Luther Payne
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Luther Payne was born in 1894 in Daybrook and was the son of Charles a coal miner and Mary Payne née Smith of 79, St. Matthias Rd., Carlton Rd., Nottingham. His father Charles was born in 1862 at Bell Green, Warwickshire and his mother Mary Smith was born in 1868 in Scotland, they were married in 1887 , their marriage was recorded in the Basford Registration District, they went on to have 10 children, all of whom were born in Daybrook, they were Herbert Wilfred 23 yrs, Florence Emma b1890, Clara b1891, Percy b1892, Luther b1894, Harriett b1897, May b1899, Daisy b1901, Lily b1903 and John b1907. In the 1911 census the family are living at Stanley Terrace, Portland Street, Daybrook and are shown as Charles 49 yrs a coal miner, he is living with his wife Mary 43 yrs and their children, Herbert Wilfred 23 yrs a soldier, Florence Emma 21 yrs a blouse machinist, Clara 20 yrs a blouse machinist, Percy 19 yrs a soldier, Luther 17 yrs a soap maker, Harriett 17 yrs a soap wrapper, May 12 yrs a scholar, May 12 yrs a scholar, Daisy 10 yrs a scholar, Lily 8 yrs a scholar and John 4 yrs.
Private Luther Payne, initially enlisted at Nottingham whilst residing at Bulwell, he served with the service number 13925 in the 9th battalion, Sherwood Foresters, he landed at Gallipoli on 1st October 1915 he was serving with the 7th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment, when he was killed in action on 7th October 1918 on the Western Front. He is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial.
He had been the victim of a violent assault. Two men were sent to prison on 4th July 1917 for beating up and robbing the Gallipoli veteran while he was on home leave in Nottingham. Originally a member of the 9th Battalion Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment, he had transferred to the South Staffordshire Regiment by the time of the assault. An article published on 4th July 1917 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “SOLDIER ROBBED. “SIX MONTHS EACH FOR “IDLE VAGABONDS.” “Described by the Chief Constable as “idle, worthless, vagabonds who associated with people of the lowest possible type,” Thomas Smith, 25, news-vendor, and William Oliver Petitt, 20, street artist, both living in Pear-street, Nottingham, were committed to prison for six months at the Guildhall, Nottingham, to-day, [4th July 1917] for stealing £3 10s. in Treasury notes from Private Luther Payne, South Staffordshire Regiment. “Prosecutor, who is home on leave from France, stated that on the evening of June 27th he entered the bar parlour of the Swan Hotel, Beastmarket-hill, and was joined by prisoners. Smith showed him a penny and asked him to make it into two drinks and witness gave him 11d. He subsequently changed a. 10s. note which he took from a box containing other Treasury notes and handed them money for further drinks. Witness left the premises at 9.30 and was followed by prisoners. When passing along Warser-gate Smith seized him round the waist and the other prisoner struck and kicked him while they struggled on the ground. When he eventually got away he missed his money. “P.c. J. Clay who arrested prisoners the following day, said Smith shouted out “Let’s have a go for him” and Petitt tripped him up. Inspector Wyville took one of the men and a corporal of the Military Police assisted witness with Smith, who was very violent and had to be handcuffed. Charged at the Guildhall with the theft Smith replied, “Yes, we don’t want to go to the Assizes.” “It transpired that each prisoner had a long list of previous convictions against him, and in sentencing them both Mr. J. Reid (chairman), who was accompanied on the bench by Mr. J. W. Jones, observed that there were other points in the case which might receive attention from the police.” Above article is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
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