Horace Butler
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Horace Butler was youngest son of Joseph and Elizabeth Butler (née Spencer). His father was born in Sutton in Ashfield in about 1843 and his mother in Annesley, Nottinghamshire, in about 1852. They were married at Sutton in Ashfield St Mary Magdalene on 30 May 1870 and had 12 children, one of whom died in infancy. All the children were born in Sutton in Ashfield: George Edmund b. 1870; William b. 1872, Hannah b. 1874, Charles b. 1876, Alfred b. 1877, Mary/May Elizabeth b. 1879, Joseph b. 1882, Eliza b. 1883 d. , James b. abt 1886, Albert Oswald b. 1891, Clara b. 1894 and Horace b. 1896. Baptismal records (St Mary Magdalene) have been traced for eight of their children, although not Horace. In 1871, the year after their marriage, Joseph, a framework knitter, and Elizabeth together with their son George, were boarders on Station Street, in the household of William Searson. The couple had moved to Mount Street by July 1872 when their son William was baptised and to Union Street when Charles was baptised in 1876. Joseph snr. died in 1897 but his widow was still living on Union Street (No. 31) at the time of the 1901 Census. Eight of her eleven surviving children were in the home on the night of the census: William (28) a hosiery power framework knitter, Charles (25) and James (15) who were both colliery banksman (above ground), Joseph (19) a colliery way cleaner (underground), Albert (9) and Clara (7) who were school age and Horace (4). The eldest son George had married Mary Ann Morley in 1894, the eldest daughter Hannah had married William Henry Beastall in 1895 and they and their children were also living in Sutton in Ashfield while Alfred was a boarder at Hope Street, Normanton, Wakefield, in the home of Mary Ann Butler (33, b. Cotmanhay, married, head of household) and her three children (b. Sutton in Ashfield). By 1911 Elizabeth had moved to 120 Hardwick Lane, Sutton in Ashfield, where she was living with five of her children, William a hosiery worker, Charles, James and Horace who were all coal pickers on the pit bank (above ground), and Clara who was helping in the home. Horace's older brother, Alfred, also served in the war (see 'Extra information').
7th Bn King's Royal Rifle Corps The 7th (Service) Battalion was raised at Winchester, Hampshire, on 19 August 1914 as part of Kitchener's First New Army and came under order of 41st Brigade, 14th (Light) Division. In 1915 the Battalion was mobilised for BEF France, disembarking at Boulogne on 19 May 1915. It took part in the Battle of the Scarpe (Arras Offensive) between 9 April 1917 and 4 May 1917. Horace Butler was killed in action on 29 April 1917. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France (Bay 7). The Memorial commemorates nearly 35,000 UK, South African and New Zealand servicemen who have no known grave and who died in the Arras sector between 1916 and the beginning of August 1918.
Horace's brother, Alfred, attested in the Militia (4th Bn Notts & Derby Regiment) on 4 December 1899 (7306 Private). He was 19 years 1 month and worked as a collier for the Bentinck Colliery Co. He was living at 31 Union Street. He was discharged by purchase on 2 January 1900. Alfred married Alice Parnham at Somercotes St Thomas in August 1903 and in 1911 they were living on Reform Street with their three children, Hannah, Thomas and Clara. Alfred attested on 30 December 1914 aged 35 years 53 days, occupation navvy. Home address Reform Street, Sutton in Ashfield. Alfred was posted to the Sherwood Foresters on 5 January 1915 but transferred to the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry on 25 May 1916 followed by a transfer to the 3rd Bn Sherwood Foresters on 11 July 1916. Alfred was transferred to the Army Reserve (Class W) on 23 February 1917 then on 2 January 1918 posted from the Reserve to the 3rd Bn. Sherwood Foresters. He was discharged on 5 April the same year as no longer physically fit for war service; he had served at home throughout. Alfred died in 1922. WW1 Pension Ledgers: named his mother, Elizabeth, resident Sutton in Ashfield.
