Bernard Griffin Butler
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Bernard Griffin was the son of William and Elizabeth Butler (née Griffin). Both his parents were born in Nottingham, his father in about 1841 and his mother in about 1845. They were married at Nottingham St Mary on 25 March 1864 and had at least 13 children; their eldest child, James, was born before their marriage and four died young. The children, who were born in Basford and Nottingham, were: James Butler Griffin birth registered 1861 (J/F/M), William b. 1864 d. 1864, Anne b. 1865 d. 1865, William b. 1867, Henry b. 1869, John b. 1871, Florence Gertrude b. 1876 d. May 1882, George Arthur b. 1878, Herbert b. 1881, Lydia Ann b. 1883, Ernest Edward birth registered 1885 (J/F/M), Albert Victor b. 1887 and Bernard Griffin b. 1889. William, a lace maker, and Elizabeth, their three sons, James (10), William (4) and Henry (1), and Elizabeth's widowed mother, Sabina Griffin, were living at Kenilworth Terrace, Nottingham, in 1871. The family was then recorded in Basford on the 1881 and 1891 Census and still living in the Basford registration district when Elizabeth Butler died in 1898 (buried 4 February). By 1901 the widowed William and his two youngest children, Ernest a lace threader, and Bernard (11), were living at 5 Stansfield Terrace, Stansfield Street, Nottingham, boarders in the household of John Edwards, a cotton spinner, and his family. The next two children in age to Ernest and Bernard, Herbert, a waiter (public house), and Lydia a chenille hand, were also boarding with families in Nottingham. William snr. has not yet been traced on the 1911 Census but the later CWGC record gave his address as 60 Dennison Street, Old Radford. William was living at 59 Denison Street at the time of his death on 10 June 1928. Bernard married Bertha Jarvis (b. 1892) at Radford All Saints on 28 January 1911 and their son, Louis W. was born in the summer of that year, but died in 1912 aged 1 year. Bertha was the daughter of John Jarvis and his wife Catherine (née Gill, m. 1891), who had four children, one of whom died in infancy. Following her husband's death, Catherine married Louis Newton (m. 1899) and they had at least five children. Bernard and Bertha lived with her mother and stepfather at 66 Salisbury Street, Radford, following their marriage. Several months later when the 1911 Census was taken, the household comprised Bernard and Bertha, her mother and stepfather and their five children ranging in age from 4 to 11 together with Bertha's two surviving siblings. A report of Bernard's death in the local paper in 1915 gave his address as 126 Salisbury Street, Radford. Bertha married Arthur Eley in 1916 (A/M/J) and by the 1920s they were living at 19 Elm Grove, Blue Bell Hill Road. They were still living in Nottingham in 1939 when the England and Wales Register was compiled; also in the household were their two daughters and Bertha's widowed mother Catherine (Kate) Newton. The record of another member of the household remains closed. Bertha died in 1970.
Bernard Griffin Butler enlisted as a special reservist on 9 December 1912 at the age of 23 years and 6 months. He was 5 feet 3 inches in height. He was posted to the 4th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment) for recruit training (9 November 1912-10 April 1913). He was mobilised on 5 August 1914 and after training was sent to the 1st battalion in France, entering theatre on 4 January 1915. The battalion notes show a draft of 65 officers and men arriving on 3rd, and 80 on 11th. He was appointed unpaid lance corporal on 13 April. The Battle of Aubers took place on 9 May and the battalion was part of the attack on Rouges Blancs. It arrived at the assembly trenches just after midnight. The 25th brigade attacked first but suffered very heavy losses and therefore the 24th Brigade, of which the 1st battalion was a part, went in at 5.55. The 2nd East Lancashire's led, supported by two companies of the 1st battalion. The lack of British artillery soon told, when it was found that the enemy parapets were undamaged and their trenches were held in force. Eight machine guns faced the British troops and they held up the advance. The Foresters changed direction but found the new enemy line even stronger but despite this 'B' company got to within 40 yards of the German wire, only to find it uncut. A decision was made by the General Officer commanding to stop the advance. At 7.35 am another attempt was made using the other two companies from the battalion, supported by the first two; these again in support of the East Lancashire's. Shelling and machine gun fire once again stopped the advance and many men lay in the open unable to move forward. Early in the afternoon the companies were ordered back to the breastworks. At 7.30pm, the German artillery opened up and caused many casualties and also virtually wrecked the breastworks by which the majority of what was left of the battalion were situated. Bernard was one of 86 men killed of whom 78, like him, have no known grave and are commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium. John Morse Note: Ploegsteert ('Plugstreet' to troops) is in Belgium as the French did not want too many memorials on their soil. Men commemorated here are from the battles in Northern France. CWGC - History of The Ploegsteert Memorial (extract): 'The memorial serves the area from the line Caestre-Dranoutre-Warneton, in Belgium, to the north, to Haverskerque-Estaires-Fournes, in France, to the south, including the towns of Hazebrouck, Merville, Bailleul and Armentieres, the Forest of Nieppe, and Ploegsteert Wood ... Most of those commemorated by the memorial did not die in major offensives, such as those which took place around Ypres to the north, or Loos to the south. Most were killed in the course of the day-to-day trench warfare which characterised this part of the line, or in small scale set engagements, usually carried out in support of the major attacks taking place elsewhere.' (www.cwgc.org)
CWGC additional information: 'Son of William Butler, of 60, Dennison St., Old Radford, Nottingham; husband of Bertha Eley (formerly Butler), of 19, Elm Grove, Blue Bell Hill Rd., Nottingham.' Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 7 June 1915: ‘Butler. Killed in action, May 9th , Lance-Corporal Bernard G Butler, 1st Sherwood Foresters, of 66, Salisbury-street. Greater love hath no man than this, that he gave his live for his country. Wife.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, 19 June 1915, photograph with caption: 'L/Corpl. BG Butler, 1st Sherwood Foresters, 126 Salisbury Street, Radford, killed in action May 9th.' Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam,’ 9 May 1916: ‘Butler. In loving memory of my dear husband, Lance Corpl. Bernard Griffin Butler, killed in action May 9th, 1915. Ever in our thoughts. His loving wife and Mrs and Mr Newton.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Bertha was awarded a pension of 10 shillings a week with effect from 6 December 1915. Registers of Soldiers' Effects: Bertha Butler was his sole legatee. Bernard's personal effects comprising 1 pocket book, 1 disc, letters and photographs were returned to Bertha in September 1915. Bertha ('remarried widow') claimed her late husband's medals in 1925; she was then living at 19 Elm Grove, Blue Bell Hill Road, Nottingham. The army record noted that the medals (British War Medal and Victory Medal) had been 'returned undisposed' in October 1923. The army would have written to Bertha to confirm her address before sending the medals to her, and it is probable that she had not kept the army advised of a change of address. Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 11 June 1928: ‘Butler. On June 10th, at 59 Denison-street, William aged 87. Son Jack [John].’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
