Arthur Boot
In 1911 he was an apprentice engineer.
- Family History
- Military history
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Arthur Boot was the son of George Arthur and Mary Kate Boot (née Shaw). His wife's name is given on census records as either 'Mary' or 'Kate'.
Both his parents were born in Nottingham, his father, George Arthur, in 1867 and his mother Mary Kate in about 1868. They were married in 1892 (AMJ) and had three children who were born in Nottingham: Arthur b. 29 April 1893, Leonard b. 20 August 1895 and George Harold b. 4 September 1896.
In 1901 George, a lace designer, his wife (Kate) and their two sons, Leonard and George, were living at 7 Gregory Avenue, Nottingham. Also in the household was a female domestic servant.
The family had moved to 1 Berridge Road East, Sherwood Rise, Nottingham, by 1911: George, a designer, his wife (Mary) and their three sons, Arthur an apprentice (engineer), Leonard an appprentice (lace) and George who was school age.
Arthur emigrated to Australia before the outbreak of war. There is a record of an Arthur Boot age 20 (1893), trade farm labourer, departing Liverpool on 24 September 1913 for Sydney, Australia (destination Melbourne, Victoria), onboard SS Irishman (White Star Line). He settled in Tatura, Victoria. 'Tatura is an urban location area within the local government area of Greater Shepparton in Victoria, it is located approximately 154kms from the capital Melbourne.' https://australiasguide.com/vic/location/tatura/
His father, Arthur George, died on 18 September 1916 and was buried in Nottingham General Cemetery.
In 1921 Arthur's widow, Kate, was living at 1 Berridge Road with her unmarried son, George, a motor engineer (own account).
Kate married Charles Samuel Robert Armstead later that year. Her husband died in 1928. Kate has not yet been traced on the 1939 England & Wales Register. She died on 13 December 1947; according to the probate record, she died at an address on Hucknall Road, Nottingham, but her home was at 1 Burnwood Drive, Wollaton, Nottingham. Kate was buried in Nottingham General Cemetery.
Leonard had married Mary Winifred (Winifred Mary) Pears in 1920 (AMJ). They had three daughters: Mary Kathleen (Kathleen Mary) b. 1920, Rosemary BM b. 1925 and Juliet H. b. 1934. In 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled, the family was living at 17 Bentinck Road, Nottingham: Leonard, a clerk and also an ARP Warden, his wife, a shop assistant/'unpaid domestic duties', and their daughters Kathleen, a typist, and Rosemary who was school age. The record of one other member of the household remains closed but was probably that of their youngest daughter, Juliet. All three daughters had married before the death of their father in 1954 (JFM) at the age of 58.
George, a motor trader, residence Nottingham, married Doris Mary Martin, residence Gunthorpe, at Lowdham St Mary the Virgin on 27 August 1934. George was recorded on the 1939 England & Wales Register at 1 Oak Drive, Ickenham, Uxbridge, Middlesex, where he was one of four lodgers/boarders in the household of a married couple; George was an unestablished civil servant (Air Ministry A.I.D) and two others were temporary civil servants (Air Ministry A.I.D.). His wife has not yet been traced on the Register.
Doris died in hospital on 27 August 1952; her home address (probate record) was 7 Burnwood Drive, Wollaton; her husband was one of her two Executors. George, who had retired as a motor engineer by the time of his wife's death, died on 2 March 1968 aged 71 and was buried in Radcliffe on Trent Cemetery. The headstone names his wife, Doris May, 'interred Lowdham'.
Arthur Boot enlisted in the Territorial Force, Nottingham Royal Horse Artillery, on 27 June 1911 (328 Driver) and obtained his discharge on 30th September 1913.
He emigrated to Victoria, Australia, in late 1913/early 1914 and enlisted on 3 September 1914; his home was in Tartura.
Arthur embarked at Alexandria on 5 April 1915 to join the Expeditionary Force at Gallipoli.
Arthur suffered a gunshot wound to the head, in action, on 9 May 1915. He was evacuated to Alexandria, Egypt, and was then transferred to the Hospital Ship 'Nevasa' for the UK. He died of his wounds on 27 May 1915 and was buried at sea.
Arthur is commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey (28).
According to the entry in De Ruvigny's ROH, both his brothers served in France during the war. Leonard served with the British Red Cross Society & Order of St John and qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal. George Harold served as 2/Lieutenant, 15th Sherwood Foresters, but there is a later Air Ministry record of 34990 Lieutenant George Harold Boot RAF (b. 4 September 1896), of 1 Berridge Road, Sherwood Rise, next of kin mother Mrs K Boot of the same address, who served 25 September 1918-26 October 1918 (no other details).
Nottingham General Cemetery, memorial stone at the foot of the family grave, inscription: 'In memory of Arthur Boot, eldest son of GH & K Boot, wounded in action at the Dardanelles, May 9th 1915, died on board the Hospital Ship "Nevasa", June 1st 1915. Buried at sea. Aged 22 years.'
Note: De Ruvignys ROH: wounded 9 May, d. 27 May. CWGC: d. 27 May 1915.
CWGC Additional information: Son of George Arthur and Mary Kate Boot, of Sherwood Rise, Nottingham, England.
De Ruvignys Roll of Honour 1914-1919: 'Arthur Boot Pte 1076 7th battalion , 2nd infantry brigade Australian Imperial Forces, eldest son of George Arthur Boot of Risley House, 1 Berridge Road East, Nottingham, by his wife Mary Kate daughter of Mark Spink Shaw. Born Robin Hoods Chase 29th April 1893 , educated at Grosvenor school. He joined the Nottingham Royal Horse Artillery, (T.F.) as a driver number 328 on 27th June 1911 and obtained his discharge on 30th September 1913. After which he went to Australia. On the outbreak of the war he enlisted in the 7th battalion, of the Commonwealth Expeditionary Force, left with his battalion for the Dardenelles. He was dangerously wounded in the head in action there on 9th May 1915 and died on board the Hospital Ship Nevasa on 27th of the month. He was buried at sea, his two brothers are now (1916) on active service, the elder Leonard with the Red Cross in France and the younger George Harold as Lieutenant in the 15th Sherwood Foresters in France.'
'The Age' (Melbourne Australia), 21st May 1915: Private Arthur Boot, reported dangerously wounded, came from Nottingham, England, and was in Victoria six months before the war broke out. He enlisted in the First Expeditionary Force, and was engaged in farming pursuits near Tatura.'
Above courtesy of Jim Grundy facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 18 & 19 September 1916:’Boot. On the 18th inst., at his residence, Risley House, 1, Berridge-road, George Arthur Boot, in his 50th year. Interment General Cemetery, Thursday 3.30.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 17 December 1947: ‘Armstead. December 15th, Mary Kate, passed peacefully away. Interment General Cemetery, Derby-road, Thursday, 2.30.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Additional research/record updated, RF (March 2026)
Arthur Boot
Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli - A. Boot. Source: Jim Grundy facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
Arthur Boot
Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli (www.cwgc.org)
Photo of Arthur Boot
Nottingham General Cemetery, additional memorial to family grave. Photograph Rachel Farrand (9 March 2026)
Photo of Arthur Boot
Nottingham General Cemetery, additional memorial to family grave. Photograph Rachel Farrand (9 March 2026)