year-old George was listed as a boarder at 39 Bank Street, Bilston, in the household of John Mason. A Sarah J. Greasley died in Wolverhampton in 1900, so if this was his mother, that explains why he was living elsewhere. By 1911 he was living at 2 Sankey Street, off Dudley Street, Bilston, as a boarder with William Henry Caddick. His sister, Ethel Greasley, was also boarding there.

George appears on the Roll of Honour of the Weldless Steel Tube Company Ltd, indicating that he served with the armed forces during the First World War. However, because his name does not have a gold cross next to it, we know that he survived. There are a number of possibilities for him, but without further information it is difficult to pin down which regiment he served with, or whether he got married and had children. George died at the age of 81 in 1980, and his death was registered in Chatham, in Kent.

Edwin Joseph Evans

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Bank Street, Edwin Evans, Express & Star, Heath Town, South Staffordshire Regiment

Edwin Joseph Evans was born in Wolverhampton in 1898, the son of Edwin and Clara Evans. In 1901 they were living at 54 Bank Street, Heath Town, and Edwin and his parents were joined by his brothers Harry and John, and sister Esther.

Edwin enlisted with the South Staffordshire Regiment (number 30610). On 28 May 1917, his name appeared in the Express & Star (mistakenly as “J. E. Evans”) under the list of local Midland Men who were wounded. However, he appears to have survived, as he does not appear on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website as having died. There are various possible marriages for him. He died in Wolverhampton in 1957 at the age of 59.

Roger Foster

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Bank Street, France, Gough Street, Midland Counties Express, Monmore Green, Roger Foster, South Staffordshire Regiment, Union Street, Walsall Street, Walsall Street Council School

This blog post has been prepared by one of our volunteers, Ann Eales.

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Roger Foster appears in The Midland Counties Express of 25 November 1916. He served in the South Staffordshire Regiment. He was killed on 13 October 1915 at the age of 26, and left a widow, Mrs Clara Foster, and one child, living at 11 Bank Street, Monmore Green. He had served 8 years in the Territorials and attended Walsall Street Council School.

The name FOSTER, ROGER appears on the CWGC with these detaisl:

Rank: Private

Service No: 1184

Date of Death: 13/10/1915

Regiment/Service: South Staffordshire Regiment 1st/6th Bn.

Panel Reference: Panel 73 to 76.

Memorial: LOOS MEMORIAL

His Medal Index Record Card shows that he entered the Theatre of War in France 5.3.1915, and was “K in A 13.10.1915.” His name also appears in the Army Register of Soldiers Effects, which records two payments to “Widow, Clara” of £7.16.2 on 11.10.1916, and £4.10.0 on 12.09.1919. No other military records were traced.

Roger Foster’s birth was registered at Wolverhampton in the 3rd quarter of 1891. The 1891 census has Mary Foster, age 28 born in Nottingham, wife of John Foster, and their children, John Alice and Kate. The family was living at 36 Gough Street Wolverhampton. John Foster evidently died, and Mary Foster’s marriage to Thomas Hawthorne was registered at Wolverhampton in the 4th quarter of 1899.

The Hawthorne family consisting of Thomas, age 41, Mary age 38 born Nottingham, Ben 8 months, Alice Foster age16 Kate Foster age 13, and Roger Foster age 9 were living at 29 Union Street at the time of the 1901 census. The 1911 census has Roger Foster age 19 Occupation Tinner, in the Hollow Ware Trade, living at 41 Walsall Street with Thomas Hawthorne, age 51, Mary Hawthorne age 48 born Nottingham and Benjamin Hawthorne age 10.

The Marriage of Roger Foster to Clara Evans was registered at Wolverhampton in the 2nd Quarter of 1913. A FreeBMD search traced the registration of the birth of Mary Foster, Mother’s surname Evans, at Wolverhampton in the 4th quarter of 1913.