Harry Samuel Hayes
Harry enlisted in the Army (Volunteer Force) on 7th May 1902, age 17 years and 8 months, occupation greengrocer. The Volunteer Force was the precursor to the Territorial Force (1908).
- Family History
- Military history
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Harry Samuel was the son of Harry Elijah and Annie Hayes (née Blundy).
His father Harry was born in Radford, Nottingham, in 1862 and his mother Annie in about 1861 in Lenton, Nottingham. They were married at Radford Christ Church on 2 August 1884 and had ten children, two of whom died in infancy or childhood. Nine children have been traced including one, Arthur, who died in childhood: Harry Samuel b. 1885 (OND), William Thomas b. 1889 (OND), Ernest birth reg. 1892 (JFM), Arthur John b. 1893 (JAS) d. 1902 (JFM), Florence b. 1895 (OND), Herbert b. 1899, Leonard b. 1901 (OND), Albert Richard b. 1903 (AMJ) and Frederick b. 1904 (OND). Baptismal records have been traced for five of the children, all of whom were baptised at Radford Christ Church: Harry 31 January 1886, William Thomas 27 October 1889, Ernest 27 March 1892, Arthur John 27 August 1893 and Florence 24 November 1895.
Harry and Annie were living at 30 Garfield Road, Radford, when their first child, Harry, was baptised in 1886. However, they were living at 15 Osborne Street from at least 1889 when William was baptised. Harry, a cabinet maker, his wife and their sons Harry and William, were recorded at the same address on the 1891 Census and again on the 1901 Census by which time the couple had six children; Harry, William, Ernest, Arthur, Florence and Herbert. Also in the household in 1901 was Annie's widowed mother, Jane Blundy, a lace drawer.
Harry and Annie's three youngest sons, Leonard, Albert and Frederick, were born between 1901 and 1904. Arthur, the fourth son, died in 1902 (reg. JFM) aged 8.
By 1911 Harry, a joiner, and Annie had moved to 13 Shipstone Street, Hyson Green, where they were living with their eight surviving children: Harry an engineers' labourer, William a steel bar maker, Ernest an engineers' fitter, Florence a lace drawer and Herbert, Leonard, Albert and Frederick who were school age. Also in the household were two boarders, Flora/Florrie Nurse (24), a lace jennier, and her sister Hilda May Nurse (12). The girls were the daughters of Abraham Nurse and his wife Alice (née Wakelin) who in 1901 had been living with their daughters in Hyson Green.
The Hayes' eldest son Harry married Flora/Florrie Nurse on 30 May 1914; home address 13 Shipstone Street, his parents' address.
The Hayes' only daughter, Florence, married John William Thomas Green on 22 December 1917 at Basford St Augustine. They had at least eight children: Doris Annie (b. 1918 JAS), Florence Edith (b. 1920), Hilda (b. 1921), Gertrude (b. 1922), William (b. 1923), Thomas (b. 1925), Maurice (b. 1930) and Audrey (b. 1935) although the 1939 Register includes two closed records which may be those of two younger siblings.
Four of the Harry and Annie's surviving sons, Harry Samuel, William Thomas, Ernest and Herbert, served in the war. Two died on active service: Ernest died in March 1915 of wounds received in action and Harry Samuel died (illness) in February 1919.
Harry, Annie, their four unmarried sons and their married daughter, her husband and their daughters, were living at 13 Shipstone Street in 1921. Harry, a joiner/cabinet maker, and his sons were employed by J Jardine, lace machine manufacturer; Herbert a mechanical junior draughtsman and Leonard, Albert and Frederick who were fitters' apprentices. Florence's husband William was a miner/hewer at Wollaton Colliery.
Harry Elijah's wife Annie probably died in 1924 (JFM) and Harry in 1928 (reg. JFM, burial 12 January).
Harry Samuel's widow, Florrie Hayes, a lace drawer (Birkin & Co), and her sister, Hilda, a machinist ('fancy lines', Jackson & Co.), were living at 39 Gladstone Street, Hyson Green, in 1921. Flora (sic) married Harry Bayliss in 1923 (JAS Nottingham); they later moved to Coventry. Her sister Hilda married Edgar L Fox in 1924 and they also moved away from Nottingham.
William Thomas, probably known as Tom, married Doris Kershaw in 1918 (JFM); they had two daughters, Annie Elizabeth (b. 1919) and Marjorie L. (b. 1923). William was mobilized in 1916 and demobilized in March 1919 to 13 Shipstone Street, Basford; his service record shows that he was already married with one child. In 1921 William, his wife and their daughter Annie were living at 7 Robey Terrace, Hyson Green, in the household of Frederick and Alice Morrell. Their second daughter, Marjorie, was born two years later. The family has not yet been traced after 1921 although Tom's name is included in an obituary in the local paper to his brother Albert Richard who died in 1966, but he had probably died by the time of his brother Herbert's death in 1974 as he is not included in the family notices.
Leonard married Florence E Roberts in 1925 (JAS); they had one child, Joan E. (b. June 1927). His wife Florence probably died in 1931 (OND). In 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled, Leonard, a widower, who was employed as an engineer, and his daughter Joan E (b. June 1927, later Humphrey m. 1948), were living at 73 Hazelwood Road, Nottingham, in the home of Arthur Spooner, a goods checker London LMS Railway, and his wife Edith. Leonard died in 1975.
Frederick married Annie Tiley in 1928. In 1939, Frederick, a radial driller, and his wife were living at 9 Carver Street, Nottingham. The records of two other members of the household, probably their children Barbara (b. 1931) and Donald (b. 1935), remain closed. Frederick died in 1941 (OND) aged 37.
Albert Richard married Charlotte (Lottie) Pearson (b. 1905) in October 1932 at Radford St Peter. Albert, a fitter, and Charlotte were still living in Nottingham in 1939; the entry on the Register includes one closed record. Albert died in March 1966; he was survived by his wife.
Florence and her husband William Green, a miner, were still living in Nottingham in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled. Also in the home were their children Florence (later Askew) a packer, Hilda (later Browett) a tobacco stripper, Gertrude (later Garfoot), William H. an engineer, Thomas a van boy, Maurice and Audrey (later Trout). The records of two other members of the household remain closed. The couple's eldest daughter, Doris (b. 1918), has not yet been traced after 1921. Florence died in 1982 (JFM).
Herbert, an engineers' draughtsman, was living with the Collington family on Mundella Road, Meadows, in 1939. He died in August 1974 and was buried in Nottingham General Cemetery in the same plot as his older brother, Harry Samuel.
Harry Samuel Hayes enlisted with the Militia on a four year engagement, and on 15th May 1902 joined D Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Nottinghamshire (Robin Hood) Volunteer Rifle Corps. He re-enlisted in 1906 and served with them until 31st March 1908 when the Volunteer Forces were disbanded.
He joined the new Territorial Force on 7th May 1908, signing on for two years as a corporal, and joining No.4 (Sherwood Foresters Brigade) Company, North Midland Divisional Train. He re-enlisted for a further year in 1910,1911,1912,1913 and then in 1914. He attended camp at Welbeck (1908), Scarborough (1909), Hindlow (1910, by which time he was a Lance Sergeant), Scarborough (1911), Abermaide (1912), Carnarvon (1913) and Hunmanby (1914).
Harry was promoted Wheeler Sergeant on 3rd August 1913 and Wheeler Staff Sergeant on 1st June 1914.
He was embodied on 5th August 1914 and on 28th February 1915 embarked at Southampton (SS Blackwell) for service with BEF France, disembarking at Le Havre.
On 12 May 1915 the Division was retitled 46th (North Midland) Division, and the Train became the 46th Divisional Train.
It is likely that Harry re-engaged in 1915 and then in 1916; the Military Service Act preventing his discharge on completion of his service as the war was ongoing.
He transferred to H.T Base Depot, Le Havre, on 23rd April 1916 and returned to the UK, reporting to the Administration Centre in Nottingham on 25th April 1916. He re-enlisted for four years or the duration of the war on 6th May 1916.
On re-enlistment, he joined 622 (H.T) Company ASC which was part of the 1st Reserve (H.T) Depot based at Park Royal in London. However, on 1st February 1918 he joined 1022 (H.T) Company ASC at Aberdeen and was with this unit at the time of his death the following year.
On 31st January 1919 Harry was admitted to the Cromerty Military Hospital in Aberdeen complaining of chest pains and remained in hospital until his death at 11.45am on 3rd February 1919. The cause of death was (a) influenza (b) catarrhal pneumonia (c) heart failure.
His body was returned to Nottingham for burial. He was interred in Nottingham General Cemetery (grave ref 3432); his grave with CWGC headstone is alongside the family grave.
Harry's brother, 2006 Lance Corporal Ernest Hayes, 4th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, died on 3 March 1915 from wounds received in action and is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Plot III Row C Grave 76. (See record on this Roll of Honour)
Two other brothers, William Thomas and Herbert, also served in the war:
William Thomas, a warehouseman (Boots the Chemist), attested on 10 December 1915 and was transferred to the Army Reserve the following day. He was mobilised on 25 April 1916 and joined at Nottingham the same day. William was posted to the Royal Field Artillery (Driver), then to the East Yorkshire Regiment (143258 Private) on 22 June and on 1 September to the 90th Training Reserve Battalion (26827 Private). He was reposted 22 December 1916 to the Durham Light Infantry (53294 Private) and served at home (18 months) and with the BEF France (13 months). He was repatriated from France in December 1917 for hospital treatment (marriage registration 1918 JFM). William, whose record shows he was married with one child, was demobilised to Class 'Z' Army Reserve on 6 March 1919, home address 13 Shipstone Street, Basford.
Herbert served in the Territorial Force before the war, joining in 1913 when still a schoolboy although he later gave his occupation as pattern maker. Home address 13 Shipstone Street. He joined the regular army (embodied service) on 5 August 1914. His service record is badly damaged and dates are confused, but it seems that he was discharged on 7 January 1916 under para. 392 KR, but then re-enlisted in January 1917 aged 18y 109d. He appears to have served with the Sherwood Foresters Training Battalion, then the West Yorks Regiment and finally the East Yorks Regiment (58868). His record shows he was medically assessed in 1917 and again in 1919 and 1920 after suffering a gunshot wound to the chest ('in action'), origin 24 April (year illeg.).
CWGC Additional information: Husband of Mrs F. Hayes, of 39, Gladstone Street, New Basford, Nottingham.
Nottingham General Cemetery, family headstone, inscription: ‘In loving memory of Wheeler Staff Sergt. Harry Samuel Hayes, RASC (HT), the beloved husband of Florrie Hayes who died Feby. 3rd 1919, aged 33 years. Shattered Hopes. Into Thy hands O Lord, I come. Also Herbert Hayes died 28th August 1974, aged 75. At rest.'
Nottingham Evening Post, 'Roll of Honour', 4 February 1919 (abridged): 'Hayes. On February 3rd 1919 at Cromerty Military Hospital, Scotland, of pneumonia. Staff Sergeant Hayes, age 33, husband of Florrie Hayes of 13 Shipstone Street, Basford and eldest son of Annie and Henry Hayes. Seventeen years with Sherwood Foresters and ASC. Funeral General Cemetery.'
Nottingham Journal and Express, Tuesday 11 February 1919: 'Military Funeral. The funeral of Staff Sgt Harry S Hayes R.A.S.C (Horse Transport) took place yesterday afternoon at the General Cemetery. The coffin was carried to the grave on a gun carriage and a firing party and bugler of the 32nd West Yorks came over from Clipstone to fire the customary volley and sound the Last Post. There were many beautiful wreaths, the officiating minister was the Rev F J Sides of St Stephens. Staff Sgt Hayes was the son of Mr and Mrs H Hayes of 13 Shipstone Street, Hyson Green. He joined up with his four brothers early in the war and had been about 3 years in France, one brother was recently severely wounded, one was killed in the war and he himself died after a few days illness of pneumonia at Cromarty Military Hospital, Scotland, and was brought to his own city for internment. Staff Sgt Hayes was an old Robin Hood man, and was well known in the local Scout movement having been a Scout master in Nottingham for several years. He was 33 years of age and leaves a widow to mourn his loss.'
Nottingham General Cemetery, family headstone, inscription: ‘In loving memory of Wheeler Staff Sergt. Harry Samuel Hayes, RASC (HT), the beloved husband of Florrie Hayes who died Feby. 3rd 1919, aged 33 years. Shattered Hopes. Into Thy hands O Lord, I come. Also Herbert Hayes died 28th (sic) August 1974, aged 75. At rest.'
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 15 March 1966: ‘Hayes. Albert Richard, Died suddenly at 31 Dulverton-vale. March 14th, 1966. Devoted, dearest and the best husband, Loving wife Lottie (nee Pearson). Peace after pain, Cremation Wilford Hill Thursday. Also notice from sister Florence [d. 1982], brothers Tom, Herbert [d. 1974] Leonard [d. 1975], and nephews and nieces.
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 31 August 1974: Herbert Hayes died in hospital on 29 August 1974, ‘late of Nottingham City Transport’, Service St Stephen, Bobbersmill, interment General Cemetery. Notices from siblings Florrie [Florence Green d. 1982] and Len [Leonard d. 1975] and from the ‘Green family, nieces and nephews.’ [relatives of Florence Green née Hayes].
Additional research and record amended/updated, RF (May 2026).
HS Hayes
Family headstone Nottingham General Cemetery. Photograph Rachel Farrand (11 Oct. 2009)
HS Hayes
Nottingham General Cemetery. Photograph Rachel Farrand (11 Oct. 2009)