Abraham Bates
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Abraham Bates, born 1893, was one of 11 children born to Edwin and Hannah Bates, nee Yates, of Colliery Row, Church Gresley, Derbyshire. The couple had married there and had their first child in 1875. Over the next 25 years they had 11 children, all born in Church Gresley. The father, Edwin, had started his married life working as a railway shunter but later changed to working as a miner. Maybe it was because of the availability of this type of work that the family was attracted to Worksop sometime after 1900. They took up residence at 7 Humber street. Abraham, whilst working at Steetley colliery as a pony driver, married Beatrice Hilda Burgin, in 1912 and took residence at 6 Plants Yard, Worksop. They had 2 children, Harry C on the 21st Aug 1912 and Charles Edward 4th Oct 1914. After the death of Abraham in 1915, Beatrice and her 2 children were awarded 18/6d per week pension and later in 1919 she married Fred Newbound.
Abraham went to Worksop on the 11th May 1911 to join the Sherwood Foresters territorials. He was passed medically fit on the 12th and approved on the 13th. For the 8th Battalion. Due to war being declared, he signed on for the duration of war on the 5th August 1914 and was dispatched to France with the Expeditionary Force on the 1st March 1915, when he was killed just over a month later. His wife received his personal effects of clasp knife, ID disc, pipe, imperial service badge, hairbrush, knife, fork, spoon, comb, shaving kit and photograph on the 9/7/1915. Pte A Bates Worksop Guardian 30 April 1915 One of the stricken brave is Pte Abraham Bates, of plants Yard, a son of Mr and Mrs Edwin Bates, of Humber Street, Worksop. Bates, who was a genial fellow, only 22 years of age, was attached to the Sherwood Foresters (Territorials), and went to the front line with them. Mr Bates who had been a “Terrier” for four years, leaves a widow and two young children. The distressing news was conveyed to the family by Lieu. Edward C A James. Who writing to Mr Bates’ wife says, “I deeply regret to say that your husband has been killed. You will of course have heard the sad news before this. I was not with your husband when he was killed, but a Mr Weetman who was present, tells me that he died bravely. He was killed whilst observing the enemy’s trenches on April 21st. It will be some slight consolation to you to know that he died a good soldier’s death. He will be missed by all his comrades, who have lost a good man. Please accept my deepest sympathy in your very sad loss.” It is believed that Pte Bates is the first Worksop Territorial to be killed
CWG additional information:- Husband of Beatrice Hilda Newbound (formerly Bates), of 6, Plants Yard, Worksop, Notts Commemorated on the Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery. Research by Colin Dannatt
