Albert William Birkin
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Albert William was the only son of Harry and Kate Birkin (née Wealthall). Both his parents were born in Nottingham, Harry in 1868 and Kate in 1867. They were married at Sneinton St Albans in July 1891 and had six children, one of whom, Hilda, died young: Florence Maud b. 1892, Albert William b. 1893, Elizabeth birth registered 1896 (J/F/M), Hilda b. 1899 d. 1899 and Lilian Kate b. 1903 who were born in Nottingham and Ethel Mary b. Epperstone Nottinghamshire in 1905. The four oldest children were baptised at St Alban's, Albert on 10 October 1893. The baptismal registers show that Harry and Kate were living at 22 Southwell Road, Sneinton, in 1893, 16a Southwell Road in 1896 and 7 Southwell Road in 1899. In 1901 Harry, a butcher, Kate and their four children, Florence (8), Albert (7), Elizabeth (5) and Hilda (1) were living at 16 Southwell Road. Hilda died later that year. The family was living at Edmonthorpe Lodge, Colston Bassett by 1911: Harry, now a farmer, Kate, Florence and Albert who were both working on the farm, Elizabeth, Lilian (7) and Ethel (5). Harry and Kate were still living at Edmonthorpe Lodge when the later CWGC record was compiled. Kate died in 1937 and was buried in Colston Bassett St Mary's burial ground. In 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled, Harry, a retired farmer, was living at Hills Farm, Colston Bassett, with his widowed daughter, Florence Faulks (m. 1925) and her sons John Albert (b. 1922) and Harry Alfred (b. 1923) who were assisting their mother on the farm, and Arthur (b. 1924) who was 'seeking work'. Also in the household was a cowman and a domestic servant; the record of one other person remains closed. Harry died in 1943 and was also buried in St Mary's burial ground. His four daughters, Florence Faulks, Elizabeth Wagstaff (m. 1925), Lilian Penney and Ethel Harliss (m. 1935) survived him.
2nd Bn Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) The 2nd Battalion was in Calcutta, India, when war broke out and returned to England in December 1914. It embarked in March 1915 for Gallipoli and landed at Cape Helles on 25 April. The battalion was evacuated to Egypt in January 1916 and then in the March sent to France where it was in action in the Battles of the Somme. Albert William served in Gallipoli from 15 December 1915 but in March 1916 transferred with the battalion to the Western Front. He died of wounds on 4 July 1916 and is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, France (grave reference: VIII. C. 95). The sandy soil in the cemetery means the headstones are laid flat. Albert qualified for the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC - History of Boulogne Eastern Cemetery: 'Boulogne was one of the three base ports most extensively used by the Commonwealth armies on the Western Front throughout the First World War. It was closed and cleared on the 27 August 1914 when the Allies were forced to fall back ahead of the German advance, but was opened again in October and from that month to the end of the war, Boulogne and Wimereux formed one of the chief hospital areas. Until June 1918, the dead from the hospitals at Boulogne itself were buried in the Cimetiere de L'Est, one of the town cemeteries, the Commonwealth graves forming a long, narrow strip along the right hand edge of the cemetery. In the spring of 1918, it was found that space was running short in the Eastern Cemetery in spite of repeated extensions to the south, and the site of the new cemetery at Terlincthun was chosen.'
CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'Of Colston-Bassett Nottinghamshire England' CWGC: 'Son of Harry and Kate Birkin, of Edmondthorpe Lodge, Colston Bassett, Notts.' Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 8 & 10 July 1916: ‘Birkin. Died of wounds received in action, July 4th, Lance-Corporal AW Birkin, Royal Fusiliers, aged 22 years, only son of Mr and Mrs Birkin, Edmonthorpe Lodge, Colston Bassett.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Acknowledgements’, 17 July 1916: ‘Mr and Mrs Birkin and Family, Colston Bassett, desire to thank all friends for their kind expressions of sympathy in their sad bereavement.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 4 July 1917: ‘Birkin. In loving memory of our dear son, Lance-Corpl. Albert D (sic) Birkin, signaller, Royal Fusiliers, died of wounds July 4th, 1916. Sorrowing father, mother, and sisters.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
