Monthly Archives: July 2021

James Ramsbottom

21 Wednesday Jul 2021

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James was born in 1919 in Dudley (presumably Coseley), the son of William Edward and Edith Ramsbottom. He married Nellie Maud Etchells on 3 October 1937 at St Leonard’s Church in Bilston . The couple had two children – Ronald M. (born 1938) and Sheila A. (born 1942) – both born in Bilston. Nellie and Ronald were living with her parents at 15 Lawley Road, Bilston, in 1939, but James was not with them. Unfortunately the son, Ronald, died in Bilston in 1941.

James served as a Corporal with the 1st/6th Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment (service number 4916781), but he was killed in action during the defence of the villages of Brettevillet and Queudeville in Normandy, France, on 16 July 1944. He is buried in the Fontenay-Le-Pesnel War Cemetery in Tessel, France. He is remembered on the Bilston Priestfield Roll of Honour, as well as the one for Bilston Town.

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The research for this blog post was carried out by remote digital volunteer, Doug Lewis.

Harry Lyttleton Toy

20 Tuesday Jul 2021

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The son of Samuel Henry and Elizabeth Toy, Harry was born in Wolverhampton in 1879. He was baptised in St Philip’s Church in Penn Fields on 19 October 1879. In 1881, he was living with his mother at 9 Star Street, Upper Penn, Wolverhampton, along with his siblings Samuel Edwin, William, Elizabeth, Alice Jane, and Annie. By 1879, Harry was with both parents at Rose Dale Cottage, Middle Vauxhall, Wolverhampton, along with siblings Samuel Edwin, Arthur, Herbert Stanley and Charles. His father died on 22 September 1916 at Burton-on-Trent Infirmary.

Harry was a career soldier, serving with the Royal Field Artillery, and was at their barracks in Farnborough, Baskingdoke in 1901, and serving in the Punjab, in India, in 1911. He served as a Corporal with the Royal Field Artillery (service number 35301). On 12 January 1916 he was listed as Wounded on the War Office Casualty List. On 23 Jun 1916 he was listed as “Captured at Kut”, but this was later retracted. Unfortunately he died on 25 July 1917 in Egypt. He is buried in Basra War Cemetery in Iraq.

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The research for this blog post was carried out by remote digital volunteer, Jacky de Escofet.

Percy Padmore

19 Monday Jul 2021

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Percy was born in Wolverhampton on 5 July 1906, the son of William and Jemima Padmore. His mother died in 1910, and his father remarried Annie Brown the same year. From 1911 onwards he attended Brickkiln Street Primary School. In 1911, he was living at 51 Bloomsbury Street, Wolverhampton, with his parents and siblings Sarahann, Harriet, William, Charlie and Harry, and three step-siblings with the surname Brown who were born in Nottingham – Annie, William and Charlie. In 1926, Percy married Elizabeth May Parker in Wolverhampton, and the couple had four children – Vera J. (1927), Phyllis F. (1928), Thomas P. (1930) and Elizabeth M. (1939). In the 1939 Register, Percy’s wife and children are recorded at 9 Graiseley Street.

Percy joined the 16th (Home Defence) Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment (service number 4852916). Unfortunately he died on 15 March 1941. He is buried in Wolverhampton Borough Cemetery.

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The research for this blog post was carried out by remote digital volunteer Doug Lewis.

Samuel George Sellman

16 Friday Jul 2021

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The son of Thomas Henry and Maria Sellman, Samuel was born in Wolverhampton in 1891. In 1901, he was living at 23 Free Street, Bilston, along with his parents and siblings, Joseph and George. They were at 17 Free Street by 1911, and Samuel had two sisters, Maria and Jane. Samuel was working as a bucket maker.

On 12 December 1915, Samuel attested with the South Staffordshire Regiment (service number 37608) as a Private, by which date his address was 14 Bradley Street, Bilston. He served at home until August 1917, when he was discharged as being no longer fit for War Service. He appears to have been suffering from tuberculosis from before he joined the army. He was said to be weak and short of breath, and probably totally incapable of entering the general labour market. Unfortunately, he died on 3 June 1918. He is buried in Bilston Cemetery.

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The research for this blog post was carried out by remote digital volunteer Jacky de Escofet.

Frank Henry Oakley

15 Thursday Jul 2021

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The son of Frank and Alice Oakley, Frank was born in Wolverhampton in 1917. Frank had two siblings – Amy Selina Millicent (born 1920) and Raymond T. (born 1921 but sadly died 1922). Frank attended the Wolverhampton Municipal Secondary School. He married Alice Maud Reid Harman in 1941

He served as a Pilot Officer with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (service number 113765), based at Kingstown, Cumberland. Unfortunately he died on 21 August 1941. During an air test, flying a Magister I, he crashed on a searchlight battery at Kirkhampton, 5 miles west of Carlisle. A civilian engineer who was a passenger was also killed, although unfortunately there is no name recorded. Frank is buried in Bilston Cemetery. His name is remembered on the M & B Springfield Brewery Works Memorial, now situated at the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley, so presumably he worked for them at some point, as well as on the memorial for the Municipal Secondary School.

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The research for this blog post was completed by remote digital volunteer, Doug Lewis.

Arthur Edward or Edwin Naylor

14 Wednesday Jul 2021

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Arthur was born in Dudley in 1885, the son of Catherine Phoebe Naylor, and was baptised on 10 June 1885 at St Martin’s Church, Tipton. His mother died in 1893. In 1901 he was living with his grandparents, Richard T. and Ann Naylor, at 8 Union Mill Street, Wolverhampton, and Arthur was working as an iron filer. By 1911 he was living with his uncle, Thomas Arthur Naylor, at 41 Lower Horseley Fields, Wolverhampton, and Arthur was working as a carrier’s carter. At some point he worked for the London and North Western Railway Goods Department in the Wolverhampton district, and he was a member of the National Union of Railwaymen.

Arthur served with the West Yorkshire Regiment (service number 20883), with the 2/4th Battalion of the Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment) (service number 49794) and with the 55th (Reserve) Battery of the Royal Horse and Field Artillery (service numbers 233096 and 300847). He attested in 1915. He served at Home, in the Reserve, and in France, but was unfortunately killed in action on 4 November 1918. He is buried in Ruesnes Communal Cemetery in France, and is remembered on the Wolverhampton Railway Station memorial.

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The research for this blog post was completed by remote digital volunteer, Jacky de Escofet.

Thomas William Macefield

13 Tuesday Jul 2021

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Thomas was born in Wolverhampton in 1923, the son of Thomas and Martha Macefield. Unfortunately, neither Thomas nor his family have been found on the 1939 register.

In 1941, Thomas attested, and became a Lance Bombardier in the Royal Artillery (service number 1137411), serving with the 67 (2/5th Battalion the East Surrey Regiment) Anti-Tank Regiment. Unfortunately he was wounded, and on 11 September 1943, he died in Italy. He is buried in the Salerno War Cemetery in Italy.

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The research for this post was completed by remote digital volunteer, Doug Lewis.

David Lavelle

12 Monday Jul 2021

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David was born in Wolverhampton on 26 January 1879, the son of Thomas and Bridget Lavelle. He was baptised at Ss. Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church in Wolverhampton on 23 February 1879. In 1891, they were living in Ward Street, Wolverhampton, along with David’s sibling Mary, Thomas, James, Julia and Edward. They were at 40 Ward Street in 1901, when the 19-year-old David was working as an iron warehouseman. He married Bridget Brannan in Wolverhampton in 1906, and they had six children – Katherine (1907), James Patrick Christopher (1908), Thomas (1910), Mary (1912), Beatrice (1913) and David (1917). In 1911, they were living at 80 Inkerman Street, Wolverhampton. In

David enlisted as a Gunner in the 57th Division Ammunition Column of the Royal Field Artillery (service number 696442). Unfortunately he was killed in action on 2 June 1917. He is remembered at the Arras Memorial in France.

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The research for this blog post was completed by remote virtual volunteer, Jacky de Escofet.

Edward Henry Haddon

09 Friday Jul 2021

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The son of Percy and Isabella Haddon, Edward was born in Wolverhampton in 1918. In 1938, he married Kathleen Moreland in Wolverhampton. The couple had a son, Terence Edward, born in Wolverhampton in 1939. We have not been able to find them on the 1939 Register.

Edward enlisted as a Private in the 4th Battalion of the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry (service number 4034704). He was unfortunately killed in action in France on 3 August 1944. He is buried in the St. Charles de Percy War Cemetery.

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The research for this blog post was completed by remote volunteer, Doug Lewis.

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