Arthur Heeley 1923-1945

Arthur Heeley's CWGC headstone in Silkstone Churchyard

Photograph by Pete Schofield

Grave Location and Inscription:
Row C Grave 9
Flying Officer / A Heeley / Royal Air Force / 4th March 1945 Age 22


Arthur is also remembered on the Shelley War Memorial and the Holme Valley War Memorial.

 Arthur is commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website where his next of kin are given as Fred and Gladys Heeley of Shelley. 

Joseph Oxley Steele 1897-1916

Joseph Oxley Steele

Born:
9th January 1897 in Silkstone

Son of:
Frederick Shaw Steele b.1859 Dodworth d.1936 aged 76
1911: Fall Head Cottages Silkstone age 50 Iron Foundry Engineer and Farmer
married Q4 1884 to
Lucy Anne (nee Oxley) b.1858 Leeds d.1918 Silkstone aged 60
Lucy Ann had previously been married in 1882 to Benjamin Horsfield who died Q3 1883 age 29.

Position in family:
8th of 12 children
1. Step-brother William Oxley Horsfield b.1883 d.1932
2. Caroline Mary b.1886
3. Thomas b.1887
4. Lucy Ellen b.1889
5. Elizabeth Oxley b.1892
6. George Frederick b.1894
7. Margaret Alice b.1895
8. Joseph Oxley b.1897
9. Lillian  b.1899
10. Unknown
11. Unknown
12. Unknown
 
1911 census shows 12 children born 9 living. Since William Oxley Horsfield was from a previous marriage, there may be another 'Unknown' birth.

Home address, age and occupation:
1901: Fall Head Cottages, Silkstone age 4
1911: Fall Head Cottages, Silkstone age 14 Scholar

Marriage:
Unmarried

Military Service:
Regiment and Battalion: 1st/5th Btn. York and Lancaster Regiment
Service number and rank: 2387 Private promoted Sergeant
Awards: Victory Medal, British War Medal, and 1915 Star

Personal information:  
5 feet 10¾ inches tall with a chest 36¾ inches and had normal vision and physical development.

Death: 
10 am Monday 3rd July 1916 age 19
CWGC Remembered: Thiepval Memorial, France on Pier and Face 14A and 14B.

Remembered:
Silkstone War Memorial and Dodworth War Memorial

Notes:
Remained in England until sent to France on 13th April 1915. During training he was twice put on a charge - 4th May 1915 for being twenty five minutes late on parade (docked two days pay) and 12th June 1915 for not complying with an order for not loading a dixie (seven days fatigue).

Joseph was killed in action when a German shell exploded in his trench. He has no known grave.

He is remembered on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website.



With special thanks to late Rosemary Lee of the Roggins Local History Group, and Heritage Silkstone who hold Rosemary's archive of research into the men remembered on Silkstone War Memorial.
Additional research by Pete Schofield

Marcus George Hewitt 1895-1919

Born:
1895 in Thrybergh

Son of:
Josephus George Hewitt (b.1865 Garforth) d. 1946 aged 81 Garforth
1911: Ashfield, Kirk Smeaton, age 46, Butler to Fullerton family
married 11th February 1893 St. Peter Bradford to
Alice Mary (nee Weightman) b.1870 Sheriff Hutton

Position in family:
Eldest of 7 children 
1. Marcus George b.1895
2. Mabel b.1899,
3. Gladys b.1901
4. Thomas Noel b.1903
5. Mary b.1908
6. John Reginald b.1910
7. Unknown

1911 census shows 7 children born, six alive

Home address, age and occupation:
1901: Thirkleby, Nr. Thirsk age 6
1911: Silkstone age 16 Apprentice Pipe Fitter

Marriage:
Unmarried

Military Service:
Regiment and Battalion: Army Service Corps 49th Div. Mechanical Transport Company
Service number and rank: M2/076118
Awards: Victory Medal, British War Medal and 1915 Star

Death:
2nd November 1919 aged 24
Buried at: St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France
Grave Reference: S.II.BB.21.

Information from Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
Son of Josephus George and Alice Mary Hewitt, of "Saint Sever," The Green, Acomb, York.

Remembered:
Silkstone War Memorial


With special thanks to late Rosemary Lee of the Roggins Local History Group, and Heritage Silkstone who hold Rosemary's archive of research into the men remembered on Silkstone War Memorial.
Additional research by Pete Schofield   

James Henry Garside 1889-1916

James Henry Garside

Born:
1889 Hunshelf

Son of:
James Garside b.1869 Delph d.1924 Silkstone
1901: 44 South Yorkshire Buildings, Silkstone Coal Miner
married 24th April 1889 St John, Penistone
Sarah Ann (nee Downing) b.1867 Sheffield d.1933 Silkstone

Position in family:
Eldest of 9 children 
1. James Henry b.1889
2. Polly b.1891
3. Emma b.1893
4. Harold Downing. b.1895 (see note)
5. Alfred Ernest b.1899
6. Victoria b.1900
7. Marian b.1903
8. Sarah Ann b.1906
9. Joseph b.1909.

Home address, age and occupation:
1891: Tin Mill, Hunshelf age 1
1901: 44 South Yorkshire Buildings, Silkstone Common age 12
1915:  8 South Yorkshire Buildings, Silkstone Common

Marriage:
Unmarried

Military Service:
Regiment and Battalion: 10th Hussars Household Cavalry
Service number and rank: 7959 Lance Corporal
Awards: Victory Medan, British War Medal and 1915 Star

Death: 
3rd February 1916 aged 27
Buried at: Quarry Cemetery, France
Grave Reference:  D.2.

Remembered:
Silkstone War Memorial

Notes:
A newspaper report of the time, says:

"He was exceedingly popular in the Regiment, being liked by officers and men, and a pathetic part of the tragedy is that he had arranged to get married when he had secured his furlough, his fiancée being Miss Lottie Morgan, with whom sympathy  has been expressed."

Lottie later married Joshua Robinson in 1918.

His brother Harold joined the 14th Btn. York and Lancaster Regiment on 12th January 1915 at Barnsley. He had previously worked for six years at Old Silkstone Colliery, Dodworth, and the family were now living at 8 South Yorkshire Buildings

Harold served at home from 12th January 1915 to 27th December 1915 then dispatched to the Mediterranean on 28th December 1915 until 10th March 1916, and then France between 11th March 1916 until 20th June 1916. He received gunshot wounds to his right wrist and foot and was discharged on 18th May 1917 having been promoted to Corporal during his service. He married Anna Macdonald on 9th June 1917 at Sunderland Registry Office and lived at 15 Providence Place, Gilesgate Moor, Durham.


There is an Interesting historical observation about South Yorkshire Buildings and nearby areas here:
http://sytimescapes.org.uk/zones/barnsley/B11




With special thanks to late Rosemary Lee of the Roggins Local History Group, and Heritage Silkstone who hold Rosemary's archive of research into the men remembered on Silkstone War Memorial.
Additional research by Pete Schofield

Robert Carr 1893-1916

Robert Carr

Born:
22nd November 1893 Baptised 21st January 1894 Silkstone All Saints

Son of:
James Carr b.1851 Silkstone d.1903 aged 52
1901: Coal miner (Hewer) Hillside, Silkstone aged 50
married 2nd September 1872 to
Alice Carr (nee Arrand) b.1855 Silkstone d.1913 Silkstone aged 58

Position in family:
13th of 14 children
1. John Gillot, b.1873 d.1947 aged 74
2. Eliza b.1874 d.1875
3. Ellen Gertrude b.1877 d.1885 aged 7
4. Arthur b.1879 d.1879 aged 3 weeks
5. Ann b.1880 d.1959 aged 78
6. Margaret b.1882 (twin) d.1945 aged 62
7. Henry (Harry) b.1882 (twin) d. 1882 7 weeks
8. Frederick b.1884 d.1964 aged 79
9. Victoria b.1887 d.1940 aged 52
10. Ada b.1890 d.1968 aged 78
11. Hetty b.1892 d.1892 aged 6 weeks
12. Albert b.1892 d.1893 aged 3 days
13. Robert b.1893
14. Mary Alice b.1899 d.1899 aged 6 months

Home address, age and occupation:
1901: Hillside, Silkstone aged 8
1911: Hillside, Silkstone aged 17 Trammer (underground)

Marriage:
Unmarried

Military Service:
Regiment and Battalion: 9th Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers
Service number and rank:  23611 Private
Awards: Victory Medal and British War Medal

Death: 
24th April 1916 aged 22
Buried at: Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, France
Grave Reference: IX.G.42.

Information from Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
Son of James and Alice Carr of Silkstone, Yorks

Remembered:
Silkstone War Memorial

Notes:
At letter to his brother from a comrade conveyed the sad news:
"Dear Mr. Carr :- It is with the deepest regret that I have to write and tell you of your brother's death and at the same time express how sotty we all are to lose such a bright and happy companion. He was one of the brightest boys in the platoon and used to keep us all merry during our long hours in the trenches. It might be of little comfort to you to know that his death was painless and caused by an exploding shell. I cannot write any more, again expressing our deepest sympathy for you and all in your sad loss. Believe me yours sincerely on behalf of the boys of 14 Platoon and myself, Sergt T Daglish."

Barnsley Chronicle (Barnsley Archives)


With special thanks to late Rosemary Lee of the Roggins Local History Group, and Heritage Silkstone who hold Rosemary's archive of research into the men remembered on Silkstone War Memorial.
Additional research by Pete Schofield