Oliver Carlyle Hand

Oliver was the son of John Thomas Hand, who was born in Gonalston, Nottinghamshire, and of Annie (Ann) Hand (nee Knight), who was born in Nottingham, the daughter of Henry and Rebecca Ratcliffe. John Thomas Hand was a dairyman/milk dealer and this might have been his own business as when his eldest son, John Edward, died in 1952 probate was awarded jointly to Lewis Oliver Hand and John Leslie Hand, a dairyman. Oliver's parents were married in 1887 and were to have 11 children. According to the 1911 census only 5 of their children were still living but this appears to be an error and probably refers to the number of children who were still at home. Eight children were named on the census between 1891 and 1911: John Edward, Herbert Harold, Albert Archibald, Thomas Lyall (Lyall Thomas), Kate Rebecca, Lawrence George (George Lawrence), Edith Ann and Oliver Carlyle. All the children were born in Nottingham. In 1891 John and Annie were living at 15 Clayton Street, Nottingham. At home on the night of the census were John (9), Albert (3), Thomas (2), Kate (1) and George (7m.) as well as 18 year old Emma Savage, a general servant. Their second son, Herbert (8), was staying with his widowed grandmother, Elizabeth Hand, at Main Street, Caythorpe, together with another grandchild, Sarah Edith Carlile (sic) age 14, who was born in Gonalston. The family was still living at the same address in Clayton Street in 1901. John and Annie had had at least two more children, Edith (3) and Oliver (1), but one of their sons, Thomas, had died aged 4 in 1893. By 1911 John and Annie had moved to 17 Clayton Street and only five children were in the house on the night of the census; Albert, Kate, Lawrence, Edith and Oliver, who at 11 was still at school. Their mother, Annie, was to die three years later in 1914 aged 57. At least one of Oliver's brothers also served in the war; John Edward ('Jack') may have served as 173522 Gunner John E Hand, Royal Garrison Artillery. One of Oliver's older brothers, Thomas, died young in 1893, but of his other siblings it appears that: John Edward married Fanny and died on 10 September 1952 aged about 70. Herbert Harold, born February 1883, married Ethel and in 1911 was living in Leicester with his wife and three daughters, Ethel (6), Kate (3) and Florence (1). He died in 1973 aged 90. Albert Archibald married in 1911 and died in 1961 aged 73. Lawrence George Hind married Beatrice Knight in 1915 and died in 1967 aged 76. Kate Rebecca married Harry Hallam in 1915 but died in 1921 aged 31. Edith Ann, born 29 October 1897, married William Nisbet in 1928 and died in 1985 aged 87. Oliver's cousin, George Arthur Hand, the son of his father's brother, Herbert Richards Hand and his wife Emma, also died in the war: 36296 Private GA Hand, 10th Bn Sherwood Foresters, killed in action 19 January 1918 aged 26 (Arras Memorial). George's brother, John Lyall Hand, served in the Sherwood Foresters and survived the war.

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