John Horace Blake
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John Horace was the son of William and Betsy Blake (néé Bramley). His father William Blake was born in about 1863 at Maulden, Bedfordshire. His mother Betsy was born in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, in November 1865, the daughter of Michael and Hannah Bramley (m. 1851). Her birth name was registered as Elizabeth Sarah but she was named Betsy Sarah on the 1871 Census and subsequent records gave her first name as Betsy. There is a record that she was baptised at Hucknall St John in February 1913. William and Betsy were married in 1889, marriage registered Prestwich, Lancashire, and had six children: William Albert b. 1889 and John Horace b. 30 July 1890 who were born in Prestwich and Eva Zelma b. 1895, Ivon Arthur b. 1906 and Herbrand (Bertie) Walter b. 1909 who were born in Maulden, Bedfordshire, and Joseph Michael Bramley b. Hucknall 1911 (reg. 1912 J/F/M). John was baptised at Collyhurst St James (Lancashire) on 4 February 1891; his parents were then living at 14 Heelis Street. William, a baker's journeyman, Betsy and their two sons Albert and John, were living at 20 Pollard Street, Manchester, in 1891. Also in the household was Betsy's sister, Mary Bramley, and a lodger who was also a baker's journeyman. The family had moved to Maulden by 1895 when the third child, Eva, was born and in 1901 was recorded at 14 Snowhill, Maulden. William was a baker on his own account working from 14 Snowhill. The next two children, Ivon and Herbrand, were also born in Maulden, the youngest in 1909, but by 1911 William and Betsy were living at 22 Brickyard, Butlers Hill, Hucknall, with their three youngest children, Eva a cigar maker, Ivon and Bertie. William was now working as a navvy 'in connection with laying of new sewer main, UDC' although at the time of his son's death in 1915 a newspaper report recorded that William was caretaker at Hucknall St John. However, when his daughter Eva was married at St John's in 1917 (m. Thomas Clarence Mills), William's occupation was given as baker. The two eldest sons, William and John, have not yet been traced on the 1911 census, but John had probably joined the army in 1908 and may have been serving in India. The sixth child and fifth son, Joseph, was born in 1912. Eva's marriage certificate gave her address as 53 Beardall Street, Hucknall, and this was also her parents' address on the later CWGC record. William and Betsy and their three youngest children, Ivon, Bertie and Joseph, were living together in Hucknall in 1921. William snr. died in 1930 and in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled his widow Betsy and their son Ivon were living at 23 Nottingham Road, Hucknall. Ivon was in full-time work but was also a special constable as was his brother Joseph (m. Nellie Parsons, 1934) who was now living in Nottingham. Their siblings Eva (Mills) and Herbrand (m. Louisa Allen, 1933) were living in Hucknall. William jnr. has not been traced after 1901. Betsy died in October 1939; her youngest son Joseph was awarded administration of her Will.
1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment). John Horace Blake (military records 'John Blake') enlisted at Derby, home address Hucknall. His service number indicates that he probably enlisted on 21 October 1908 (the date of service number 10992) and joined the 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters. The Battalion was serving in India when war broke out and returned to England, landing at Plymouth on 2 October 1914. The Battalion came under orders of 24 Brigade, 8th Division, and served with the BEF France from 4 November 1914 when it landed at Le Havre. On 15 September 1915 the Battalion entered the front line trenches in the Boise Grenier Sector, No 3 Section. It was relieved on the 19th and back in billets by 8.30pm that day. John would have received his wounds between these dates. He was taken back to a Casualty Clearing Station at Merville where he died on 19 September. He is buried at Merville Communal Cemetery France (grave ref. IV.C.8). During September 1915 the Battalion's casualties were 84 other ranks killed and 73 wounded or missing. CWGC - History of Merville Communal Cemetery (extract): the town of Merville is 15km from Bethune and 20km from Armentieres. 'Merville was the scene of fighting between the Germans and French and British cavalry early in October 1914 but from the 9th of that month to 11 April 1918, it remained in Allied hands ... In October 1914, and in the autumn of 1915, the town was the headquarters of the Indian Corps. It was a railhead until May 1915, and a billeting and hospital centre from 1915-1918. The 6th and Lahore Casualty Clearing Stations were there from the autumn of 1914 to the autumn of 1915; the 7th from December 1914, to April 1917; the 54th (1st/2nd London) from August 1915 to March 1918, and the 51st (Highland) from May 1917 to April 1918 ... Merville Communal Cemetery was used by French troops (chiefly cavalry) in October 1914, and for Commonwealth burials from that date until August 1916 (in the case of officers, to March 1918).' (www.cwgc.org)
CWGC Additional information: 'Son of Mr. W. Blake, of 53, Beardwell St., Hucknall, Nottingham.' Buried Merville Communal Cemetery - the original grave marker is conserved as the rood crucifix in the church of St. John the Evangelist, Butler Hill, Hucknall, where John's father was caretaker. Hucknall Dispatch, 23 September 1915 :- 'News has also come to hand that Sgt. J. H. Blake, the son of Mr. Blake, the caretaker of St. John's Church, Hucknall, has made the great sacrifice. A sister in the hospital sends the news that he was mortally wounded last Saturday, and died the following morning. The decreased was in the 1st Sherwood Foresters, and had eight years' service to his credit, five of them being spent in India. He was one of the earliest at the war, and with the exception of a period of leave with frost-bitten feet, he has been in the thick of hostilities all the time.' Source: Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918. Registers of Soldiers' Effects: John's sister Eva [Blake] was his sole legatee.
