Thomas Hartley
1911: school. 1917: farm labourer
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Thomas was the son of William Henry Hartley and his wife Elizabeth Ann (née Handley).
Both William and Elizabeth were born in Worksop, William in 1868 and Elizabeth in 1870. They were married in 1888 and according to the 1911 Census had seven children, only four of whom had survived infancy. Six children have been traced, two of whom died in infancy: R0bert Clifton b. 1894, William Henry b. December 1895 (reg. 1896), Thomas Clifton b. 1898, Frank b. 1900 d. 1900, Mary Elizabeth b. 1903 d. 1904 and Elsie May b. 1905. There are baptismal records for four children who were baptised at Worksop St Mary (Priory): Robert, William, Thomas (6 July 1898) and Frank who died in infancy.
In 1891, three years after their marriage, William, a labourer, and Elizabeth were living at No. 2 Court, 1 Cheapside. The baptismal records between 1894 and 1898 give their address as 62 Cheapside, then in 1900, when Frank was baptised, as 2 Clinton Street.
However, by the following year, 1901, William, a bricklayers' labourer, Elizabeth and their three surviving sons, Robert, William and Thomas, were living at the Court House, 1 Abbey Street. Their only surviving daughter, Emily, was born four years later.
By 1911 the family was living at 35 Low Town Street, Worksop. William was still employed as a bricklayers' labourer, Robert was working as a farm labourer and William as a coal trammer (below ground). The two youngest children, Thomas and Elsie, were school age.
Both Robert and Thomas served in the war; Robert survived (see 'Extra information').
William and Elizabeth were still at 35 Low Town Street in 1921, but none of their three surviving children were in the home on the night of the census. Elsie has not yet been traced after 1911 but both Robert and William were now married, Robert to Mary E Briggs in 1920 and William to Annie Elizabeth Inhester in 1919. Robert and his wife had had eight children, one of whom died in infancy. In 1921 they were living at 37 Low Town Street with their first child, Florrie. William, his wife Annie and their infant son John William, who would be the eldest of three children, were living at 2 Double Row, Marecroft, Worksop.
William snr., who was still employed as a bricklayers' labourer, and his wife Elizabeth were recorded on the 1939 England & Wales Register living at 51 Radford Street, Worksop. Also in the household was their son William, a coal miner haulage hand (below ground), his son John William, a coalminer haulage hand (below ground), and Robert's daughter Elsie, a land worker (sugar beet) and general farm work.
William Hartley snr. died in 1945 and his widow Elizabeth in 1954. Both deaths were registered in Worksop.
Thomas Hartley was called up on 9 May 1917 aged 18 years 11 months old, and attested in Retford. He was living at 35 Low Town Street, Worksop.
After three months training, Thomas was posted to the 2/6th Battalion Sherwood Foresters on 8 August and embarked for BEF France, disembarking Calais on 10 August 1917. He arrived at 141 BD Calais the following day and was posted to the 2/6th Battalion Sherwood Foresters for record purposes, then on 27 August posted to the 9th Battalion, joining in the field.
Thomas suffered a wound to his right knee on 4 October 1917 (different medical records describe this as either a gun shot wound or a shell wound). He was treated initially at a Casualty Clearing Station then admitted to No. 14 General Hospital (Wimereux) on 6 October. He was medically evacuated to England (SS St Denis) on 13 October and admitted to Mills Road Infirmary, Liverpool, on the 16th. On discharge from hospital on 28 Februry 1918 he was transferred to the Southport Convalescent Hospital and Sea Bathing Infirmary. Following his discharge from Southport Thomas was granted furlough from 6 April 1918 to 15 April 1918, staying with his parents in Worksop.
He returned to France on 2 August 1918, embarking at Dover for Calais, and was posted to the 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters on 16 August 1918.
The Burial Officer (9th Corps) annotated Thomas' service record 'killed in action or died [of wounds]' but prefaced this with what appears to be 'with time missing', suggesting that it may have been a short while before his body was recovered. It was officially recorded that Thomas was killed in action on 8 October 1918; he was buried the same day in the newly made Ramicourt British Cemetery (grave ref. C. 21).
Service record: Home 9 May 1917-8 August 1917 (92d). France 9 August 1917-13 October 1917 (66d). Home 14 October 1917-1 August 1918 (292d). France 2 August 1918-8 October 1918 (68d).
Thomas qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
CWGC History of Ramicourt British Cemetery: Ramicourt is a commune 31km south of Cambrai. 'The village of Ramicourt was immediately east of the German fortification known as the Beaurevoir-Fonsomme Line. It was captured by the 1/5th, 1/6th and 1/8th Sherwood Foresters on 3 October 1918, and the cemetery was made immediately after, close to a small German cemetery (since removed), by the 18th Field Ambulance and the 18th Corps Burial Officer. Ramicourt British Cemetery contains 118 First World War burials, ten of them unidentified.' (www.cwgc.org)
Thomas's older brother, Robert, of 35 Low Town Street, joined at Worksop on 2 September 1914 and was posted to the 6th (Service) Bn Lincolnshire Regiment. However, he was discharged the same year in accordance with para 392 iii King's Regulations, 'not being likely to become an efficient soldier.' (Note: he signed on enlistment 'with his mark'.) However, two years later he was called up for war service and joined the Northumberland Fusiliers (37680/3446 Private). He served at home 10 March 1916-7 July 1916 (120 days), BEF France 8 July 1916-23 September 1916 (78 days), Home 24 September 1916-6 August 1919 (2 years 317 days), total 3 years 150 days. Robert had suffered a shell wound to his left hand on 15 September 1916, which resulted in his return to the UK later that month. As a result of his injury he was transferred to the Labour Corps (Agricultural Company 412) on 23 June 1917. He was discharged from the Army on 6 August 1919, aged 25. He was awarded a weekly pension (5 shillings and 6 pence) from 7 August which was to be reviewed in 52 weeks. A document in his service papers records that in August 1919 Robert was working on the farm of Lt Col GS Foljambe at Scofton, Nottinghamshire.
CWGC (Thomas): the record does not give any family details.
WW1 Pension Ledger: Thomas's named relative was his mother, Elizabeth, of 35 Low Town Street, Worksop.
Registers of Soldiers' Effects: Thomas's mother was his sole legatee.
Research by Colin Dannatt. Additional information RF
Thomas Hartley
Photo was originally published in the Worksop Guardian, courtesy of Robert Illett