Percy Hall Bentham

Tags

Bhylls Lane, Bilston Street, Compton, Drummond Street, Durham, Percy Bentham, Rowley Regis, Special constables, Wolverhampton Borough Council

Percy was born in Stockton, Durham, on 2 October 1876, the son of John Thomas and Amelia Bentham. By 1901, they were living at 22 Bilston Street, Wolverhampton, along with Percy’s siblings Richard Hall, Sybil Hall, and Frederick Hall. Percy was working as a commercial clerk. They were at 14 Drummond Street, Wolverhampton, by 1911, when Percy was an enquiry agent.

Possibly because of his age, Percy does not appear to have enlisted in the armed forces during the First World War. However, he did assist as a Special Constable for Wolverhampton Borough Council.

Percy does not appear to have ever married. In 1939 he was living with his brother, Frederick, at 10 Bhylls Lane, Compton, and was working as a trade reporter. He died in Rowley Regis in 1956.

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Sylvia May Sankey

Tags

Ash Hill, Bilston, Compton, Joseph Sankey & Sons Ltd, Special constables, Sylvia Sankey, Waterdale, Wellington Road

Sylvia was born in Wolverhampton on 1 January 1893, the daughter of Frederick Ernest (director of Joseph Sankey & Sons Ltd) and Sylvia Jessie Sankey. In 1901, she was living at 29 Wellington Road, Bilston, with her parents and sister Dora Mildred. By 1911, the family were at Waterdale, Compton.

Sylvia served as a special police woman during the First World War. In 1927, she married Davis Green in Wolverhampton, and they had a daughter, Sylvia J. D., in 1928. Sylvia died on 13 October 1965, by which date her address was Ash Hill House, Compton. The value of her effects was £32,371.

Lillie Highfield Jones

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Birthday Honours, Cheshire, Compton, King George V, Lillie Jones, MBE, Special constables, Upper Penn, Wales, Women's Volunteer Reserve

Eliza Storey was born in Altrincham, Cheshire, in 1863. In 1892, she married Benjamin Highfield Jones, also in Altrincham. By 1901, the couple were living at The Poplars, Upper Penn, with their children Philip and Gabrielle. By 1911, she was known as Lillie, and her and Benjamin lived with their daughter at The Old House, Ash Hill, Compton.

As Lillie Highfield Jones, she was one of the many women who served as Special Police Woman during the First World War. The Imperial War Museum have a photograph of her, indicating that she was also Captain and Quartermaster of the Wolverhampton branch of the Women’s Volunteer Reserve. She was awarded the MBE in June 1918 as part of King George V’s Birthday Honours, and the Investiture at Buckingham Palace took place on 5 November 1918.

Lillie, now known again as Eliza, died on 15 April 1937, by which date her address was Morfa Newydd, Harlech, Merionethshire. The value of her effects was £6520 15s. 5d.

Ralph Isaiah Humphries

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Aldershot, Bilston, Compton, France, Henwood Road, India, Lichfield, Military Service Act, Ralph Humphries, South Africa, South Staffordshire Regiment, Staffordshire, Waifs and Strays Society

The son of Arthur and Elizabeth Humphries, Ralph was born in Bilston in 1879. By 1891, Ralph was at the Standon Boys’ Farm Home near Eccleshall, Staffordshire, run by the Waifs and Strays Society, so presumably one or both of his parents had died.

When he reached the age of 18, on 22 February 1895, he enlisted in the South Staffordshire Regiment (service number 4571). His trade by this age was given as farm labourer. In 1901, he was permitted to extend his period of Army Service to complete 12 years with the colours, and in 1906 he was again permitted to re-engage to complete a total of 21 years. During the course of this period he served in India and South Africa.

He married Elspeth Harper Gray on 31 October 1910 in Pretoria, South Africa, and the couple had three children – Mary Elspeth (1912 in Lichfield), Jeannie Elizabeth (1913 in Lichfield) and Ralph Arthur James (1914 in Aldershot).

When the First World War broke out he was sent to serve in France with the 2nd Battalion. In 1915 he was promoted to Sergeant and continued in service under the Military Service Act in 1917. He elected to draw his pension on 8 February 1918 while still in service. He was eventually discharged on 26 March 1919, at the age of 40, by which date his home address was 10 Henwood Road, Compton, Wolverhampton.

Martha Maria Browning

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Ash Hill, British Red Cross, Compton, Golden Fleece, Lower Villiers Street, Martha Browning, St James's Square, Tettenhall Wood, Union Street

Martha was born in Wolverhampton in 1857, the daughter of John and Betty Browning. She became a dressmaker, and lived with her parents, and later her mother, at various Wolverhampton addresses, including the Golden Fleece (Union Street), 5 St James’s Square and 11 Lower Villiers Street. By 1901 she was living with her sister, Clara Ellen, and her husband William Gibbons, at Clareton, Ash Hill, Compton.

Her dressmaking skills stood her in good stead during the war, as she was able to serve with the British Red Cross Working Party Reg No 1688 Tettenhall Wood, doing needlework from September 1917 until December 1918. She was awarded a Badge and a Certificate.

Martha never married, and died in Wolverhampton on 23 July 1939, when her address was Red Hill House, Compton. The value of her effects was £880 1s. 1d.

William Postance

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Compton, London Gazette, Military Medal, Ormes Lane, Rose & Crown, South Staffordshire Regiment, Tettenhall, Tettenhall Wood, Upper Street, William Postance

William was born in Wolverhampton in 1881, the son of Emily Postance. In 1901 he was living with his widowed mother at the Rose & Crown, Upper Street, Tettenhall, along with his brothers Thomas Mark and Arthur. William was a carpenter.

On 30 April 1904, William married Florence Annie Morris at Tettenhall. The couple had eight children – Eva Emma, William, Daisy Florence, Alice Margery, Thomas Arthur, Phyllis, Herbert Kitchener and Harold Ernest – between 1904 and 1920. The family were at 10 Ormes Lane, Tettenhall, in 1911, and William was a joiner at a motor works.

On 19 March 1914, William enlisted with the 6th Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment (first number 2176 and later number 240243). His trade was given as motor body maker, and he lived in Ormes Lane, Tettenhall Wood. On 15 June 1916, he was mentioned in despatches for gallant and distinguished conduct in the field, but on 26 August 1916, he was injured in the left knee and was in hospital for about a month. He was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field, as announced in the London Gazette on 11 November 1916. The Express & Staron 20 June 1916 stated that he was presented with his medal by Colonel Alex McBean at the Tettenhall Institute. In August 1917 he was admitted to hospital with a fever and poisoning from shell gas. He was demobilised in January 1919.

On 20 July 1920, he reenlisted in the South Staffordshire Regiment (number 4906706), and served until 19 August 1923. At this date his trade was listed as a carpenter. William died on 12 December 1956, when his address was 5 The Holloway, Compton, near Wolverhampton. The value of his effects was £1194 17s. 10d.

Albert Thomason

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Albert Thomason, Bradmore, Compton, France, Lower Penn, Merry Hill, Midland Counties Express, Oxbarn Farm, Pattingham, Penn Road Wesleyan Chapel, South Staffordshire Regiment, St Philip's Church

Albert is listed on the Penn Road Wesleyan Chapel memorial as one of the local men who survived, but this appears not to have been the case.

Albert was born in Pattingham, Wolverhampton in 1889, the son of Edward and Hannah Thomason. They were living at Lower Penn in 1901, with Albert’s brothers John and Harry. By 1911, they were living at Merry Hill, Compton, along with Albert’s sister, Mary Jane. Albert was a farm labourer. At some point be worked for Mr F. Keay, of the Oxbarn Farm, Bradmore.

Albert enlisted with the 1st/6th Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment (number 3447). He took part in the “memorable attack with which Midland divisions were particularly identified”, but after throwing bombs for four hours, he was shot, and killed in action in France on 13 October 1915. Details of his death were included in the Midland Counties Express on 11 December 1915. He is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, as well as on the St Philip’s memorial in Penn.

Herbert Rowley

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Bayliss Jones & Bayliss, Bridgnorth Road, Compton, Compton Hall, Finchfield HIll, Herbert Rowley, HMS Bulwark, Joseph Sankey & Sons, Royal Navy, Tettenhall

While Mr Jones escaped being assigned to the HMS Bulwark and therefore was not on board when it exploded on 26 November 1914, many others were not so lucky. Among those who were presumed dead was Herbert Rowley, of Compton.

According to the Express & Star article dated 3 December 1914, he was 30 when he was killed, and he was

of Bridgnorth Road, Compton…at the time he was called up as a Naval Reservist was chauffeur to Mr. T. B. Adams of Compton Hall. He was a first-class stoker, and on leaving the Navy he was employed in the power station at the works of Messrs. Bayliss, Jones and Bayliss. Later he was engaged at Messrs. Sankey’s works, and then be became chauffeur to Mr. Adams. He was married about two years ago, and he was a member of the Hope and Charity Lodge, Manchester Unity of Oddfellows

Given this information, his marriage is probably that to a Florence Hutchinson, registered in Wolverhampton in September 1912. However, his entry on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site gives his wife’s name as “Harriett Rowley, of ‘Woodland Cottage,’ Finchfield Hill, Compton, near Wolverhampton” – possibly this is her middle name? He is also listed as the son of William and Ann Rowley, of Tettenhall, near Wolverhampton. Finding his birth entry has proved a little more difficult, particularly as he sometimes seems to have been listed as “Bert” or “Bertie”.

Because he was lost at sea, he is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.