Horace George Handley
1911 - at school
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Horace Samuel was the second son of Harry and Annie Eliza Handley (née Salt).
His father was born in Nottingham in 1874 and his mother in Derby in 1870. They were married in 1895 and had five children: Harry Samuel (1895 reg. 1896 JFM), Horace George (1897 JFM), Hilda Annie (1898), Francis (1906) and Doris Florence (1910).
The couple and their three children, Harry, Horace and Hilda, were recorded at 73 Plantagenet Street, St Ann's, on the 1901 Census and this continued to be the family home until Harry's death in 1950. Harry was a painter and decorator and was still working in this profession in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled.
Four of Harry and Annie's children were recorded with their parents at Plantagenet Street in 1911: Harry, an errand boy (warehouse), Hilda, Francis and Doris. Also in the household was Harry senior's unmarried sister, Annie, a machinist (neckwear).
Horace (14), who was school age, has probably been traced on the census to 194 Hungerhill Gardens, Nottingham, where he was living in the home of Betsy and George Wright They had been married for 30 years but had no children and Horace was described as their adopted son. The couple lived at this address between the Census of 1901 and 1921. In 1901 George's occupation was given as lace machine maker while his wife was a lace mender. However, in 1911 he described his occupation as 'manufacturer bobbins and carriages, lace machine'. The following entry is unclear and could be either 'employer' or 'employee'. However, by 1921 George was working on his own account as a jobbing gardener.
Harry and Annie's four surviving children were still living with their parents in 1921: Harry Samuel, who had served in the war, was following his pre-war occupation as warehouseman and working for a hat and cap maker on Hounds Gate as was his younger brother Francis, while Hilda was a machinist for a blouse manufacturer on Warsergate. Their youngest sister Doris was still at school.
Both Hilda and Harry married the following year; Hilda to Claude Wilson (St Ann, April 1922), and Harry to Annie Morley (St Ann, October 1922). Francis was probably married in 1933 and Doris married Richard Britton in 1938.
Harry snr. died on 26 June 1950 at 73 Plantagenet Street and his widow on 26 July the following year.
George served with 'B' Company, 1/8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters, Notts & Derby Regiment. Previously 5176 Private 1/7th Battalion Sherwood Foresters and 20009 Private N&D, 307524.
The 1/8th Battalion was a Territorial Force Battalion, formed at Newark in August 1914. It landed in France on 25 February 1915 as part of the Notts & Derby Infantry Brigade inthe North Midland Division. However, in May that year the formation became the 139th Brigade in 46th (North Midland) Division.
No record has yet been traced of when George enlisted but he was not 18 years old until early 1915 and as he did not qualify for the 1914/15 Star did not serve in theatre until 1916 at the earliest.
During the 'Advance to Victory' (29 September 1918-11 November 1918), the Battalion was in the region of Ramicourt and Monthrehain, Picardy, from late September 1918. The objective of the 139th Brigade, which was temporarily attached to the 32nd Division, was to break through the strongly held Beaurevoir-Fonsomme Linde Line, the last remaining section of the Hindenburg Line, and capture the villages of Ramicourt and Montherhain.
The attack was made on 3 October and while it succeeded in breaking the Fonsomme Line the Battalion suffered 22 killed in action, including Horace, and several more died later from wounds received.
Horace has no known grave and is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial, France (Panel 7).
He qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
CWGC History of the Vis-en-Artois Memorial (extract): The villages of Vis-en-Artois and Harcourt are about ten kms. from the town of Arras and on on the road between Arras and Cambrai. The Memorial 'bears the names of over 9,000 men who fell in the period from 8 August 1918 to the date of the Armistice in the Advance to Victory in Picardy and Artois, between the Somme and Loos.' The Memorial is also the back drop to the British Cemetery of the same name. (www.cwgc.org)
Horace's brother, 15184 Private Harry Samuel Handley, served with the 11th (Service) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, which was formed in Newcastle in September 1914 as part of Kitchener's New Army (K3). Harry was serving with the Battalion when it went to France in August 1915. The Battalion then moved with the 23rd Division to Italy in November 1917. Harry qualified for the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal and was also awarded the Military Medal. The London Gazette, 18 October 1918: 'Military Medal. 15184 Pte HS Handley, North’d Fus. (Nottingham).' The London Gazette, 21 October 1918, 'Pte HS Handley ... Theatre Italy.'
CWGC Additional information: He was the son of Harry and Annie Eliza Handley of 73 Plantagenet Street St Ann's Nottingham.
WW1 Pension Ledgers: His mother, Annie Eliza, was named on the record.
Registers of Soldiers Effects: His mother Annie was his legatee.
Nottingham Evening Post, 28 October 1918: ‘Handley. Killed in action October 3rd, 1918, Pte. Horace G Handley, Sherwood Foresters, the dearly loved second son of Mr and Mrs Handley, of 73 Plantagenet-street, aged 21. A noble sacrifice. Deeply mourned by his sorrowing mother and father, sisters and brothers (Harry in Italy).’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, 28 October 1918: ‘Handley. Killed in action October 3rd, 1918, Pte. Horace G Handley, Sherwood Foresters. Sadly missed by his loving chum Arthur and Ethel.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, 3 October 1919: ‘Handley. In loving memory of our dear son and brother Horace, killed in action October 3rd, 1918. Too dearly loved to be forgotten. Mother, father, sisters, and brothers.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 27 June 1950: ‘Handley. On June 26th, at 73 Plantagenet-street, Harry, age 76, beloved husband of Annie, father of Harry, Hilda, Frank [Francis] and Doris. Sorrowing wife, sons, daughters, in-laws and grandchildren. Service St Ann’s Church, Thursday 3 o’clock, interment, Wilford Hill, 3.30.’ Also Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 26 June 1951 (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 26 July 1951: ‘Handley. July 25th, Annie, widow of Harry (late of Plantagenet-street), loving mother of Harry, Hilda, Frank and Doris, passed away. Deeply mourned by sons, daughters, in-laws and grandchildren. Service St Ann’s Church 3.15pm Friday, interment, Wilford Hill 3.45pm.’ (wwwbritishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Photo of Horace George Handley
Commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial, France. (www.cwgc.org