Gervase Thorpe Spendlove
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Gervase Thorpe Spendlove was born on 28th December 1895 at Nottingham, he was the eldest son of Joseph Gervase an embroidery manufacturer and Edith Mary Spendlove née Thorpe of the "The Willows", Dovecote Lane, Beeston the family later moving to "Brooklands", North Collingham, Nottinghamshire His father Joseph Gervase Spendlove was born in 1859 at Nottingham, his mother was born in 1869 at Wilford, Nottingham, they were married on 26th June 1890 at Lenton Priory Church they had 4 children. In the 1911 census his parents and siblings are living at The Willows, Dovecote Lane, Beeston, Joseph Gervase 53 yrs is an embroidery manufacturer, he is living with his wife Edith Mary 42 yrs and their children, Violet Mary 19 yrs and William Vernon Lewis 1 year of age also living at the address are 2 female servants a housemaid and a cook. In the same 1911 census Gervase Thorpe Spendlove was a boarder at Sidney School boarding house Oundle, Northamptonshire he is 15 yrs of age.
Second Lieutenant Gervase Thorpe Spendlove enlisted and served with the 2nd battalion South Lancashire Regiment, Having been with the regiment in the front line area for less than a week this young officer was killed after having been struck by a shell fragment whist on duty in the Ypres sector. It was reported that the eighteen year old officer never regained consciousness and died in an ambulance before reaching the nearest hospital.on 17th November 1914 and is buried in Ypres Town Cemetery. There is a memorial to him inside Beeston Parish Church.
Nottingham Evening Post 17/9/1914: “OFF TO FRANCE.“Nottingham Motor-cyclists to Offer their Services. “With the idea of offering themselves as motor despatch riders to General French five Nottingham young men left the city yesterday morning [16th September 1914] en route for France. All five are members of the Motor Squadron of the Legion of Frontiersmen, Northern Command, their names being R. B. Edwards, J. S. Hyde, J. Oldershaw, G. T. Spendlove, and – Charlton. The little party are carrying letters of introduction from Colonel Sir L. Rolleston to General French, and also to the French authorities.“Parading in Theatre-square shortly after nine o'clock they left the city a few minutes later for a point on the South Coast. The whole of the journey to General French's headquarters is to be made by road, except, of course, the Channel crossing. The expenses of the journey are being borne by the young men themselves.” Nottingham Evening Post 30/11/ 1914: “NOTTM. DESPATCH RIDER'S SAD END. “G. T. SPENDLOVE KILLED IN ACTION. “The sad news reached Mr. and Mrs. J. G. Spendlove, of The Willows, Beeston, Saturday [28th November 1914], that their eldest son, Corporal Gervase Thorpe Spendlove, had been killed in action on November 17th at Ypres. Spendlove, who was only 19 years of age, was educated at Oundle school, and excelled at athletics and outdoor exercises. He was serving as despatch rider, Army Signals, to the General Headquarters staff. “He was one of the party of four members of the Motor Squadron connected with the Legion of Frontiersmen (North Midland Command) who, on their own initiative set out from Nottingham for Paris, bearing letters of introduction, on September 16th. Prior to going to France, Spendlove had served on remount depot duties, under Sir Lancelot Rolleston, and had also done recruiting work under General Burn Murdoch. He had also rendered assistance in connection with relief work in the district to Lady Maud Rolleston.Newspaper items courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 There is a faculty dated 17 July 1915 to place a memorial in the church of St John the Baptist (WMA 27234). Dedication: 'Sacred to the memory of Gervase Thorpe Spendlove of The Willows, Beeston. At first a despatch rider and afterwards 2nd Lieutenant in the South Lancashire Regiment. Killed in action near Ypres Novr 17th 1914 in his 19th year. Greater love hath no man than this.'
