Ernest Tyzac Barnes
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Ernest was born in 1880 in Burton on Trent, Staffordshire, the son of Robert John and Mary Ann Barnes.Robert John Barnes was born in Burton upon Trent in 1853 and his wife Mary Ann was born in Salford, Lancashire, in 1852. His parents were married in Burton upon Trent in 1880 and had nine children although four were to die in infancy or childhood before 1911. Their children were: Ernest Tyzac b1880 ,Alfred Thomas b1882, Robert J b1886 Wilfrd E b1889 and Francis C b1889. All the children were born in Burton. Ernest married Caroline Boniface (b. Battersea London 1879) in 1903; the marriage was recorded in the Basford Registration District. They had four children, Charles William b1906 West Bridgford, Ernest Leonard b1909 West Bridgford, Gladys Mary b1910 West Bridgford and Frederick Arthur b1913 whose birth was recorded in the Basford Registration district. In the 1911 census Ernest and his family are living at 12 Ludlow Ave, West Bridgford and are shown as Ernest 32 yrs head of the family and a road sweeper, who is living with his wife Caroline also 32 yrs and their children Charles William 5 yrs, Ernest Leonard 2 yrs, Gladys Mary 6 months. Also living at the same address is Ernest's brother-in-law, James Boniface (21 yrs single), a leather dresser at Turney Brothers, Trent Bridge. At the time of Ernest's death his wife was living with her four children at 11 Midland Cottages, Rectory Road, West Bridgford.A letter from the War Office dated 13th April 1916 notified his widow that she would be awarded a pension amounting to 25 shillings a week for herself and her four children with effect from 10th April 1916.
Ernest had served with the 7th battalion (Robin Hoods) Sherwood Foresters prior to the outbreak of the war. He re-enlisted on 8th August 1914 at Nottingham but it was not until 28th February 1915 that he joined the British Expeditionary Force in France. He was wounded whilst in action on 5th October 1915, receiving a gun shot wound to his left thigh, chest and forearm. He died from his wounds on 7th October 1915 at Le Treport and was buried in Le Treport Military Cemetery (grave ref. Plot 1. Row L. Grave 7).
West Bridgford Advertiser, ‘Roll of Honour’, 16 October 1915: ‘Barnes. Died of wounds, Oct. 7th, Pioneer ET Barnes, 11, Midland Cottages, WB, aged 27 years. We never knew what pain he had, We never saw him die, We only know he passed away, Without a chance to say good-bye. From his sorrowing wife and children, sisters and brothers.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
