Harold Leslie Tyers
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Harold Leslie was the son of Rebecca Hazledine (also Hazeldine), his father has not been traced on civil records, but Harold took the surname of his stepfather, George James Tyers, whom his mother married in 1901. Rebecca Hazledine was born in Radford, Nottingham, in 1874 (J/A/S Radford-Smedley), the daughter of Henry Hazledine and his first wife Annie. In 1891 Rebecca (17), a cotton winder, was living with her father and his second wife Jane on Dorset Street, Radford. Her son Harold Leslie was born in 1894 (J/A/S Nottingham). In 1901 Rebecca (26) and her son Harold (6) were living at 12 Bramcote Place, Nottingham, in the household of the widowed George James Tyers (28), a coal miner; Rebecca was his housekeeper. Also in the household were George's daughter Frances Catherine Tyers (3), his adopted daughter Mabel Douglas Tyers (10) who was the child of his late wife's first marriage, and his sister, Sarah Tyers (16) a lace hand. For details of George James Tyer's family history see 'Extra information'. Rebecca married George Tyers in 1901 (O/N/D Nottingham) and in 1911 they were living at 16 Howitt Street, Basford, with Rebecca's son Harold (16), surname Hazeldine, who was a grocer's shop assistant, and Frances Catherine (13). George completed the census form with the information that he had been married for 9 years and that there were two children of the marriage. However, no records have been found of any children of his marriage to Rebecca. When Harold enlisted in the Army Reserve (Special Reservists) in 1913 he used his stepfather's surname, Tyers, and this was his surname on subsequent records. Harold's service record gives his mother's address as 313 Denman Road, Old Radford, and this was certainly the home in 1917 until at least 1921 when Rebecca was sent Harold's medals. The CWGC record gives Rebecca's address as 70 Grimston Road, Radford. Rebecca died in June 1932 (A/M/J Nottingham), buried 7 June. George married Catherine Hodgkinson in 1935 (J/A/S Nottingham) and died at the age of 76 in March 1949 (J/F/M Nottingham), buried 14 March.
Harold's Army Service Record (Special Reservists) survives but is badly damaged ('burnt record'). He served initially in the 7th Territorial Force Battalion Sherwood Foresters, probably for over a year, but was discharged from the Territorial Force on 7 December 1913 as he enlisted in the Army Reserve (Special Reservist) on a six year engagement on 8 December 1913. As a reservist Harold may have been mobilized on the outbreak of war and he was serving in France by 1915. He was posted to the 9th Battalion on 29 September 1916. His record shows a number of offences committed 'in the Field' for which he forfeited pay and also several occasions when he was admitted to hospital for short periods for minor illnesses and injuries. After the Somme campaign of 1916, the battalion was stationed near St Pierre Divion for the winter, an extremely muddy location. Between 15 and 19 January 1917 the battalion was moved to a new post near Ferdan trench. Despite the freezing conditions, the men carried out fighting patrols and on 18th they moved across Battery Valley towards O.G.1 (Old German line 1). Five of the patrol became casualties with two subsequently dying of wounds. Harold was one of the two fatalities; he died of his wounds at 11th Casualty Clearing Station Varennes, and was buried Varennes Military Cemetery (Grave Reference: I.F.70). He qualified for the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Registers of Soldiers' Effects: his mother, Rebecca, was his sole legatee WW1 Pension Ledgers: the record names Rebecca Tyers, 'mother', and George James Tyers, no relationship given. Family history - George James Tyers: George was born in 1872 (J/A/S Nottingham), the son of Robert HB Tyers, a groom and formerly a cabman, and Emma Tyers. In 1891 George was working as a general labourer and living with his parents on Redoubt Street, Radford. At the age of 23 he married Maria Douglas née Maud (30), a widow, on 5 October 1895 at Newbold cum Dunston, Derbyshire (O/N/D Chesterfield Derbys). They were both living on Arundel Road, Newbold, and George was working as a miner. His wife, Maria (b. 1865 J/A/S Daventry) had married Joseph Douglas in 1883 (J/F/M Chesterfield). Maria and Joseph had had at least four children; Thomas, Alice, George and Mabel (b. 1890 J/A/S Chesterfield), who were named on the 1891 Census when the Douglas family was living in Whittington, Derbyshire. Joseph died in 1894 (J/F/M Chesterfield) aged 31 and his widow married George Tyers the following year. George and Maria had two children: George Henry b. 1896 (J/F/M Chesterfield) bap. Newbold parish church 2 February d. 1896 (J/A/S Chesterfield) and Frances Catherine b. Brimington Derbyshire 1898 (J/F/M Nottingham-Maud). The family moved to Nottingham where Maria died in April 1899 (A/M/J Nottingham, burial 24 April). By 1901 only Frances was living with her father although her siblings Thomas and Alice have been traced in Nottingham in 1901 and 1911; no records have yet been found for George who was two years old in 1891. Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 12 March 1949: Tyers George James in his 77th year, after much suffering. Sorrowing wife and family. Service Old Radford Church, 2.30. Monday: Bulwell 3 o’clock. (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
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