Henry Ward Webster
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
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He was the son of William and Emma Webster (née Sheppard). His father William was born in 1858 at Kirkby in Ashfield and his mother Emma Sheppard was born in 1853 in Sutton in Ashfield. They were married at Sutton in Ashfield St Mary Magdalene in December 1877 and went on to have 12 children, sadly three died before 1911. Their children, who were all born in Sutton in Ashfield, were: James William b. 1878, Annie Eliza birth registered 1880 (J/F/M), Mary Jane b. 1881, Mabel b. 1882, Ada b. 1884, Gertrude Elizabeth birth registered 1886 (J/F/M), Lily b. 1887, George b. 1888, Henry Ward b. 1890, Horace b. 1891, Emma b. 1893 and Victor b. 1896. William, Emma and their children lived on Stoney Street, Sutton in Ashfield, at the time of the 1881 and 1891 census. William's wife Emma died in 1899 aged 46. By 1901 her husband was living on Dalestorth Street, Sutton in Ashfield, with 11 of their 12 children: Annie, Mary, Mabel, Ada and Gertrude who like their father were working in the hosiery industry, and Lily, George, Henry, Horace and Emma who were school age, and the youngest child, Victor. The eldest child, James, was probably a boarder living on Stoney Street and working as a registration clerk. The family was living at 24 Redcliffe Road, Sutton in Ashfield in 1911: William and six of his nine surviving children; Annie a hosiery machinist, Lily whose occupation was given as housekeeper, so presumably looking after the family, Henry a lace hosiery hand, Horace a manufacturer's clerk, Emma a hosiery mender and Victor an errand boy. George has not yet been traced on the 1911 Census but his sisters Ada and Gertrude were married. Ada had married George Shaw, a lace hosiery hand, in 1906 and they were living in Sutton in Ashfield with their two daughters. Gertrude married Isaac Gregory, a lace hosiery machine operator, in 1908 and they and their son were also living in Sutton in Ashfield. The three siblings who had died were Mabel (d. 1901 O/N/D), Mary Jane (d. 1907) and James William (d. 1908). Henry married Frances Mary Rowbotham (b. 29 April 1888) on 5 August 1912 at the Wesleyan Chapel, Sutton in Ashfield. They lived at 3 Pelham Street, Sutton in Ashfield. His widow was awarded a pension of 15 shillings a week payable from 4 August 1919. Her address was then Queen Mary Villas, Garden Lane, Sutton in Ashfield. There were no children of the marriage. Frances Mary completed a form for the army in January 1920 naming her late husband's surviving blood relatives: Father - William Webster, 24 Redcliffe Street Sutton in Ashfield. Brothers - George Webster (32), Arnsby Road Fleckney Leicester; Victor (23), 24 Redcliffe Street. Sisters - Annie Eliza Webster (39), Alta Roso Farm Canada; Ada Shaw (35), 24 Redcliffe Street; Gertrude Gregory (34) Bussell Street Sutton in Ashfield; Emma Watson (26) [m. Roland Watson 1919 A/M/J Mansfield] 24 Redcliffe Street. Frances Mary may have remarried in 1922 (Jackson, reg. Mansfield).
Royal Army Medical Corps. H.M.H.S. Valdivia. Appointed acting corporal, 8 December 1917. Henry Ward Webster, aged 26 years 120 days, enlisted on 8 November 1915 at Sutton in Ashfield. He was posted to the Royal Army Medical Corps and trained at Sheffield. On completion of training Henry was assigned to the nursing section and drafted to the Hospital Ships. He joined HMHS Warilda (previously HMAT Warilda) from training on 25 August 1916; the hospital ship served on the Southampton-Le Havre route. Henry continued to serve in Warilda apart from two periods of home service and with HMHS Grantully Castle (formerly a troop ship) from 25 April 1918-30 April 1918. After the second period of home service (1-21 May 1918) Henry rejoined HMHS Warilda. However, the ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel by German submarine UC-49 on 3 August 1918 while the ship was on passage from Le Havre. Henry was one of those rescued but 115 patients, a nursing sister and an RAMC orderly died. After home service (3-27 August 1918) he joined HMHS Valdivia on 28 August 1918. Valdivia was a former French passenger ship loaned to the Admiralty in November 1914. Henry transferred to the Egyptian Expeditionary Force on 11 October 1918 but rejoined HMHS Valdivia on 2 November. On 21 January 1919 Henry was admitted to hospital onboard Valdivia at Alexandria suffering from influenza, then on 26 January was transferred to the 19th General Hospital where he died the following day, 27 January. He was buried in Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt (grave ref. C.163). He qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC - History of Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery (extract): 'In March 1915, the base of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force was transferred to Alexandria from Mudros and the city became a camp and hospital centre for Commonwealth and French troops. Among the medical units established there were the 17th, 19th, 21st, 78th and 87th General Hospitals and No 5 Indian Hospital. After the Gallipoli campaign of 1915, Alexandria remained an important hospital centre during later operations in Egypt and Palestine and the port was much used by hospital ships and troop transports bringing reinforcements and carrying the sick and wounded out of the theatres of war. This cemetery was begun in April 1916 when it was realised that the cemetery at Chatby would not be large enough. Most of the burials were made from the Alexandria hospitals, but a number of graves of December 1917 were due to the loss of the troop transports "Aragon" and "Osmanieh" which were sunk by torpedo and mine as they entered the port. The cemetery continued in use until December 1919 but later, some graves were brought in from small burial grounds in the western desert, Maadia and Rosetta.' (www.cwgc.org)
Henry's brother, Horace Webster, served with the 2/7th Sherwood Foresters (45348 Private), and was killed in action on 6 December 1917. (See record on this Roll of Honour) CWGC additional information: 'Son of William Webster, of Sutton-in-Ashfield; husband of Frances Mary Webster (nee Rowbotham), of 3, Pelham St., Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottingham.' CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'For all the saints who from their labours rest be for ever blessed' (From the 19th century processional hymn, 'For All the Saints,' written by the Anglican Bishop of Wakefield, William Walsham How) Mansfield Reporter 10 January 1919: ‘Mrs H Webster, George-street, Huthwaite, would be glad of any information respecting her husband, Pte H Webster, 45248, ‘B’ Company, 6th Platoon, 2/7th Sherwood Foresters. He joined up in May, 1916 and was sent to France at the end of that year, and has been missing since the 6th December of the following year, 1917 ... A brother is Corpl. Webster, RAMC, who was on the Warilda, when she was torpedoed in the Channel and got off Scot-free.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
