RIGHT, A New Book For Barlick

[Thomo]

I have been having a play with the presentation of they who died in WW1 and I would like your opinions on the following.
This is how the information first appears from CPGW:-

Surname: AYRTON
Forename(s): Frank
Place of Birth: Gargrave, Yorkshire
Residence: -----
Service No: 62480
Rank: Private
Regiment/Corps/Service: King's Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry)
Battalion/Unit: 5th Battalion
Division: 62nd (2/West Riding) Division
Age: 18
Date of Death: 1918-08-12
Awards: -----
CWGC Grave/Mem Ref: B. 13
CWGC Cemetery: ST GERMAIN-AU-MONT-D'OR COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
CWGC Memorial: -----
Non-CWGC Burial: -----
Comments:
On the 2nd February 1918 the 1/5th Bn K.O.Y.L.I. moved from the 49th (West Riding) Division to the 62nd (2/West Riding) Division. The battalion absorbed the 2/5th Battalion, K.O.Y.L.I. becoming the 5th Battalion.

Craven's Part in the Great War Entry:
PRIVATE FRANK AYRTON, K.O.Y.L.I. son of Mr. & Mrs. John Thomas Ayrton, 63, Gisburn Road, Barnoldswick, died of wounds 12th August, 1918. Aged 18 years.


West Yorkshire Pioneer Illustrated War Record Entry:
AYRTON, F., aged 18, K.O.Y.L.I., 163, Gisburn Road, [Barnoldswick], died of wounds July 20, 1918.

Article Date: 23 August 1918

Barnoldswick Fatalities

Pte. Frank Ayrton, K.O.Y.L.I., who died at St. Germains, France, on Aug. 12th, from wounds received on July 20th, was 18 years of age, and the son of Mr. and Mrs. J.T. Ayrton. 163, Gisburn Road, Barnoldswick (formerly of Gargrave). He had only been in France 10 weeks. When a report of their son's precarious condition was received by the parents, the latter cabled to another son serving in the A.S.C in Italy, who obtained facilities for visiting his brother at St. Germains, and was thus enabled to be with him for a couple of days before the end came. Pte. Ayrton was a particularly bright and promising lad, and connected with the Wesleyan Sunday School. Up to the time at his joining the army he was employed as a cloth-looker by Mr. R. Brooks, Westfield Shed.

With other information culled from census and military documents this is what I have arrived at:-

PRIVATE FRANK AYRTON.

Service No, 62480 of the KINGS OWN YORKSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY.

Born in 1900 at Gargrave Frank was the 2nd Son of John Thomas and Annie Elizabeth Ayrton, his Brothers and Sisters being Agnes Ann, Ethel, Hebden Sydney and Ann.

Frank was wounded on July 20th. 1918 and died as a result of his wounds at St. Germain on August 12th. aged just 18, he had only been in France 10 weeks. When Franks parents received news of their Sons perilous condition at 163 Gisburn Rd. Barnoldswick they cabled their other Son Hebden also in France with the Army Service Corps, and he was able to be with Frank for a couple of days before the end came.
Private Frank Ayrton was connected with the Wesleyan Sunday School and up to enlistment was employed as a cloth looker at Westfield Shed.

Frank is buried at the St. Germain-Au-Mont-D’or Communal Cemetery Extension.
Awards are British War and Victory Medals.

For the final copy the fonts are different to highlight certain features.

[Thomo]

I am currently arranging all WW1 losses into chronological order for the purpose of the book, this involves going through all of the names again and crossreferencing them and shifting them into separate databases for each year. I am three fifths of the way through this and surprise surprise, two more names are uncovered that are not on the memorial:- Richard Mercer and William Greenhalgh who's Brother Alexander is on the memorial. This part of the task will also of course produce a range of statistics ie, the first, the last and the most in a single day, the 30th of October 1914 could be the favourite for that one, HMHS Rohilla.

[Thomo]

That was a long winded but interesting exercise. I now have all WW1 names in chronological order and here are a few facts:-
The first to die in 1914 was Private Walter McLeod Johnstone on September the 8th, in that year there were 17 deaths, these included the greatest loss to the town in a single day with the wrecking of HMHS Rohilla on the 30th of October in which 12 Barlick Men died. In 1915 there were 24 losses with a further 45 in 1916. The greatest number of losses in a year was 1917 with 116 dead. Up to the end of the war in 1918 99 men died the last being Private John Edward Reddiough on November the 4th, a further 7 died after the 11th the first of which was Private Alfred James Trayford on the 12th. In amongst all of this there are another five to explore further as only the names exist at present. The next task is to present each of the men in a readable manner by year, this also involves another "double check" to ensure that all facts are correct and that I have not omitted anyone. In the following years from 1919 to 1921 another 12 men died as a result of their service.

[Thomo]

Since my last post there has been much to do on the domestic front, pressure washing of the large amounts of paving and trimming the big hedge, plus finishing touches to the kitchen. Thanks to the current weather situation, jobs saved for a rainy day include this one, yet in order to preserve domestic bliss it still has to take second place, however, I am now going to have to "get on with it". I will be 8.485 squared, years old tomorrow and I do not want this project to be an incomplete one. The ground work is ongoing as there is yet much to uncover and what I already have is constantly being updated. I am fortunate in that I have many books of this type to hand and I have now chosen one as a "yardstick" for what this is about, one thing troubles me though, I am receiving more support and help from people at a distance, most of whom have never even set foot in Barlick than from they who live or were born here and this book is about Barlick and its part in conflict. I have no doubt that it will all come together but there is one thing that I would really like some help with, THE TITLE, I would wish for this to be from someone who was born or lives here, but in light of what I have already said, I am not going to get fussy. Suggestions Please! Two copies now reserved. I need information on the following:- The Scouts, The Cadets, The Girl Guides, The Boys Brigade, The Fire Service, The Ambulance Service, The St, Johns Ambulance Service, The Police and Special Constabulary and any stories linked to the town and conflict. Fifty years ago this would not have have been a problem as I knew then who to ask, sadly many of them are no longer with us and this is a situation that is not going to improve, so I now appeal to you all, if you can help, then please come forward, post here and I will be in touch.

[Thomo]

One of the difficult parts of an undertaking such as this, is the number of people who say "I will be pleased to help" and then vanish again. Yet every now and then something turns up out of the blue, this lifts the spirits and reminds you that what you are about may be taken seriously after all. A phone call from someone that I have never met and the prospect of a meeting tomorrow have just raised my determination to carry on. But more of that later. One task that was not easy was putting the names of Barlicks fallen into chronological order given that for WW1 there were 318 of them. this task is now complete. 1914 saw the least number of fatalities, 17 but for the town it was bad enough as 12 of them died in a single day, here are the names for 1914:-

JOHNSTONE WALTER McLEOD PTE September 8
O,HARA JOHN WILLIAM PTE October 21
HORRIDGE JAMES PTE October 26
ANDERSON WILLIAM EDWARD SNR RES ATT October 30
BARTER HENRY JAMES JNR RES ATT October 30
BIRTWHISTLE SNR RES ATT October 30
DALY WILLIAM JOHN SNR RES ATT October 30
DUNKLEY FRANK JNR RES ATT October 30
ELSWORTH ALFRED CARR SNR RES ATT October 30
HODKINSON HARRY SNR RES ATT October 30
HORSFIELD THOMAS JNR RES ATT October 30
HORSFIELD WALTER JNR RES ATT October 30
PETTY ARTHUR SNR RES ATT October 30
PETTY TOM SNR RES ATT October 30
PICKLES JOHN THOMAS SNR RES ATT October 30
FIELDING ARTHUR PTE October 31
TWEEDIE JOHN PTE November 29

[elise]

BIRTWHISTLE SNR RES ATT October 30

Christian name?

[Thomo]

Thank you Elise, I missed that one, here is the basic information:-

Surname: BIRTWISTLE
Forename(s): Milton
Place of Birth: Great Harwood, Lancashire
Residence: -----
Service No: M/10068
Rank: Senior Reserve Attendant
Regiment/Corps/Service: Royal Naval Auxiliary Sick Berth Reserve
Battalion/Unit: H.M.H.S. 'Rohilla'
Division: not applicable - Royal Navy
Age: 33
Date of Death: 1914-10-30
Awards: -----
CWGC Grave/Mem Ref: 8.
CWGC Cemetery: -----
CWGC Memorial: CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL
Non-CWGC Burial: -----
Comments:
No entry in SD - Navy.

1901 Earby Census: Milton Birthwistle, aged 19 years, born Great Harwood, Lancashire, son of Alice Birtwistle, widow.

Craven's Part in the Great War Entry:
CPL. M. BIRTWHISTLE, 19, Clifford Street, Barnoldswick, married, one child.


West Yorkshire Pioneer Illustrated War Record Entry:
BIRTWHISTLE, Corporal M., 19, Clifford Street, [Barnoldswick], married, one child. The above resided at Barnoldswick, being a member of the local branch of the St. John Ambulance Association, who were drowned when the 'Rohilla', a hospital ship on which they were serving as members of the Naval Sick Berth Reserve, went ashore at Whitby on October 30, 1914.

[Thomo]

So there we are, my visitor has been and as a result I am now the proud yet humble keeper of the effects of a Barlick man who survived WW1, John Lomax. John served with the Northumberland Fusiliers, a quick look at what I have now revealed some truly amazing stuff, Johns Son moved to Canada and became a citizen and he lived to a fair age. What I have is for a rainy day but what about these for starters:- Franks Birth Certificate, His Canadian Citizenship document, His Fathers Medals, and something that I have never come across before, a badge of recognition for his service to King and Country along with all documentation, there are letters and photographs, memoriam cards, education certificates and so forth. But there is one item that really hit me, Franks 100th Birthday Card from her Majesty the Queen, truly a special collection of items. \\hen I have time I will scan some of these and post them on here, for as I have already said, this book is not just about those who died, it is about the town as well and they who survived. This material has arived here from Canada by a very diverse route, and it is now safe, having already sorted where it goes after I do. There will be a special place in the book for John, and until then I raise a glass to him, Cheers John and thank you, Thank you also Ken for bringing this to me, Magnificent!!

[Thomo]

As a result of recent and sometimes unpleasant events within this household, this project has had to take a back seat, yet the air is clearing now and is is time to go forward. Before I do however, there is something I would like to get off my chest. This town and many others greater or smaller usually have an Historical Society, or single individuals who are interested enough to gather local knowledge for the common good, in the case of Barlick one or two of these individuals have been in touch and are only to pleased to be able to help, others are keeping what they know or have very close, and in some cases only presentation of a wallet may be the only way ahead. I find this not just sad but appalling given that the proceeds from this after cost are to go to worthwhile charities. Even worse there are others who do not nor never have lived here, and have gladly given me free access to all of their hard work and reserved copies of this book when completed. Copyright is a bit of an issue and it is something I do not fully understand nor do I assume it is something I should need to spend valuable time studying, yet I see pictures held by those whe could not have taken them yet they are barred from access by me and would make a valuable contribution to this project, I should not have to use modern technology and subversion to aquire a reasonable facsimile, I am not asking much, just a little co-operation please. There, rant over.

[Thomo]

My comments in the "Superstore" topic about the old Drill Hall are on the timescale of this project, important. I do not wish to wake up one morning and find that I am too late. The local Cadet leader who promised help has gone back to sleep. What I have about the Drill Hall is sketchy but from a number of outside sources is this. It was home to "A" Company, 6th Battalion of the Duke of Wellingtons Territorial Army and the building was there in 1914, in the 50s I worked in there for Boltons Decorations when we redecorated the Hall, the little known about building to the rear was the Stewards accomodation, it was licenced and supplied by Tetley's of Leeds along with other Brewers, The earliest Drill Halls in our area only appeared in or after 1908, my Father was a member of the Cadets before WW1, it was where he was based as a Member of the local Home Guard in WW2, and often went there when it became a club. The boundary change has for me created many difficulties, apart from being called a Lancastrian which I am not. The records for many of the towns organisations are scattered between the two counties and extremely difficult to access and many of those people whom could have helped are no longer of this life, It is heartwarming yet alarming that much of what I seek is coming from afar.

[PanBiker]

It's where my dad reported when he was in the Territorials before the war and also when he got his call up papers on the outbreak. Straight on to Halifax and into the regulars. A few months later an part of the BEF occupation and defence force of Iceland.

Not initially in the development plans Thomo but prudent to gather the information and visual record I think.

[Nolic]

Thomo, Ian, either my memory has gone or is playing tricks but where is the Drill Hall please ? Nolic

[PanBiker]

On Crownest Road, directly opposite the"Strand" garage down the side of Albert Hartleys, it's about halfway down on the right. Unfortunately, Google street view did not go down the road as it only leads to either the Rolls car park for Bankfield or the bridge over the beck into Victory Park. You can see it just, on street view from the junction on Skipton Road, it's the building with the rectangular facade. The Dukes sign from above the door is now in the environs of the War Memorial.

[Thomo]

Its amazing what crops up when trawling the web for information on a subject. In 1465 Richard the third was created Lord of three manors given to him by the Duchy of Lancaster, one of which was Barnoldswick! this whilst researching the Drill Hall. What I did find on that subject was this; on the 13th of November 1914 in the wake of the Rohilla disaster, a service of remembrance was held at the Wesleyan Chapel, preceded by a procession which started outside the gasworks. On the following Tuesday a meeting was held in the Drill Hall attached to the gasworks, on the agenda a memorial was discussed, a proposal was made to build a new Drill Hall as a tribute to the 12 Barlick men who perished in the sinking of HMHS Rohilla. So just where was the original Drill Hall?





I am going to have a go at "tweaking" to see if i can produce an image of how the building was.

[PanBiker]

The gasworks were totally contained within the boundary walls of what is now the Skipton Road Business Park or as far as I can remember anyway. There wasn't a gasometer on the opposite side of the beck was there Thomo, i.e. behind the laundry?

If they were all in the yard can we assume that the original Drill Hall may well have been part of one of the surviving buildings on the site it does say "attached to the site". From the late 50's my uncle, Robert Lambert operated his business from that yard and buildings after his previous wooden premises adjacent to the railway sidings was burned down.

At that time the front part of the large building on the site was offices and smaller rooms. The back two thirds of the building was one large room upstairs used as the joinery workshop with all the machinery and benches. Downstairs was used for storage and the building materials side of the business. There was loading area big enough to park a wagon in around the centre of the building through double doors. At the back of the wall onto Skipton Road there were brick built storage hoppers for sand and aggregates. These were in front of the other building on the site which was big enough to get the tipper wagon and the smaller pickup in at the same time. That was also used for larger timber and roofing material storage.

Are there any clues on the 1940 aerial maps on Mario I wonder. We are obviously chasing usage from 40 - 50 years before I knew the buildings.

[Thomo]

At least one of the two gasometers was indeed on the other side of the beck, maybe even both, there was concern when the new houses were built on that land about ground contamination, also on that piece of land is a building currently used as a bus garage, all other buildings beyond were the Co-op stables, it may have been that bus garage.
A look at the 1940 aerial pic shows the large gasometer on the other side of the beck with the smaller one in the main compound, the large one is in the same plot as the garage mentioned, also, parallel to Skipton Rd is the other building a part of which still remains, the other buiding being the "retort house" the joinery works is that part at right angles to Skipton Rd.

[PanBiker]

Thanks for confirming the location of the other gasometer Thomo. I had an inkling one was there. Just had a look myself on Mario Maps, there was quite a collection of buildings in the vicinity of the larger drum. Quite a few of these will now be lost with the new houses. I can't see that the Drill Hall would be in the actual Gasworks Yard as I would imagine that all the buildings on there would have been used in the production process. As you say, much more likely to be one of those at the other side of the beck or directly accessible from West Close Road. There was a bakehouse down there as well wasn't there? I wonder when that was established and how long in use as a bakery. You will probably remember more than I do on that one Thomo.

[Stanley]

Drill Hall. This might help:
Over the years I have collected quite a bit of info about gas in Barlick. Many of the mills had their own gas plants and holders for lighting in the shed. One of these was at Wellhouse Mill and they supplied gas for lighting to some houses near the mill. Bracewell saw the potential in this and started to build what became the town gasworks on land at the Corn Mill but in 1885 he died before it was completed. In the sale of 1887/1888 a local gas company was formed and they completed the first build but by 1892 the Local Board purchased the undertaking for £13,582. On 17th July 1893 The Barnoldswick Local Board (Gas) Act was passed.
Included in the 1888 purchase was 'The Drill Hall' which seems to have been where the later stores, showroom and offices were. Not perfectly clear but the inference is that there was a drill hall in that corner of the yard before Bracewell bought the corn mill and the land that went with it. The original gas-holder in the Corn Mill Yard had a capacity of 105,000 cubic feet and was erected c.1889 by Clayton of Leeds. No 2 holder over the beck was erected in 1907 by C and W Walker of Donnington with one lift only but provision for two more lifts. Two more lifts added in 1914 by Westwood and Wright of Brierley Hill, capacity 317,000 cubic feet.
There is a history of the works in the library written in 1913. I think they have a copy of the Bracewell Sale Document as well.
Here's the plan from the 1888 sale doc.

[Thomo]

Many thanks for that Stanley, another reference that I have seen was in a weblink to the drill hall research program which reads "Barnoldswick, originally on the ground floor of" and thats all there is! I received a copy of the photo of what became West Close Rd Garage in the mail last night, the view with the Cornmill and large gasometer in the background. I also received a mail from Scott Flaving this morning, this information has now been added to the Duke of Wellingtons Museum Archives. In the report of the "Rohilla" disaster, the part that I quoted earlier also conains this comment concerning membership of the St Johns Ambulance in reference to the size of the original drill hall "Membership is governed to an extent by the size of the current drill hall, a new hall would allow us us to increase our membership" The dates in Stanleys post fit in with the arrival of the cadet force in our area which I understand to have been about 1860.

[Thomo]

Today has proved how much may be achieved when it becomes a team effort, I have just had a big "thank you" from the Duke of Wellingtons Historian for what "We" have provided. The book proper has taken a back seat for a while whilst other issues have been dealt with, the database is growing rapidly and is constantly being streamlined. One thing keeps on coming back to haunt me however, the start date. The outbreak of the Great War was the first idea, but I am always being nagged in my head about earlier events, The preface is half written as is the intro to Barnoldswick, but what about the earlier military events, there was such activity in our area long before WW1, and what about local men in the Crimea, the Boer War, Waterloo, Trafalgar, the American war of Independence, the Indian Mutiny, the Sudan, Afghanistan and all of the others. This afternoon I gained access to the casualty lists of most of of these, but like Ians work on WW2 and other events, without a name, it is a struggle. One thing that does stand out in these lists is the manner of death, "Sword cuts to the neck, multiple spear wounds, decapitation by cannonball" and much worse, In Afghanistan alone the surnames beginning with "A" are many times the number of the casualties in the current conflict, I have the means to give mention to military activity in this area pre WW1, yet it would be even better if I could add a few names to it.. Maybe I shoud toss a coin, a press article is now on the cards, sooner than later.

[Stanley]

Peter, one thing to bear in mind is the consternation in military circles when it was realised during recruitment for the Crimean War (1853/56) that the majority of volunteers were unfit for service. This came on top of the concern over epidemics and catastrophic conditions in the rapidly growing towns of the 1830s and the result was a movement for 'Physical Efficiency'. This in turn led to the provision of parks and open spaces and the promotion of 'Rational Leisure' for the labouring classes. It suddenly dawned on the establishment that in the dash for industrial supremacy the condition of the workers had been neglected to the point where there was a real fear of the country being hit by a shortage of fit workers. It may well be that one consequence was more attention to encouraging and training the yeomanry, what we now call the territorials, to provide a reservoir of potential recruits in any further conflicts. This was almost certainly one of the triggers for more attention being paid to local training in Barlick and probably the provision of a better/larger drill hall. This was of course a national influence, not confined to Barlick.

[Thomo]

I had a gut feeling that this would go back to before WW1, it appears that I may be right. I have just found two names of local men who were in the South African War, both were St, Johns Ambulance.

Sargeant first class George Green No 764 of the Barnoldswick Division died May the !st 1900 of disease and is buried in Dewetsdorf Military Cemetery.
Station Officer R W Blanshard No, 1144 also of Barnoldswick Division did not die and appears in the medal rolls for that conflict.
I do know of another who took part in that campaign, later killed in WW1 and is the Hardisty on the towns War Memorial.

[Stanley]

Have a look at Billy Brooks' transcripts in the LTP. He tells the story of his involvement in what he called 'The African War' as a stretcher bearer under St John's Ambulance.

[Thomo]

A major part of the research for this project is now in place and I am now at long last able to start putting it together page by page, soon I will be able to print off each page and file them so that there will be a hard copy, draft one. I am also gaining a great deal of respect and admiration for the writers who produced this kind of work before the advent of what I have at my command, I am also learning as I go along and now fully appreciate the benefits of an an eye bath, oh yes, and the occasional "wet"!!

[Thomo]

Back to the old drill hall, yesterday afternoon a look at the back of the old gasworks main building from the alley that runs from Skipton Rd to the Cornmill revealed evidence of an old doorway about ten feet from the lower end, this may have been the entrance to the old drill hall, the location is just right.