Thomas Brotherhood
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Thomas Brotherhood was the son of John and Mary Brotherhood (née Woodroe or Woodrow) His father John was born in 1863 at Sheepy Magna, Leicestershire, (bap. Sheepy Magna April 1863, res. Sheepy Parva) the son of John Brotherhood and his wife Ann (née Wardle or Wardell m. 1855). The family was living in Tamworth, Staffordshire, by 1871 and at 24 Brewery Lane in 1881. His mother was born in 1865 in Coventry. John and Mary were married at Tamworth St Editha in October 1881, John was 19, a miner and living at 24 Brewery Lane, and Mary was 18 and living at 11 Brewery Lane. Each signed the marriage register with their mark as did their two witnesses. John and Mary had nine children, two of whom died before the 1911 census, one in childhood, and one in his twenties. Seven children were born in Hucknall Torkard: John b. 1884 d. 1910, Walter b. 1886 d. 1888, Albert b. 1888, Henry (Harry) b. 1890, Ada birth registered 1893 (J/F/M), Oliver b. 1895 and Thomas b. 1898. Thomas was baptised at Hucknall St John the Evangelist on 10 August 1898; three of his siblings were also baptised at St John's and one at St Mary Magdalene. The two youngest children were born in Shirebrook, Derbyshire: Ernest birth registered 1902 (J/F/M) bap. Shirebrook Holy Trinity 1902 and Ann Mercia (or Marcia) birth registered 1911 (J/F/M). The family was living on Clumber Street, Hucknall, in 1888 when Albert was baptised and were recorded living on the same street at the time of the 1891 Census: John (28) a coal miner, his wife Mary and their three sons, John, Albert and Henry. Their second son, Walter, had died in 1888 aged three. The couple had three more children in the next seven years, Ada, Oliver and Thomas in 1898. Thomas's baptismal record gave his parents' address as 6 Clarence Street, Hucknall. However, by the time of the 1901 Census John and Mary had moved to 24 Vale Drive, Shirebrook, Derbyshire. They had six surviving children but only five were recorded in the home on the night of the census: John and Albert who, like their father, were working as coal miners, Harry, Ada, and Thomas. Oliver (b. 1895) has not yet been traced on the census and his name may have been omitted inadvertently by the enumerator. Also in the household were two boarders, both coal miners. By the following year when their seventh son, Ernest, was born, John and Mary were living at 47 Market Street, Shirebrook. The eldest son, John, married Phoebe Alice Smith at Shirebrook Holy Trinity in October 1907 but died aged 24 three years later in 1910 (reg. J/A/S). His widow remarried in 1911 (J/F/M). By 1911 John, now a coal miner contractor, and Mary had moved to 24 Victoria Street, Shirebrook. Five of their seven surviving children were still living at home, Ada (who married later that year), Oliver, who was employed at a chemical works, Thomas, Ernest and Ann. There were also two boarders, both coal miner loaders, living with the family. Harry has not yet been traced on the 1911 Census, but Albert, a miner loader, had married Ada Black in 1907 and they and their two sons were also living in Shirebrook. Oliver enlisted in the Royal Marine Artillery (13762 Private) two years later in October 1913. He was 18 years old and employed as a colliery pony driver. He named his mother of 24 Victoria Street, Shirebrook, as his next of kin. Oliver was discharged on 25 March 1914, 'not likely to become an effective soldier.' Thomas's older brother, Albert, also served in the war. (See 'Extra information') Mary Brotherhood died in 1929 aged about 64 and her husband John the following year, aged about 66.
7th (Service) Bn. Lincolnshire Regiment. Formerly Leicestershire Regiment (13332 Private). The 7th (Service) Battalion was raised at Lincoln in September 1914 as part of Kitchener's Second New Army. It served with the BEF France from July 1915. Thomas was killed in action on 12 October 1917. The Register of Soldier's Effects noted his date of death as 12 October 1917 'on or since death presumed.' He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Passchendaele, Belgium (Panel 35 to 37). The Tyne Cot Memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery. The Cemetery is 9km from the town of Ieper (Ypres). CWGC - History of the Tyne Cot Memorial (extract): 'The Tyne Cot Memorial is one of four memorials to the missing in Belgian Flanders which cover the area known as the Ypres Salient. Broadly speaking, the Salient stretched from Langemarck in the north to the northern edge in Ploegsteert Wood in the south, but it varied in area and shape throughout the war. The Salient was formed during the First Battle of Ypres in October and November 1914, when a small British Expeditionary Force succeeded in securing the town before the onset of winter, pushing the German forces back to the Passchendaele Ridge. The Second Battle of Ypres began in April 1915 when the Germans released poison gas into the Allied lines north of Ypres ... There was little more significant activity on this front until 1917, when in the Third Battle of Ypres an offensive was mounted by Commonwealth forces to divert German attention from a weakened French front further south. The initial attempt in June to dislodge the Germans from the Messines Ridge was a complete success, but the main assault north-eastward, which began at the end of July, quickly became a dogged struggle against determined opposition and the rapidly deteriorating weather. The campaign finally came to a close in November with the capture of Passchendaele.' (www.cwgc.org)
CWGC Additional information: 'Son of Mary Brotherhood, of 24, Victoria St., Shirebrook, Mansfield, Notts.' His brother Albert enlisted in the 7th Bn. Lincolnshire Regiment (13793 Private) on 18 November 1914 on a Short Service Engagement (Duration of War). He made a declaration that that he had previously served for 62 days in the Leicestershire Regiment. Albert was 27 years old, a colliery worker and living in Dinnington, Yorkshire. He was promoted corporal on 31 July 1915 and on 12 October 1915 was posted to the BEF France. On 7 July 1916 he suffered a shell wound to his shoulder and back and returned to the UK on 11 July 1916. On 7 October the same year he transferred to the Army Reserve (Class 'W') and was 'to remain Class 'W' so long as it is necessary to employ him in the Dinnington Main Colliery, Yorkshire.' On 9 April 1918 he rejoined his regiment from the Army Reserve and was posted in the rank of corporal to the 4th (Reserve) Bn. Lincolnshire Regiment. He was posted to BEF France on 30 June and appointed acting sergeant on 21 September 1918. He remained in France until 3 December 1918 then returned to the UK where transferred to the Army Reserve on demobilization on 12 January 1919. He was discharged on 31 March 1920. He qualified for the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. Service record: Home 18 November 1914-11 October 1915. BEF France 12 October 1915-10 July 1916. Home 11 July 1916-6 October 1916. Army Reserve Class 'W' 7 October 1916-8 April 1918. Home 9 April 1918-29 June 1918. BEF France 30 June 1918-3 December 1918. Home 4 December 1918-12 January 1919. Total 4y 56d. Oliver, who had been discharged from the Royal Marine Artillery in March 1914, may have later served in the Royal Engineers (341666 Sapper). Registers of Soldiers' Effects: Thomas's legatee was his father, John. WW1 Pension Ledgers: named his parents John and Mary Brotherhood.
