Tom Harry Orton
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Tom was born about 1897, the son of Tom and Leonora Orton. His father, who was born in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, was a self-employed joiner/carpenter. Tom and Leonora had seven children of whom six were still living at the time of the 1911 census. Seven children were named on the census between 1891 and 1911; John J, Harold (possibly Thomas Harold), Ethel M, Florence, Tom Harry, Hannah and Maudie. Maudie (10 months) appears on the 1911 Census, but as the details are crossed out it is likely that she is the child who did not survive infancy. All the children were born in Nottingham. In 1891 Tom (31) and his wife (27) were living in Radford with their two children, John (6) and Thomas H (?Harold) (2). By 1901 they had moved to 146 Radford Road, Radford. Their eldest child, John, was a joiner/carpenter and probably working with his father. They had four younger children, Thomas H (12), Ethel (8), Florence (6) and Tom Harry (4). Leonora had been widowed by the time of the 1911 census and was living at 33 Kirkstead Street, Nottingham, with the five oldest children and another daughter, Hannah (11). All the children apart from Hannah who was still at school, were in work. Leonora's husband had died the previous year (death registered Jul/Aug/Sep 1910), aged 50. Leonora was named by Tom as his next of kin when he joined the Army and her address on Tom's army service record was given as 33 Newstead Street. However, the family address in the notice of Tom's death was 33 Kirkstead Street, suggesting an error in the army record.
He enlisted at the age of 20 (20 years 162 days) on 3 October 1916 and joined the RAMC in Sheffield two days later on 5 October. He died at the 10th Stationary Hospital where he was serving when the building was bombed. He is buried in Longuenesse (St Omer) Souvenir Cemetery (grave ref. V.B.34).
Nottingham Evening Post notice (abridged), 3 June 1918: ‘Orton. Killed May 23rd Private TH Orton RAMC, Kirkstead Street, through hospital being bombed. Mother, sisters, brothers, brother in law.’ In memoriam published 23rd May 1919 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- ORTON. – In memory of Pte. T. H. Orton, Kirkstead-street, killed May 23rd, 1918. To-day recalled sad memories. – Sorrowing mother, father, and sister Connie.” Above in memoriam is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918. His mother, Leonora, was his legatee. CWGC visitor information panel, Longuenesse (St Omer) Souvenir Cemetery: 'No. 10 Stationary Hospital was the first in and one of the last out, arriving in October 1914 and leaving in May 1918 to follow the advance of the Allied armies towards Germany. Whilst here, No. 10 used the chapel of the historic Jesuit college as one of its wards. Nine members of the hospital staff were killed in one of many air raids on the area and laid to rest in this cemetery.'
No Photos