Sidney Herbert Tutin
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Sidney Herbert was born in Worksop about 1878. His parent, Sidney and Jane Birch Tutin (nee Appleby) were married in the Basford registration district of Nottingham in 1864 (registered Jul/Aug/Sep). By 1871 they were living at 6 New Road, Worksop, where Sidney worked as a builder. They had three children, Eleanor (6, b. Radford), Thomas (4, b. Radford) and Mary (2, b. Worksop) and employed a young servant, Mary Scott (13). Ten years later in 1881 they were living at 47 Potter Street, Worksop, and Sidney was listed as employing four men in his building business. He and Jane now had eight children: Eleanor, Thomas, Mary, Albert (9), Harry (7), Florence A. (5), Sidney H. (3) and Arthur L. (1). The 1881 census records that all the children were born in Radford, but other census list them all being born in Worksop (Sidney Herbert's army service record has his birthplace as Worksop). By 1891 the family had returned to live in Nottingham at 26 Warner Street, Radford. Their father was described as a bricklayer and so may have suffered financial difficulties as a builder. While Sidney and Jane's two eldest children, Eleanor and Thomas, were not in the household at the time of the census, there were eight children at home: Mary, Albert, Harry. Florence, Sidney, Arthur, Mabel (9) and Beatrice (7). The family then suffered the loss of both parents; Sidney died in 1894 (reg. Jan/Feb/Mar) age 50 and his wife, Jane, died four years later in 1898 (reg. Jan/Feb/Mar) age 54. By the time of the 1901 Census Sidney Herbert was living at 15 Wilford Terrace, Hyson Green, in the household of his married sister, Florence Marshall, who was described as the head of the household. Also in the household were Florence's two daughters, Dorothy (4) and Beatrice (2), and another of her siblings, Mabel (19). By April the same year Sidney Herbert had joined the Army. His sister, Florence (Florence 'Tutin') was given as his next of kin on his attestation papers, although his next of kin was subsequently changed to Eleanor Tutin (also named 'Helen' and 'Ellen' on some records) of Greenford Parade, Greenford Road, South Harrow, Middx. At the time of Sidney's death both Eleanor and his brother, Harry (18 Grimston Road, Radford), were the named next of kin; Harry receiving Sidney's British War Medal in July 1921. Sidney left his estate to his siblings. His brothers and sisters are listed on the Register of Soldiers' Effects; the names are difficult to decipher but appear to be: Harry, Arthur, Albert, Eleanor, Mrs Mary Wheatley, Mrs Florence Kirkham, Mrs Mabel Wash and Mrs Beatrice Maud Bowman(?).
The CWGC 'debt of honour' gives his unit/s as: Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) 1st Bn. formerly (1399) 8th Div. Cyclist Coy. Army Cyclist Corps. However, the CWGC headstone lists him as 1399, Army Cyclist Corps and his army papers show that he was serving in the ACC at the time of his death. Sidney joined the Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment) on 3 April 1901 at the age of 23y. 8m. on a short service engagement (7 years with the Colours, 5 years in Reserve). He enlisted in Mansfield and joined at Derby the following day, 4 April. In 1904 he was given permission to extend his service and he served continuously until his death in May 1915. He served in Malta in 1901 and was in Singapore and India in 1906. While on home service in the UK in 1907/1908 he was charged with desertion for being absent without leave. He was in the Guard detention room awaiting trial from 30 January 1908 to 16 February 1908. A trial of desertion was dispensed with under Para 457 KR Authy GOC 9th Div and he was sent to trial by (?RCT) on 17 February 1908 and sentenced to 28 days detention for (1) breaking out of camp (2) losing by neglect his regimental necessaries. He was sent to detention barracks on 17 February 1908. He is recorded on the Military Census of 1911 serving in India with the 1st Battalion. He was still in India in 1912 as there is a record that he was injured playing football at Secunderabad; this must have been a fairly serious injury as a court of inquiry was convened to investigate the circumstances. During his time in both Singapore and India he received treatment several times for disease. He was posted to the 8th Division Cyclist Coy on 7 October 1914. He served in the BEF disembarking in theatre on 4 November 1914 and on 8 January the following year transferred to the Army Cyclist Corps. On 13 March 1915 he was wounded by shrapnel, suffering a compound fracture of the left femur, and was admitted to hospital in Boulogne the following day. He was evacuated to England and died in the Red Cross Hospital, Cirencester, on 2 May 1915. He is buried in Nottingham General Cemetery. He qualified for the 1914 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord' Nottingham Evening Post notice (abridged), 6 May 1915: 'Private SH Tutin Sherwood Foresters, buried at Nottingham General Cemetery. Tutin died at Cirencester from wounds received at Neuve Chappelle.' Article published on 6th May 1915 in The Nottingham Evening Post :- “NOTTINGHAM SOLDIER’S FUNERAL. “BIG CROWD AT THE GENERAL CEMETERY. “A big crowd — one of the largest, in fact, ever seen at a funeral in Nottingham — attended the burial this afternoon [6th May 1915] at the General Cemetery of Private Sidney Herbert Tutin, a local member of the Sherwood Foresters, who died on Sunday at Cirencester, from wounds received during the battle of Neuve Chapelle. “It had been found impossible to procure either a firing party or gun carriage for the coffin to be carried upon, and accordingly the latter, draped with the Union Jack, and bearing the deceased soldier's hat, belt, and bayonet, was conveyed to the grave in an ordinary hearse, the Dead March in Saul being played by the band of the 1st and 2nd Battalions Sherwood Foresters from Derby, under Bandmaster Dewsall. “A company of the Bantam Battalion acted bearers, and, led by Sergt.-Drummer Evans, sounded the “Last Post,” while the assembly also included several former members of the regiment, and one or two wounded men. “Long before the appearance of the funeral cortege, the grave was surrounded by a mass of people standing four deep, and the adjoining hill sides presented perfect sea of faces. The service was conducted by Canon Gem, vicar of Old Radford Church, assisted by the Rev. W. R. Powell, curate.” Above article is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918.
